The UK’s new state-owned energy firm will take 20 years to achieve its goal of creating 1,000 jobs, its chairman has claimed.
GB Energy chairman Juergen Maier admitted that to deliver the volume of jobs promised by the Labour Government, GB Energy will need 20 years which critics have called “disgraceful”.
Maier, speaking to Sky News, confirmed earlier estimates that GB Energy will create between 200 and 300 jobs in Aberdeen “over the next five years.”
He added: “That will be the size of our team. I have said in the very long term when we become a major energy champion it may be many more than that.”
The chairman added he remains confident as he said that he can “absolutely” achieve the 1,000 jobs target.
Conservative shadow secretary for energy security and West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine MP, Andrew Bowie argued that the news implies GB Energy will “bring nothing more to Aberdeen than a small office with a plaque”.
Late last year the Labour government announced that Aberdeen would be the site of GB Energy’s headquarters.
The campaign is set to support jobs within the north-east of Scotland’s energy sector as employment security concerns come to the forefront.
EY ITEM Club’s latest Scottish Autumn Forecast reported that The Granite City lost 18,000 jobs between 2023 and 2010.
Additionally, oil firms such as Apache (Nasdaq: APA) have decided to up sticks and move out of the country as a result of controversial government policy.
© DC ThomsonBowie commented: “It’s now clear that GB Energy will do nothing to compensate for the hammer blow Labour’s policies on oil and gas have already delivered to the north-east.”
This comes weeks after London-listed supermajor BP (LON: BP) announced a campaign to cut almost 8,000 across its global workforce.
Bowie added: “Just weeks after BP announced it was cutting 7,700 roles, it’s utterly disgraceful that as little as 200 jobs could be created from GB Energy over the next five years, while doubts remain if bills will even fall at all.”
Unions have also waded in on the comment made by Maier.
Unite the Union’s Scottish secretary Derek Thomson said: “If you look at how many jobs are going to go in the north-east, if GB energy does not pick up the pace and start to move workers in there and start to create proper green jobs, then I’m afraid we could be looking at a desolation of the north-east.”
GB Energy has set itself lofty goals, however, there has been criticism over the lack of details on how it will achieve them.
Prime minister Keir Starmer has promised the firm will reduce consumer bills by £300.
Bowie said: “This revelation underlines that GB Energy is nothing more than a gimmick in an attempt to distract from the danger Labour’s policies pose to north-east jobs and our energy security.
“Suspicions that GB Energy would bring nothing more to Aberdeen than a small office with a plaque are proving to be absolutely correct.”
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