ONE of Scottish Labour’s most senior figures in the North East has quit the party over Sir Keir Starmer’s plan to ban new oil and gas exploration.

Barney Crockett, a former Lord Provost and leader of Aberdeen Council, said the party’s new policy would be “more brutal” than anything Margaret Thatcher did to industrial communities in the 1980s.

READ MORE: Scotland to be UK's 'beating heart' under Labour's clean energy plan

The Leader of the Opposition unveiled his green energy plans in Edinburgh on Monday, promising that a Labour government would not agree to any new oil and gas licenses.

The ban has been criticised by industry and unions, who fear massive job losses among the 200,000 workers in the industry, 90,000 of whom are based in Scotland, many of them in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. 

Speaking to the Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce’s Morning Bulletin, Councillor Crockett said he had “been left stunned and bemused by the events of the last few weeks.”

"The Labour leadership has made crucial decisions about the future of the UK, decisions focused on this area, without contacting anyone from this area or from the local Labour party."

"Margaret Thatcher never delivered a more brutal put down of an industry than that delivered by Keir Starmer in Edinburgh," he added.

"Moreover, he avoided answering any direct question about Aberdeen. Rather, he deflected to Anas Sarwar who made no specific response about the city."

READ MORE: More splits over Starmer oil and gas ban plan emerge

Mr Crockett said his decision to resign was not taken lightly. 

“It had nothing to do with friends and close colleagues in the Labour group. No one has greater respect than I for all of what Labour has achieved for this city over the last one hundred and thirty years.

"However, I felt I could not in all conscience say what I believe about the wider situation whilst remaining in the group.

"This area needs to fight with vigour to have some control of its own destiny."

The Herald:

Sir Keir is already facing a rebellion from party members in the North-east over his North Sea stance.

Labour councillors in Aberdeen are aiming to lodge a motion at the annual conference describing the policy as "economically illiterate".

Tauqeer Malik, the leader of the group on the city council, said that the future of the offshore industry needed “much more strategic and careful planning” if a Labour government was elected.

“We have jobs and families to protect. We cannot just throw the baby out with the bath water,” he told The Herald.

Sir Keir confirmed on Monday that Labour would honour any licences in existence at the time of the next election, which must be held by January 2025. That is likely to include the controversial new Rosebank development west of Shetland.

Speaking about the change, Sir Keir said he knew “the ghosts industrial change unearths.”

“Deep down, we all know this has to happen eventually and that the only question is when.

“So, in all candour, the reality is this — the moment for decisive action is now. 

“If we wait until North Sea oil and gas runs out, the opportunities this change can bring for Scotland and your community will pass us by, and that would be a historic mistake.”

READ MORE: Keir Starmer oil and gas ban plan blasted by sector and unions

Sir Ian Wood, an oil industry veteran, warned that the ban was “very concerning and economically and environmentally damaging”.

He said: “It makes absolutely no sense to reduce our reliance on domestic oil and gas production only to increase imports from overseas and place in jeopardy tens of thousands of jobs and yet this is exactly what will happen if this approach is taken.”

Ryan Crighton, policy director at Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce, again urged Sir Keir to make good on his promise to engage with North-east business leaders.

He said: "We have invited the Labour front bench to Aberdeen in three occasions this year, yet no visit has been forthcoming.

"The party’s engagement with the industry also appears to be limited – so I’m struggling to understand how they can come up with solutions to something as complex as the energy transition without speaking to the people and companies that will deliver it."

Scottish Tory North East MSP Douglas Lumsden said: “This is a devastating verdict from one of Aberdeen Labour’s most well-known figures on Keir Starmer’s reckless and economically illiterate plans to decimate the North Sea oil and gas industry.

“It beggars belief that the UK Labour leader has pressed ahead with his plans that would throw tens of thousands of North East workers under a bus.

“That sums up why Keir Starmer was in hiding earlier this week and outlined his plans to betray the North East in Edinburgh rather than Aberdeen.

“When senior figures in his own party like Barney Crockett are leaving Labour because of how much damage their plans would do to the North East, Keir Starmer and Anas Sarwar should pay attention."

SNP MP for Aberdeen North Kirsty Blackman said: "It's no wonder Labour Party figures are quitting the party over Keir Starmer's damaging plans to carve up Scotland's energy sector, which shows why Scotland needs energy independence - not more Westminster control.

"For decades, Westminster has taken billions of pounds from Scotland's energy wealth and hoarded it at the UK Treasury instead of reinvesting it back into Scotland's communities. Now Keir Starmer is doing it all over again - and he is putting jobs and investment at risk across Scotland."

Responding to Cllr Crockett's resignation, Labour MSP Sarah Boyack said: “Oil and gas will continue to play a vital part in the UK’s energy industry for decades to come. 

"Labour's transformational energy plans will make Scotland a world-leader in clean energy and will deliver jobs and prosperity to Scotland - including the North East."