ExxonMobil Mossmorran Closure Risks 400 Jobs

The closure of ExxonMobil's ethylene plant at Mossmorran in Fife, Scotland, announced last week, has put more than 400 jobs at risk and sparked political confusion over support for the affected workers. The facility, which produces base materials for plastics, is set to shut down in February, threatening 179 directly employed positions and 250 contractor roles, though the company indicated up to 50 staff could transfer to its site in Hampshire, nearly 500 miles away.

The announcement came amid broader concerns about Scotland's industrial sector, following the recent shutdown of the Grangemouth oil refinery, which led to hundreds of redundancies. ExxonMobil cited high energy costs, carbon taxation, and declining demand from the North Sea oil and gas sector as key factors making the plant uncompetitive. The site, operational for 40 years despite an expected lifespan of 20, has reported monthly losses of about 1 million pounds for the past five years, with no serious commercial offers to keep it running.

Tensions arose during First Minister's Questions on Thursday when Scottish Greens co-leader Ross Greer pressed John Swinney on whether Mossmorran workers would receive the same...