We must put political differences aside to secure Grangemouth future

I got into politics to make a difference and to enrich the lives of the people of Scotland. I passionately believe and I have previously demonstrated that we can achieve more by working together for the people of Scotland. Government intervention as a force of good Adopting a cross-party approach to politics and agreeing a way forward to tackle the structural issues and challenges facing Scotland today for a better tomorrow is the most effective way to deliver solutions.

This is also what the people of Scotland expect from their elected representatives, to be able to constructively engage and work together when required in the national interest. This week I have written to Stephen Flynn MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Tourism and Transport as well as opposition party leaders and Douglas Alexander MP, Secretary of State for Scotland as we support Scotland 2050’s call for a cross – party summit on the future of Grangemouth.

As I said to the Cabinet Secretary in my letter, we should put differences aside, come together and make sure that the opportunities for Grangemouth are realised for the benefit of the people who live and work there. By listening to local voices, working in partnership and making the most of the opportunities ahead, we can help secure new investment, new jobs and a stronger future for Grangemouth and for the wider community. The reality is that Grangemouth’s future matters to the whole of Scotland.

It is too important to be shaped by party politics or short-term thinking. We need to bring people together - across political parties, government, business, trade unions, local communities and Ineos - to find a positive way forward. Approximately 400 jobs were lost when the refinery stopped production, over a year ago, and further jobs at Grangemouth are now at risk. It is crucial that Grangemouth is not left behind. The community needs to know how promised investment from both the Scottish and UK Governments will deliver for them.

They need to know that all credible options to secure long lasting employment and investment have been explored. Failure to do so will only result in further economic and social decline in this part of Scotland which in my opinion can be prevented if us politicos work together along with industry and other key stakeholders. The UK Government announced £200 million of funding through the National Wealth Fund in February 2025, and the Scottish Government established a £25 million Just Transition Fund.

Only £8 million of the Just Transition Fund has been allocated to date, and none of the £200 million allocation has been deployed. Project Willow identified nine low-carbon industrial options, potentially creating around 800 direct operational jobs by 2040 and requiring approximately £3.5 billion of private capital expenditure. Whilst the UK Government funding is intended to unlock investment, the reality is that funding from the UK National Wealth Fund depends on propositions meeting the Fund’s commercial criteria.

These include delivering a positive financial return which can be challenging for a first-of-a-kind project, and this is one of the reasons why we need to have a cross party summit to explore all viable and deliverable options for the future of Grangemouth. We support Scotland 2050’s call for a cross-party summit on the future of Grangemouth as there is still no clear path forward or timetable for translating the £200m funding into investment and jobs and this need to change.

We believe one of the blockers could be the current funding criteria and conditions. It is incumbent on all of us to examine all potential options to ensure that Grangemouth is not left behind. The summit should test whether the options identified by Project Willow remain the strongest opportunities or whether other commercial uses deserve support. Decisions should be made mindful of the commercial prospects, job quality and how soon employment could be created.