Unlike Tory 'fantasies', this Labour government will ignore 'party politics' to achieve prosperous North Sea

My one message at today’s conference will be this: now is the time to build the North Sea’s clean energy future, and this Labour Government will back the North Sea, its workers and its industry to remain the great British success story that you are.

We refuse to accept the status quo of the last decade, which has seen jobs lost and other countries get ahead in the technologies that should be safeguarding this industry for the future.

As proud as we are of what this industry has achieved over the past half a century, the truth that some wilfully choose to ignore is that the North Sea is in transition, and we have been for decades now.

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This is not a binary choice between one industry and another. Even as we go all-out in our mission for clean power, oil and gas will continue to play a critical role for decades to come. That’s the expert, independent view of the Climate Change Committee too.

So, this Labour government will support businesses to manage existing fields for the entirety of their lifespan. But we will also do everything we can to back the next generation of clean energy industries in the North Sea, making this a safe haven for long-term investment.

That’s why making a huge commitment to carbon capture and hydrogen – the industries of the future. At the start of the summer, the energy secretary was up the coast from here at the St Fergus gas terminal – announcing £200 million for the trailblazing Acorn project.

A project which brings together businesses across the Central Belt and North East of Scotland and means thousands of workers facing an uncertain future can now look forward to good jobs building those vital CO2 pipelines.

It’s why we’re improving the offshore wind auction, with the Clean Industry Bonus, designed to encourage supply chain investment here in the UK, smashing all expectations. As a result, we’ve now more than doubled the funding to over £540m.

It was also fantastic to see both the Port of Ardersier and Port of Cromarty Firth confirm significant investments to support Scotland’s rapidly expanding floating offshore wind sector.

It’s also why Great British Energy is located here in Aberdeen, so that it’s perfectly placed to drive the roll-out of clean energy projects.

Labour always said this transition only works if working people believe in it and feel the benefits. That means good jobs, backed by strong unions. It means young people embarking on exciting, rewarding careers in energy and feeling that same sense of pride at being at the cutting edge of energy innovation. So, we will make sure workers have the tools they need to take up these new opportunities.

Already, we have worked with the Scottish Government and trade bodies to launch a skills passport, making it easier and quicker for oil and gas workers to move between roles. That idea has been stuck in the mud for years. But we made more progress in a matter of months than was made in the previous 14 years.

Here in Aberdeen, we have also launched a pilot programme offering tailored careers advice and training to oil and gas workers. And we’ve also recently announced plans for offshore wind developers to contribute directly to skills training.

Lastly, let me guarantee you that this government will always be a partner that puts your interest above party politics. We will work with every single one of you to achieve our goal; a prosperous North Sea that powers the UK’s clean energy future.

Unfortunately, the Conservatives are rolling out the same old fantasies on energy - despite previously admitting that their policies would not take a penny off energy bills. Their plan also fails to secure long-term sustainable jobs, and would trash our climate.

We'll take no lectures from Kemi Badenoch because every family and business paid the price of the Conservatives' failure to secure the UK's energy.

The Conservative Party and Reform UK might believe that it suits them to jump on a bandwagon and pretend the energy transition is not happening, but it's not credible or right- and it puts jobs at risk.

North Sea workers and communities deserve a government that says it is time to invest in the future, and manage the transition in a rational, co-operative way.

That is what this Labour government offers you through our Plan for Change. And a plan which helps us unleash the incredible future for the North Sea. The time to build that future is now