Inverness and Highlands set to miss out on opportunity to host UK Government’s state-owned GB Energy firm
The Highlands is set to miss out on the chance of becoming home to a new UK public energy company, according to reports.
Scotland’s three largest cities - Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen - will fight it out host the headquarters GB Energy (GBE).
Creating the energy company is a flagship policy of the new UK Labour government and a host of businesses, public bodies and local politicians including MSPs Fergus Ewing and Rhoda Grant had called for it to be sited in the Highlands.
Greenock had also tabled a late push for it to be sited there, while speculation had mounted that Grangemouth might be in the running after Sir Keir Starmer, the prime minister, made saving jobs in the area a top priority with its oil refinery slated for closure.
But according to The Times newspaper, Ed Miliband, the energy secretary, has narrowed down the options for where GB Energy (GBE) will be headquartered to the three major cities.
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar is expected to face heavy criticism ahead of the 2026 Holyrood election if a site in the central belt is chosen.
