Andy Burnham Vows to Work With SNP Over ScotWind

Key Points

• Andy Burnham has agreed to “work with” the SNP as up to £79 billion is being invested in industry in Scotland via the ScotWind project.
• The subject came up during the Prime Minister’s first Prime Minister’s Questions session, when SNP MP Seamus Logan said he was concerned that a new UK Government plan for energy for the next 25 years could pose a threat to ScotWind.
• Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh is expected to approve the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan that will determine the location and timing of the development of energy infrastructure in the UK.
• ScotWind is estimated to support over 21,000 jobs and £78.5bn of investment by Crown Estate Scotland.
• As the UK’s energy sector moves toward decarbonisation, GMB, the union representing workers in Scotland, has said that transition could be lost on skilled energy workers if the wrong road is taken on the energy policy.
• He plans to tour Scotland “soon” to look at the effect of the energy transition, with an emphasis on visiting Aberdeen and Grangemouth, Burnham said.
• Later, Logan had criticised Westminster’s transmission charges and energy taxes for being detrimental to the supply chains of Scottish offshore wind.
• Labour could miss out on the opportunity to “bypass” ScotWind, Scottish expertise and Scotland’s energy future if they take the wrong approach, warned Logan.

Westminster (Britain Today News) September 02, 2026 — Prime Minister Andy Burnham has promised to “work with” the SNP after fears were raised in the House of Commons that investment worth up to £79 billion in Scottish industry could collapse. The pledge came during Burnham’s first Prime Minister’s Questions, after SNP MP Seamus Logan warned that an upcoming Government decision on a 25-year energy sector plan could put the ScotWind offshore wind programme in jeopardy.

What Did Seamus Logan Ask Andy Burnham at PMQs?

Seamus Logan, the SNP MP for Aberdeenshire North and Moray East, used his question at Prime Minister’s Questions to press Andy Burnham directly on the future of ScotWind. He told the Prime Minister:

“ScotWind is key to Scotland’s industrial future, it represents £78.5 billion of potential investment, part of an overall package that Crown Estate Scotland estimates could support more than 21,000 jobs.”

Logan continued by highlighting concerns raised by trade unions, stating:

“But the GMB union in Scotland has warned, among others this week, that the wrong pathway could deny energy transition opportunities for our world-class skilled and experienced Scottish energy workers and industries.”

He then linked the issue to previous industrial setbacks in Scotland, asking:

“So after the betrayal of the last administration at Grangemouth and Ardersier, can the Prime Minister commit today to selecting a pathway that enables the full ScotWind pipeline, including floating offshore wind and the grid investment to deliver Scotland’s energy potential?”

Why Is the ScotWind Investment at Risk?

The concern centres on a forthcoming decision by the UK Government on the direction of national energy infrastructure policy. Campaigners and industry figures fear that if the wrong route is chosen, billions of pounds earmarked for Scottish offshore wind development could instead be diverted elsewhere, or simply fail to materialise. ScotWind is one of the largest offshore wind leasing programmes in the world, and its scale means that any policy misstep at a UK level could have significant consequences for Scotland’s renewable energy sector, its supply chains and its workforce.

What Is the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan?

At the heart of the row is the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan, a document that Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh is expected to finalise in the near future. According to Logan, the plan would

“shape how and when energy infrastructure is developed”

across the country over the coming decades. Because the plan determines where and when major energy projects are prioritised, unions and industry figures argue that it could either secure or undermine the ScotWind pipeline, depending on the pathway chosen.

How Much Is ScotWind Worth to Scotland’s Economy?

Logan placed a precise figure on the stakes involved, telling the Commons that ScotWind represents £78.5 billion of potential investment. He said this forms part of a wider package that, according to estimates from Crown Estate Scotland, could support more than 21,000 jobs. These figures underline why the project has become a flashpoint in the relationship between the SNP and the UK Government, with Logan arguing that failure to protect the pipeline would represent a missed economic opportunity for Scotland.

What Did Andy Burnham Say in Response?

