What we learned this week….
LABOUR leader Sir Keir Starmer found himself in hot water after it was confirmed that he plans to block all new oil and gas developments in the North Sea.
Ryan Crighton, from Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce, responded to the news by stating that the proposal was not grounded in reality.
And Gary Smith, of the GMB Union – which is one of Labour’s biggest donors – insisted that such a course of action would leave the UK more reliant on imports from Russia.
Link to anti-oil donor
STARMER’S energy problems were compounded when it emerged that his party had received substantial donations – amounting to as much as £1.5m – from Dale Vince, one of the major backers of the Just Stop Oil campaign group.
The beleaguered Tories – faced with a barrage of questions over WhatsApp messages and the Covid inquiry – pounced on this as a drowning man would embrace a lifeboat.
FIREFIGHTERS were forced to battle what could be the largest blaze ever recorded in the UK countryside before they managed to bring it under control.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said flames had burned through a 30 square-mile area of scrub and woodland near Cannich in the Highlands. And a 12-mile plume of smoke from the latest incident was detected from space by Nasa satellites.
Two personnel were hurt at the scene of the incident after their all-terrain vehicle overturned, but were subsequently released from hospital following treatment.
Fergus sings the blues
SNP MSP Fergus Ewing had steam coming out of his ears as he castigated the Scottish Government for a lack of progress in dualling the A9, which he argued was costing lives.
Mr Ewing said there must be “no more excuses” for the delays to improve the road between Perth and Inverness, which has caused significant anger in the Highlands.
During 2022, 13 people died on the A9 stretch between Perth and Inverness – the highest number in a single year since 2001.
PHILLIP Schofield’s fortunes didn’t improve as he was lambasted by former colleagues, including Eamonn Holmes, following his admission he had lied about an “unwise but not illegal” affair with a much younger man while both were working on This Morning.
Having already been sacked by ITV and ditched by his long-term agent, The Prince’s Trust has now dropped Phillip Schofield as an ambassador for the organisation.
The charity, which was founded by the King, said it was “no longer appropriate” for it to work with the presenter. Or should that be ex-presenter?
No A&E problems for Derek
ACTOR Derek Thompson, in contrast, is making a dignified exit from Casualty, the TV programme with whom he has been involved since its launch in 1986.
Thompson, 75, who is the longest-serving cast member, said: “The time has come for me to hang up Charlie’s scrubs after the most wonderful 37 years.”
He has appeared in nearly 900 episodes of the hospital drama as Charlie Fairhead, a character who was inspired by a real nurse, Pete Salt. And he will leave the series next year in what the BBC has decribed as the “culmination of a gripping exit storyline which will see the character front and centre of the action.”
ABERDEEN-born academic Dr Kathleen Stock was forced to temporarily halt an appearance at the Oxford Union after a trans activist glued themself to the debating chamber close to the speaker’s chair.
Activists claim Dr Stock is “transphobic and trans-exclusionary” for opposing gender self-identification and saying biological sex is real.
When the event continued, following the arrival of police officers, Dr Stock said: “I don’t blame that protest, it wasn’t traumatic for me. You can disagree reasonably and still be friends.” Words which many seem to have forgotten.
Royal Blood, but no class
A rock band was mocked for “throwing a tantrum” and having a hissy fit in front of an underwhelmed crowd at Radio 1’s Big Weekend in Dundee.
Royal Blood frontman Mike Kerr branded the audience “pathetic” for their perceived lack of enthusiasm and sarcastically counted the number of people clapping.
Perhaps appropriately, one of the group’s fans summed it up best. Kieran Hamill said: “I love Royal Blood, but this is David Brent level cringe. A grown man talking about rock music and walking off like one of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.”
FOOTDEE in Aberdeen was graced by the trail of a lonesome pine marten.
The mammal was caught on video wandering the streets of the historic fishing village next to the harbour and later explored the shores of the North Sea.
It was spotted on camera by Pocra Quay resident Dave Blackburn, who said: “I have not seen a pine marten in the city before.”
There’s always a catch with property
Brough Lodge in Shetland has been put on the property market for what seems like a very reasonable £30,000 – but needs £12 million in upgrades.
Boasting two folly towers and 40 acres of land, the 200-year-old A-listed building is up for grabs for a relative snip, yet the cost of renovating the building means potential buyers may need a few spare million quid to cover the repairs.
The Brough Lodge Trust – which was formed in 1998 to preserve the building – has appealed for a “philanthropic entrepreneur” to come to the party.
