Tories never appointed ‘fictional’ Scottish oil and gas ambassador The position was announced with great fanfare by David Cameron on a trip to Aberdeen more than a year and […]

The position was announced with great fanfare by David Cameron on a trip to Aberdeen more than a year and a half ago, as Scotland’s oil and gas industry was in the doldrums.

Speaking in January 2016, the then Prime Minister promised that a new Oil and Gas Ambassador would be appointed to “promote the North Sea around the world”.

“It’s a display of shameful contempt towards the sector and to workers who have lost their jobs” The i politics newsletter cut through the noise Email address is invalid Email address is invalid Thank you for subscribing! Sorry, there was a problem with your subscription. Kirsty Blackman MP

But 19 months on, it has now emerged that no such person was ever appointed and that the position has been quietly forgotten by the Government.

On a visit to Aberdeen on Wednesday, Energy Minister Richard Harrington said the role sounded like a “good idea”, adding that he would “like to be that person myself”.

However, he admitted that he was “not aware” of the promise made by Mr Cameron. “It’s not crossed my desk,” he told the Press and Journal newspaper.

At the time, the Government said the ambassador would “help ensure the best possible access for UK companies to markets overseas, promote the North Sea around the world and boost inward investment”.

Embarrassing

The SNP accused the Government of creating a “fictional” position to win positive news coverage.

Kirsty Blackman, the party’s MP for Aberdeen North, said the fact that nobody was ever appointed was “deeply embarrassing” for the Tories, claiming they had been “caught red handed”.

She added: “Not only have they broken promises made to the oil and gas industry in its hour of need they’ve conspired to brush their inaction under the carpet.

“It’s a display of shameful contempt towards the sector and to workers who have lost their jobs.

“When the Prime Minister sallied forth on a day trip to Aberdeen last January he was simply after a quick headline, not serious about measures to revive one of our key industries and the economy of the North East.”

Government sources told the Press and Journal that the role was a “commitment from a different government and a different Prime Minister”.

They added that Theresa May had “never said” she was going to appoint an Oil and Gas Ambassador.

Scotland’s economy now performing four times better than rest of UK

Mr Harrington added: “These are challenging but exciting times with new opportunities in North Sea oil and gas.

“We are working with the sector to build on the £2.3bn worth of UK government support through our modern Industrial Strategy.

“I want to make it clear that the industry has full support of the UK Government, and that we are continuing to create the right environment though a stable and supportive package to allow business, enterprise and jobs to flourish.”