It's Scotland's Energy

SNP plans to use Scotland’s Energy for the benefit of Scotland’s people

I'm backing the SNP’s It’s Scotland’s Energy campaign — a clear plan for how an independent Scotland can finally use our vast natural resources in the interests of the people who actually live here.

The First Minister’s paper, published at the start of December, sets out three key steps:

• Cutting household electricity bills in Scotland by over one-third through creating a distinct Scottish electricity market.
• Giving communities the right to own up to 20% of local renewable projects, securing a real financial return from energy produced in their own area.
• Delivering lower electricity costs for Scottish businesses — a change that could reshape and strengthen our entire economy.

This campaign deliberately echoes the “It’s Scotland’s Oil” message of the 1970s. Back then, Scotland was shown the scale of what we could achieve if we controlled our own resources. Westminster made sure we didn’t. We cannot afford to let that happen again.

Scotland has won the energy lottery twice, first with oil and now with the enormous potential of renewables. Our near neighbour struck oil at the same time as we did, but unlike the UK it's Government took the long term view and invested their resources wisely. Norway kept oil in the nation's hands and used the bounty for the good of the country as a whole and they now reap the rewards of that with a $Trillion sovereign wealth fund, the world's largest. They are now able to use that national wealth to fund their transition to renewables. The UK conversely, took Scotland's wealth and channeled it elsewhere, allowing primarily private corporations to benefit and we saw little to no investment in Scotland, where the wealth was generated.

The most certain thing about political power is this: if you don’t use the power you have to advance your own interests, someone else will use it to advance theirs. Westminster has had far too long shaping Scotland’s energy future to suit its own priorities, not ours.

Using Scotland’s energy for Scotland’s people will allow us to cut bills, support businesses, and build a stronger economy — but we can only deliver the full benefits with the powers of independence.

That’s why I'm asking people to back the SNP in 2026 and put Scotland’s energy, and it's benefits, firmly in Scotland’s hands.