A north-east MSP has been given special responsibility for representing the interests of the North Sea oil and gas industry for the Labour Party.
Lewis Macdonald – described as a “big hitter” – has today been appointed shadow minister for Business, Energy and Tourism.
The party’s new leader Jim Murphy said the MSP, who has represented the region for 15 years, would play a key role in advancing Labour’s energy policies and rebuilding support among voters in the region.
Mr Macdonald, who represented the Aberdeen Central constituency between 1999-2011 before becoming a regional list member, was chief whip in former party leader Johann Lamont’s team.
He will shadow Scotland’s Minister for Business, Energy and Tourism Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn.
Mr Murphy said he was determined to change Labour’s fortunes in the north and north-east because the party “has not done well in recent years to reach other parts of Scotland”.
“I want us to have many more politicians from our old cities, new towns, islands and rural communities and I am determined to do that at the general election next year and the Scottish Parliament elections of 2016,” he added.
“I have asked Lewis Macdonald to work particularly on energy policy in the north-east.
“He had a big job before but I want him to use his talents in the media and with the public to rebuild our support.
“With the oil industry going through such a difficult time at the moment with 1,000 jobs going or already gone, Lewis has a really big job that I am pretty proud of.”
One of Mr Murphy’s advisors said Mr Macdonald had proved his abilities by undertaking a range of roles in previous shadow cabinets and as a Scottish Executive minister.
“Jim wanted a big hitter in the north-east to look at energy because there are thousands of jobs wrapped up in oil industry and the economy is reliant on what happens in the region,” he added.
Mr Macdonald is a junior opposition minister and not a member of Labour’s shadow cabinet.
He said: “I am delighted to have been given this role which is a great opportunity and something I am looking forward to.
“Energy is at the heart of the north-east economy and it has never been more important than it is today for governments to get to grips with the oil and gas industry.”
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