THE SNP have slammed the UK Government after it was revealed that the new boss of GB Energy will be based in England.
At the Labour Party conference in September, Keir Starmer announced that GB Energy – Labour’s publicly-owned energy company – will be headquartered in Aberdeen.
Yet we told how Juergen Maier – the former Siemens boss who was appointed to the role in July – will take up an office at the UK Government’s Trinity Bridge House building in Salford, Greater Manchester.
The move has been slammed by the SNP, which said it showed how “people still don’t understand what GB Energy is”.
When the GB Energy bill was first introduced in the House of Commons, it was just four pages long.
At the time, the SNP’s Westminster economy and energy spokesperson, Dave Doogan, criticised the bill for lacking detail.
“Talk about net zero, there’s zero detail in this bill to give us an indication of what is actually going to happen on the ground,” he said.
Now, Doogan (above) has told The National that the latest development shows how the UK Government is taking advantage of Scotland’s resources.
Doogan said: “To be completely plain about it, this sums UK energy policy up - command and miscontrol of Scotland's resources from hundreds of miles away.”
He added: "Quite frankly people still don't understand what GB Energy is, but it speaks volumes about the priorities of GB Energy that the chairman doesn't see the need to base himself at the epicentre of our energy sector.”
The UK Government said that whilst Maier is currently resident in Manchester, he will travel “to engage businesses and partners in Scotland and across the UK”.
A spokesperson for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said: “Great British Energy will help make Britain a clean energy superpower, accelerating our journey to net zero through cheap, homegrown energy that will bring down bills and boost energy independence.
“It will be headquartered in Aberdeen, recognising the expertise, skilled workforce and diversity of projects already in place. The Chair and Board will also regularly spend time in the city, including with the local community and businesses.”
