Brian Leishman: Decision to axe Grangemouth jobs 'appalling'

An announcement was made last year that the refinery would close, with a transition into being an import terminal instead.

Now, staff have found out if their jobs will be axed, with only 65 of roughly 500 jobs on site being retained.

Brian Leishman, MP for Alloa and Grangemouth, campaigned alongside workers at the refinery, and said his “worst fears have come to pass.”

He said: “Despite promises made during the election, the Labour government has not moved quickly enough to secure a future for the refinery.

“The complacency shown by both the UK and Scottish governments has been appalling.

APPALLING: Brian Leishman slammed the decision to make hundreds of workers redundant. (Image: Brian Leishman) “This closure will have devastating consequences with the effects reverberating around the whole of Scotland.”

Calls had been made for a ‘just transition’ for the refinery, with a focus being placed on jobs being saved rather than cut.

The workforce had made their voices clear, staging a march on Holyrood in December against Grangemouth closing.

Owners Petroineos had announced that the refinery would shut in the second quarter of 2025, with an estimated 400 jobs set to be lost.

A spokesman for Petroineos said: “From Q2 this year, Grangemouth will be ready to operate as a national fuel distribution hub that ensures Scotland’s supply of finished fuels is protected.

“The process of safely transitioning the site from a refinery into an import terminal is under way and will continue over a number of months.

“Fully winding down and dismantling the refinery is anticipated to take around five years in total, so the new terminal business will operate in parallel with this process.”

Mr Leishman pledged to continue the fight to save jobs at Grangemouth.

He continued: “What is happening is the opposite of a ‘just transition’ to greener alternatives.

“Jobs have been lost, instead of saved. Communities in the area will be impoverished, instead of being brought along.

“This is an opportunity missed and a promise broken by party leadership.”

Unite the Union also slammed the Scottish and UK Governments, promising to continue to vouch for the refinery.

Sharon Graham, general secretary at Unite, added: “There is a clear plan for future of Grangemouth in place. Yet the UK and Scottish governments are missing in action.

“Today’s announcement will not deter us. We will fight for the future of the refinery and the associated jobs.”