Energy Secretary Ed Miliband faced ridicule after declaring he was deeply disappointed by the closure of Scotlands last oil refinery.
The Grangemouth site, which produces vast quantities of petrol, diesel, heating oil and aviation fuel for the UK, will be shut next summer with the loss of 400 jobs.
Mr Milibands comments sparked derision and anger given Labours hostility towards fossil fuels and the looming ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband faced ridicule after declaring he was deeply disappointed by the closure of Scotlands last oil refinery
The Grangemouth site, which produces vast quantities of petrol, diesel, heating oil and aviation fuel for the UK, will be shut next summer with the loss of 400 jobs
Refinery owner Petroineos said it was unable to compete with rivals in Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
Lara Brown, of the Policy Exchange think-tank, said: Im baffled trying to understand Ed Milibands ideology. A week after Labour got into power, Miliband announced no new oil and gas licences in the North Sea – an action surely designed to cripple the oil industry.
So why is he now mourning the loss of an oil refinery?