Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale believes the £250million City Region Deal represents just a “starting gun” in the race to revitalise the north-east economy.
The Aberdeen-born MSP will use a speech in the Granite City today to call on both the UK and Scottish Government’s to continue to invest in the region.
Ms Dugdale will tell the Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce that the chancellor’s March budget will be a “key moment” in the future of the oil industry.
George Osborne has come under increasing pressure in recent weeks to issue further tax cuts for the offshore industry, which has shed thousands of workers and plunged into crisis.
Ms Dugdale is expected to say: “The north-east has given so much to Scotland and the UK over the years, it’s time now for both the UK Government and the Scottish Government to give something back.
“The Aberdeen City Deal is a historic opportunity to create jobs and invest in infrastructure – but it should also act as a starting gun for a bright future for the north-east on a number of levels.
“The UK budget in March should be a key moment for the oil and gas industry. The chancellor should deliver the changes the sector needs to secure its future.
“The new powers coming to Scotland mean we can invest in our people like never before. Instead of the hundreds of millions of pounds of cuts the SNP would impose, Labour would use the powers of the Scottish Parliament to invest in education.
“That would mean giving our people the skills they need to compete for the jobs of tomorrow.
“The difference that could deliver to Aberdeen for decades to come could be transformative.”
The long-awaited City Region Deal for the north-east was finally announced last month.
Hundreds of millions of pounds will be pumped into the north-east over the next two decades to help the oil and gas industry maximise the North Sea’s remaining resources and to allow the economy to diversify.
Since the deal was announced, the SNP has attacked the UK Government for not matching the Scottish Government’s £200million rail investment, while the city council’s Labour administration has also called on St Andrew’s House to commit to funding £1.25billion of devolved projects in the bid.