GRANGEMOUTH MP Brian Leishman demanded “decisive action” from Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer today to secure a future for the oil refinery and its skilled workforce.

Vowing not to “give up the fight,” Mr Leishman has written to Sir Keir demanding he convene an urgent cross-government meeting to deliver a “just transition to sustainable alternatives” for the site and its workers.

In a letter, co-signed by 16 Labour colleagues — inlcuding Diane Abbott, Ian Lavery and Jon Trickett — as well as John McDonnell and Apsana Begum, he said: “The Grangemouth refinery could be a centrepiece of our green industrial revolution while securing economic prosperity in the region for generations to come.

“Since being elected, I have met with unions, workers and other stakeholders numerous times and it is clear that Grangemouth could become a hub for sustainable aviation fuel and other biofuels, aligning with our net zero ambitions.

“We need strategic government investment in this vital piece of infrastructure to secure our energy security and maintain domestic production capacity.”

Scotland’s only oil refinery is due to close in May, in what Unite general secretary Sharon Graham branded a “needless act of industrial vandalism” this week, despite years of campaigning from the union and its members on site for a plan to deliver a just transition for the community.

Despite Labour leaderships north and south of the border assuring the workers during July’s general election that their future would be secured, on Wednesday redundancy notices ahead of an expected closure in May began to be issued to almost 500 of them.

The Alloa and Grangemouth MP continued: “Despite the fact Labour Party leadership promised to save jobs at the Grangemouth refinery, workers have already received redundancy letters.

“There are thousands of jobs at stake in the wider supply chain as well, along with the country’s fuel and national security.

“We cannot allow private capital and foreign interests to dictate our future.”

Labour Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said today he will “consider” fast-tracking Acorn, a carbon capture and storage project in Scotland — saying the move could help secure a future for workers at the Grangemouth oil refinery.

He said: “We are determined to have a future for that Grangemouth site and for the Grangemouth community.

“Carbon capture and storage could be part of it, sustainable aviation fuel could be part of it.”