CHANCELLOR Rachel Reeves was urged to end the “industrial vandalism” of the North Sea energy sector by GMB and the SNP today following the announcement of Port of Aberdeen job cuts.

Chief executive Bob Sanguinetti cited a 10 per cent annual drop in oil and gas activity and “a staggering 25 per cent over the summer months, with this trend forecast to continue next year.”

The historic port handles 43 per cent of the nation’s commercial vessel traffic and plays a vital role in the North Sea energy supply chain.

GMB Scotland secretary Louise Gilmour urged Ms Reeves to make tax changes to ease the financial pressures on offshore producers in this month’s Budget while ministers plot a more measured and effective transition plan.

She said: “The economic cost of the rushed drive to net zero at the cost of oil and gas industries is becoming clearer with every week that passes. It is not an industrial strategy but industrial vandalism.

“The alarm bells sound louder with every redundancy announcement and still ministers press on while pretending not to hear.

“The failure to protect offshore industries and their supply chains is already a calamity but threatens catastrophe.”

SNP Westminster Leader Stephen Flynn said: “The UK government pulled out all the stops to save steel in England, but when it comes to Scotland’s energy industry they turn their back as weekly job losses mount and investor confidence erodes.”

A Department of Energy Security and Net Zero spokeswoman said that it was working to deliver thousands of clean energy jobs by 2030, adding: “We are not willing to accept the status quo we inherited of the North Sea being in decline.”