Leading Aberdeen Labour councillor quits party over oil strategy

Barney Crockett disagrees with the party's stance on oil and gas

A prominent Scottish Labour councillor has quit the party over Sir Keir Starmer's stance on oil and gas.

Labour leader Sir Keir pledged earlier this week to end new North Sea oil and gas exploration but help communities profit from clean power projects.

Barney Crockett, who served as Aberdeen City Council leader between 2012 and 2014, said the oil and gas industry was under a "brutal attack".

Mr Crockett said he would now sit as an independent.

Speaking in Edinburgh on Monday, the Labour leader vowed to "cut bills, create jobs and provide energy security".

Sir Keir is under pressure from both environmentalists and the oil industry over the scale and pace of change.

Speaking to BBC Scotland on Wednesday, Mr Crockett said he was disappointed the party leadership had not consulted members in Aberdeen about the policy.

Sir Keir Starmer says he wants to make Britain a clean energy superpower

"Integrity required me to leave," he said.

"I've been a Labour councillor for 16 years and a Labour member off and on for many years before that.

"I think I was very nonplussed and dismayed when the announcement was made about the end of all new developments in the North Sea and also the demand for a much higher level of tax.

"There was some quite incendiary language used about the companies as well."

• Labour to end North Sea exploration in energy plan

• More from NE Scotland, Orkney & Shetland - BBC News

Mr Crockett said he had no intention of resigning as a councillor.

Asked whether there were any circumstances that he would consider re-joining the Labour Party he said: "Unfortunately water goes under the bridge.

"I would hope to keep good relations with people as far as possible but I understand that that might be difficult. I never say never, but I don't think it's easy to put things back together again."

He added: "Keir Starmer, who I've always supported and had a high regard for, made the most brutal attack on the industry I ever remember hearing."

"I feel people in this area have to speak up. It's an emergency situation, it's a critical time for our city."

Asked for a statement, Scottish Labour said oil and gas would continue to play a vital part in the UK's energy industry for decades to come, and that the party's energy plans would make Scotland a world leader in clean energy.