Swinney softens stance on North Sea drilling as oil prices soar

First Minister John Swinney has signalled a softening of his stance on new oil and gas drilling in the North Sea. The SNP leader said that energy security should be considered in any new decisions on further exploration - which are made by the UK government - as oil prices soar due to the war in Iran. The Scottish government set out a presumption against licensing new offshore fossil fuel developments in 2023, but Swinney repeatedly refused to confirm the SNP's commitment to that position. The Scottish Greens said the SNP were no longer serious about tackling the climate crisis. Oil prices spiked on Wednesday after US President Donald Trump said his military would hit Iran "extremely hard" in the ongoing conflict. The US-Israeli war with Iran has led, in effect, to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping lane which a large proportion of the world's energy supply passes through. The price of brent crude oil, the international benchmark, increased from about $70 in late February to well over $100 by late March - leading to a record rise in petrol and diesel prices. Control of licensing for oil and gas exploration in the North Sea lies with the UK government, which under L