PMQs: Johnson clashes with Blackford over ‘confrontation’

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Boris Johnson has clashed with the SNP’s leader at Westminster Ian Blackford over co-operation on green energy projects in Scotland. In the week in which world leaders are meeting at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, the Prime Minister stressed the need for the SNP-led Scottish Government to look to work constructively with Westminster to boost the climate agenda. The Prime Minister told Mr Blackford: ‘Confrontation doesn’t work.’

Mr Blackford stood up in Parliament to blast the British Government’s decision not to back a Scottish hydrogen cluster bid. 

The SNP MP said: “In Westminster there isn’t even a willing partner to deliver the carbon capture project that was long promised. Scotland’s north-east has now been waiting weeks for a clear reason to exactly why the Scottish cluster bid was rejected.

There have been no clear answers, not even clear excuses.”

“The Scottish cluster bid would have stored 30% of the UK’s CO2 emissions and it would have supported the creation of around 20,000 jobs in green industries. It was by far and away the best bid. It is obvious that this was a political decision in Westminster to reject it.”

He then called on the Prime Minister to reverse the decision.

Mr Johnson responded: “I’ve tried to encourage the Right Honourable gentleman to be a little bit less gloomy about the prospects of this initiative.

“We understand exactly what he says and what we’re doing is working with the Scottish Government and I thank the Scottish Government for their cooperation, all the support they gave to COP26 as well in the last few days and weeks, and what they are doing.

“We will come back to this Mr Speaker, what I may say is that I think it’s unlikely this is working well is the spirit of cooperation between all levels of government in this country, and what doesn’t work is confrontation.”

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