Responding to Logan’s question, Andy Burnham committed to working alongside the SNP on the issue and said he would travel to Scotland in the near future to assess the impact of the energy transition on local communities. He said:

“This is exactly what I’m talking about when I’m talking about supporting industrial transition, so that we can reindustrialise Scotland and other parts of the country so that we can make that transition work rather than being too ideological about it, as other parties are.”

He added:

“So I will work with him, I intend to visit Scotland soon to look in detail at the issues in the Aberdeen community, because I know they’ve struggled with the impact of transition. Let’s see what we can do to build common cause and look at Grangemouth too, which could be the home of sustainable aviation fuel. I’m interested in making progress on all of these issues and I will work with him on that.”

Why Did Burnham Mention Grangemouth and Ardersier?

Burnham’s reference to Grangemouth was a direct response to Logan’s framing of the question, which cited the closure of the Grangemouth refinery and difficulties at Ardersier as examples of what Logan termed

“the betrayal of the last administration.”

By raising the possibility of Grangemouth becoming

“the home of sustainable aviation fuel.”

Burnham signalled an intention to position the site as part of the industrial transition rather than a symbol of its failures. Ardersier, a former oil and gas fabrication yard on the Moray Firth now being redeveloped for offshore wind manufacturing, was cited by Logan as another example of the risks facing Scotland’s energy transition if investment pathways are not secured.

What Has the GMB Union Warned About ScotWind?

According to Logan’s statement in the Commons, the GMB union in Scotland has warned that choosing the wrong policy pathway could deny energy transition opportunities to the country’s skilled and experienced energy workforce. Logan told MPs the union had issued this warning “among others this week,” suggesting that concern about the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan extends beyond the SNP and into the trade union movement, which represents many workers currently employed in Scotland’s oil, gas and renewables sectors.

What Did Seamus Logan Say After PMQs?

Speaking after the session, Logan expanded on his concerns, warning that the 21,000 jobs linked to ScotWind could fail to materialise if Westminster chose to “bypass ScotWind.” He said:

“Westminster’s crippling transmission charging regime is hammering Scottish offshore wind, their tax on Scotland’s energy is ruining supply chains and now we learn they might press play on plans that would destroy nearly £80bn of renewables investment.”

He continued:

“There is the potential to deliver 21,000 jobs here with unions and the industry warning Andy Burnham must choose the right path and commit to the enormous offshore wind potential in Scotland’s waters.”

How Has Westminster’s Transmission Charging Affected Scottish Offshore Wind?

Logan was explicit in blaming the UK Government’s transmission charging regime for damaging the competitiveness of Scottish offshore wind projects. He argued that the current charging structure, combined with what he described as a tax on Scotland’s energy sector, was actively harming supply chains that support the industry. His comments suggest that, in the SNP’s view, the risk to ScotWind is not confined to the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan alone, but is part of a broader pattern of UK-wide energy policy that he believes disadvantages Scotland.
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What Did Logan Say About Burnham’s Commitment to Scotland?

Logan directly referenced Burnham’s own stated ambitions for the country, saying:

“Andy Burnham has declared his commitment to ‘good jobs in every community’ and to work with Scotland on building a better economy.”

However, he coupled this with a pointed challenge, adding:

“if he can’t deliver on this, then he should get out of the way for a government that will and put Scotland’s energy in Scotland’s hands.”

What Happens Next for ScotWind and the Energy Transition?

With Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh yet to make a final decision on the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan, the coming weeks are expected to be closely watched by industry figures, trade unions and Scottish politicians alike. Burnham’s pledge to visit Scotland and engage directly with communities in Aberdeen, alongside his comments on Grangemouth’s potential role in sustainable aviation fuel production, indicate that the UK Government is aware of the political and economic sensitivity surrounding the issue. Whether this translates into a pathway that secures the full ScotWind pipeline, including floating offshore wind and associated grid investment, remains to be confirmed.

For now, both sides have set out their positions clearly on the record: the SNP pressing for guarantees over the £78.5 billion pipeline and the 21,000 jobs it could support, and the Prime Minister committing, in principle, to collaboration and a personal visit to assess the situation on the ground. The outcome of Fahnbulleh’s decision on the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan is likely to determine whether that commitment translates into concrete policy protecting Scotland’s offshore wind ambitions.