BORIS Johnson has been heavily criticised for "unbelievably crass jokes" praising Margaret Thatcher’s coal mine closures during his two-day trip to Scotland.
Johnson faced pressure from journalists to explain his view on decommissioning oil and gas fields as the Scottish and UK governments move towards their net-zero targets.
During the virtual media call, he compared moving from oil and gas to renewables to the switch from coal.
The phrase “just transition”, often touted by the SNP and Greens, means the transition to renewables should ensure the benefits work for everyone and do not leave anyone behind – unlike what happened under Thatcher’s leadership.
The Tory leader told reporters: “We understand the importance to the northeast of Scotland of the oil and gas industry.
"The contracts that have been signed, should not be just be ripped up. But we need to transition as fast as we reasonably can.
“The potential of Scottish wind is just incredible. This is an opportunity to generate high wage, high skilled jobs that have the additional pleasure and motivation for people that the by doing them they're doing something to save the planet.”
However, when asked about the deadline, he replied: “Look at what we’ve done already. We've transitioned away from coal in my lifetime.
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"Thanks to Margaret Thatcher who closed so many coal mines across the country we had a big early start and we’re now moving rapidly away from coal altogether.
"We're now, we're now down to less than 2%, 1% I think about, about coal energy comes from coal.”
The Prime Minister was also probed on how he hopes to avoid a post-industrial decline similar to the type experienced in former coal mining areas and cities with heavy industry.
Johnson made the comments during a visit to an offshore wind farm
He said: "The oil and gas sector has been a huge part of the UK economy for decades now and there has got to be a smooth and sensible transition.
"That doesn’t mean there aren’t massive opportunities to increase the use of green technology.
"I am here at Moray East Field of wind turbines, I don’t know if you have been here but it is absolutely mind boggling, machines like this simply did not exist six years ago.
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"This is a technology that is in its infancy, I have been talking to young people who have transferred from the oil and gas industry into wind power, high skilled jobs in wind power and they are full of ideas about what they are doing.
"It is a fantastic transition to see.”
His comments praising the late former prime minister's action to close coal mines have not gone down well and drawn heavy criticism.
Nicola Sturgeon tweeted: "Lives & communities in Scotland were utterly devastated by Thatcher’s destruction of the coal industry (which had zero to do with any concern she had for the planet). To treat that as something to laugh about is crass & deeply insensitive to that reality."
Lives & communities in Scotland were utterly devastated by Thatcher’s destruction of the coal industry (which had zero to do with any concern she had for the planet). To treat that as something to laugh about is crass & deeply insensitive to that reality. https://t.co/QY0Y59UO3K
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) August 5, 2021
SNP MP for Midlothian Owen Thompson (above) described Johnson as "completely out of touch" with Scots due to joking about Thatcher's legacy.
He said: "Yet again, Boris Johnson has shown himself to be completely out of touch with Scotland by making unbelievably crass jokes about Margaret Thatcher's damaging legacy.
"The Thatcher years might have been a spiffing time for Johnson, who was busy partying in the elite Bullingdon Club, but in the real world Thatcher devastated communities across Scotland.
"There are many families across Scottish communities whose lives still bear the scars of Thatcher’s industrial vandalism. It beggar's belief that anyone would joke about that.
"Johnson's trip has been a disaster from start to finish. He has confirmed every worst stereotype of a Westminster Tory Prime Minister toward Scotland – arrogant, out-of-touch, elitist and patronising."
Scottish Green MSP Gillian Mackay was stunned by the Prime Minister's claims.
She said: “Thatcher’s decimation of the coal industry had absolutely nothing to do with environmentalism and everything to do with her despicable anti-trade union ideology.
Gillian Mackay slammed the Prime Minister's comments
"Communities across Scotland were decimated by these cruel and vindictive policies which destroyed industry and left workers high and dry.
“It’s no surprise that Boris Johnson eulogises Thatcher, but we must ensure his government don’t repeat her actions as Scotland begins to transition from oil and gas to our renewables future.
“The Scottish Greens won’t allow the Tories to repeat the mistakes of the past.
"We will fight for a fair transition for workers that sees their jobs guaranteed in sustainable industries of the future.”
Labour’s shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy said the comments were “shameful” and “reveal the Conservative party’s utter disregard for the communities still scarred by Thatcher’s closure of the mines and failure to deliver good new jobs in their place”.
She said: “Without investment in good, green jobs as we move away from fossil fuels, the Conservatives risk repeating the mistakes of the past. It is vital that the green transition is a fair transition. The Prime Minister should apologise.”
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