Why politics are at play as Rishi Sunak announces carbon capture funding and new oil and gas licences for the North Sea

Mr Sunak was in Peterhead on Monday to announce the UK Government will be providing millions of pounds for a carbon capture project and approving hundreds of new oil and gas exploration licences for the North Sea.

While this may seem on the surface like a purely environmental issue, digging a bit deeper soon reveals there is a political game at play.

In fact, campaigners like Greenpeace have branded the announcement “a cynical ploy to sow division”, saying the climate has become “collateral damage” in a political debate. For context, it is worth looking back at the three English by-elections held recently.

Many predicted the Conservatives would badly lose all three constituencies, but surprisingly they held onto Boris Johnson’s old seat of Uxbridge and South Ruislip.

Despite only holding the seat by less than 500 votes, the secret to Steve Tuckwell’s victory was campaigning against an unpopular environmental policy – the ultra low emissions zone, which Labour London Mayor Sadiq Khan wants to expand.

People will have to pay £12.50 to drive within this zone if their car doesn’t meet new emissions standards, putting many drastically out of pocket – and the Conservatives played on this in their campaigning. It worked, and now they are trying to replicate this tactic of doing the opposite of what Labour says when it comes to the environment for the coming general election.

Labour has said it will not grant any new licences for oil and gas exploration if they win the next general election – in complete contrast to Mr Sunak’s latest announcement.

The Conservatives will want to clutch at any damage control straws they can, because they are languishing behind in the polls on 26 per cent, compared to Labour who are storming ahead on 46 per cent.

Labour is already calling it out as a political ploy. Scottish Labour’s economy spokesman Daniel Johnston MSP branded the announcement a “smokescreen” for other policies that appeal directly to Mr Sunak’s right wing voters.

It is still uncertain at this moment if this plan will work for the Conservatives, as even some within Mr Sunak’s own party disagree with him.

Chris Skidmore MP said it was “the wrong decision at precisely the wrong time”, and while some are urging the Prime Minister to water down the UK’s climate targets, others warn they risk being on the wrong side of history. So what does all of this mean for the SNP?

Party Westminster leader Stephen Flynn said the announcement ignored the reality of the climate crisis – echoing the sentiments of their friends in the Scottish Greens, who have called it an “utterly reckless decision” that will have “a long and destructive legacy”.

Probably the biggest concern for the SNP in all of this is how many roles it will support in the North Sea, as they have said they want to make sure those employed in the sector don’t lose their jobs in the journey to net zero.

The Prime Minister says the carbon capture project alone with create more than 21,000 jobs, but it is not the first time the north-east has been promised a job boom that never materialises.

Perhaps First Minister Humza Yousaf will take a leaf out of Oxfam’s book. Its Scottish head Jamie Livingstone says it is now up to him to use his devolved powers to limit the damage this announcement will have on the environment.