Scotland is facing its biggest threat to jobs since the closure of Ravenscraig 23 years ago today. With one in 12 Scottish oil jobs at risk due to the oil crisis, new analysis released Scottish Labour has revealed.

The independent research from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre and Oil and Gas UK suggest there could be as many as 35,000 job losses, that includes jobs supported by employee spending across the UK, with 15,750 of these job losses in Scotland.

However, with Brent crude dropping beneath 50 dollars this week, the party has said that the threat to jobs could be even bigger.

Scottish Labour has called for immediate action on the Oil crisis. Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy was in Aberdeen earlier this week meeting with Oil and Gas UK, Trade Unions and Aberdeen City Council.

The party are calling for action from both the UK and Scottish Governments, including a resilience fund.

A resilience fund would be used in times of crisis for some of Scotland’s crucial industries and to deal with the consequences of large scale redundancies on local economies.

The resilience fund would be paid for by Barnett Consequentials from the autumn statement.

Scottish Labour Economy Spokesperson Jackie Baillie MSP said:

“The oil price is under half the price predicted in the SNP’s White Paper, having dropped beneath 50 dollars a barrel yesterday.

“There is a huge threat to jobs here, the industry and economic experts predict that up to one in 12 oil jobs are at risk. These are not only people who directly work in the industry but the local economies in the North East, and people across Scotland who work in the supply chain. We need action, and we need action now.

“Scottish Labour has demanded that both the UK Government and the Scottish Government attend the Oil Crisis Summit.

“This is too important for the UK and Scottish Governments to score political points by playing pass the parcel.   

“The Scottish Government has the capacity to act. They can set up a resilience fund to be used when our key industries in Scotland face a crisis.

“SNP Ministers have been calling this an oil fund. It is not and it is ridiculous that they are attempting to refight the referendum when people’s jobs are on the line.

“We need action now. Not finger pointing. This crisis is the biggest threat to Scottish jobs since Ravenscraig and the Scottish Government have been nowhere to be seen