A Green MSP has told The Herald there has been a 'dereliction of duty' at Holyrood when it comes to the closure of the Grangemouth oil refinery.

MSP Gillian Mackay, who grew up beside Grangemouth,  said action to save the oil refinery from closing should have happened long before she entered parliament. 

Petroineos announced last year that it will close Grangemouth, Scotland’s only oil refinery, next year, with the loss of 400 directly employed workers and thousands more in the supply chain expected.  It will be turned into a fuel import terminal that will employ around 100 people.

In an interview with The Herald outside Holyrood today, the MSP for Central Scotland said: "It's a massive dereliction of duty that we are now here and I'm having to advocate for the community when I'm in Holyrood."

The Scottish Green MSP who is 33 years-old added: "It should have started long before I was in Holyrood. That reskilling, planning, should have started when I was still in high school, probably."

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The Green MSP said the UK Government has "more levers at its disposal" to ensure a just transition for workers at Grangemouth, however, she added the Scottish Government "has to be part of that discussion."

"Any intervention from both governments would be welcome so that we don't see anyone lose their jobs", the MSP said. Ms Mackay, however, told The Herald she is not convinced any politician holds "all the answers" to ensuring job security for the workforce. 

Her comments came during a march and rally outside the Scottish Parliament held by Unite union in protest at Petroineos plans to close Grangemouth refinery.

Unite is calling for a pause to the refinery closure and an independent review to be done. The union argues the site could be converted into a Sustainable Aviation Fuel facility, before further developing into a full bio-fuels outlet.

Unite argues the creation of a SAF facility is entirely in line with UK government policies. Unite’s research has found that converting an existing refinery is 30–70 per cent cheaper than building a new facility. 

John Swinney, who met Sharon Graham the Unite general secretary before the protest, is considering the proposals, his official spokesperson said.

During the march, workers voiced their fears about the closure as thousands of jobs are at risk over the plans to shut down Grangemouth owned jointly by the Ineos Group, the petrochemicals giant controlled by billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe and China’s state-backed PetroChina.

A worker at Grangemouth who wants to remain anonymous told The Herald: "The bosses have made up their decisions. The place is going to go. Everything is going to be imported, that's the decision Jim Ratcliffe has made. It's cheaper for him and he will make his money."

Asked if he has any confidence over the plans for a sustainable aviation site, the worker said: "No. Listen, billionaires are billionaires for a reason. This has been set in stone for years. Maybe five years ago they had their chance but all the politicians dragged their heels and they missed the chance. The people that are here now, we are going to be discarded. 

"It's a crying shame, it's been there for 100 years. Fathers, mothers, sons and daughters all worked there. Generations." 

"We want to stay there, we want to have a just transition but it's just too late to do anything. It's always the workers who get left behind." 

Asked if he has any confidence in Scottish or UK politicians to change the tide, the worker said: "None whatsover. We got Labour in but all these head politicians need a reality check. They don't care about the man on the street." 

Robert Tomlinson works as a contractor at the refinery.  The worker told The Herald he feels angry at both governments over the refinery's expected closure.

"Both governments should be doing all they can to keep Grangemouth open. They keep saying 400 workers but it's more like 1,400 workers who will end up in the scrap heap. That includes contractors like me. 

"I have no confidence in any politicians whatsoever." 

Mr Tomlinson said the plan around creating an aviation site would be the "way forward", adding: "We need to keep the place open. Generations of families have been there. My son who did his apprenticeship there is now working with us and it's areas like that need to be kept open."

However, Mr Tomlinson does not think these plans will come to fruition.

The worker said: "I suppose if Unite can knock a few politicians heads together we might get something. I'm pretty angry with Scottish Labour. On that promise of a vote for Labour will help to keep the refinery open but it's just been silence." 

Mr Tomlinson said his future "could be okay" as the 63-year-old  is coming up for retirement, however, it's other generations he is concerned about.

"It's the future for the young ones I worry about," Mr Tomlinson said: "I'm a thermal insulation engineer and luckily for now our industry is booming and there's going to be a lot of work but there's going to be travelling again and living in digs and going back and forward. Whereas with Grangemouth it's at your doorstep."

"You've got to keep hopeful. And although I've not got confidence in politicians, I've got to hope the doors remain open." 

Sharon Graham, the Unite general secretary, told fellow protestors outside the Scottish Parliament that Labour must "stop acting like nodding dogs" when it came to securing a just transition for workers. 

"Let's say very clear today to the SNP and to Scottish Labour, fight for Scotland." Ms Graham told the crowd, "Come out from behind your sofa and stand here with us. "

"To Labour in Westminster we say, stop acting like nodding dogs simply accepting what you are being told by a company whose starting position is the closure of this refinery."

The Green MSP Ms Mackay urged other politicians to "put pressure" on both governments in order to "protect the future of the refinery". 

Ms Mackay said: "There were a lot of big promises made by Labour during the General Election that haven't come to fruition. We need to very clearly put pressure on both governments to protect the future of the refinery. 

"I think there's always more they can do. Workers today have said they don't feel appropriately supported and if they feel like that then there's always more the government can do."

The UK Energy Minister has said the UK Government has created an "unprecedented" support package to support those impacted by the Grangemouth closure. 

Energy Minister Michael Shanks said: "We have been very clear that Petroineos’ recent confirmation on the closure of Grangemouth oil refinery was deeply disappointing.

“Before July, there was no overall plan for the future of the Grangemouth refinery. Within weeks, we worked with the Scottish Government to put together an unprecedented £100m package to support the community and invest in the local workforce, along with tailored support to help those affected find good, alternative jobs. We are also jointly funding Project Willow with £1.5m to develop options for a sustainable industrial future at the site.”

Acting Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy Gillian Martin said the government will consider Unite's proposal "carefully".

Ms Martin added: “As the First Minister said last week, the Scottish Government is prepared to work with the UK Government to find a way to work with Petroineos to avoid the premature closure of the refinery.

“Our focus now is on delivering immediate support for affected workers to secure new jobs and give access to any necessary training, and to secure a sustainable, just transition for the wider Grangemouth industrial cluster. With the UK Government we are providing funding to support Petroineos’s exploration of viable options for the future of the site – which includes sustainable aviation fuel - via the Project Willow cross site study.

“We also look forward to exploring routes to supporting the future phases of low carbon projects at Grangemouth via the UK Government’s National Wealth Fund.”