22 TDs gather at gates of Dail to demand reversal of Corrib pipeline consents

by Malachy Steenson - Workers Party Thu Apr 21, 2011 14:19

This article from the Independent (UK) is a few years old now but is still fascinating reading.

How black gold was hijacked: North sea oil and the betrayal of Scotland

In 1975, the Government faced a dilemma: how to exploit the potential of its new oil fields without fuelling demands for Scottish independence. So it buried the evidence
By Ben Russell and Paul Kelbie
Friday, 9 December 2005

It was a document that could have changed the course of Scottish history. Nineteen pages long, Written in an elegant, understated academic hand by the leading Scottish economist Gavin McCrone, presented to the Cabinet office in April 1975 and subsequently buried in a Westminster vault for thirty years. It revealed how North Sea oil could have made an independent Scotland as prosperous as Switzerland.

The Freedom of Information Act has yielded many insights and revelations into the working of the British government, but none so vivid as the contents of Professor McCrone's paper, written on request in the dog days of Ted Heath's Tory government and only just unearthed under the FOI rules.

Earlier this week, the Chancellor Gordon Brown underlined the vital revenue stream that North Sea oil still is in the context of British politics. In his pre-budget report, Mr Brown extracted an extra £6.5b in tax from North Sea oil and gas producers, to be taken over the next three years. Economists like the Liberal Democrats' Treasury spokesman Vince Cable say that high oil prices have already bailed out the Treasury to the tune of £1 billion this year.
Imagine then, what the oil could have done for a Scotland which chose independence in the mid 1970s and claimed ownership of the reserves.

Thirty years ago, Professor McCrone answered that very question and his conclusions shocked his political masters.

Although BP first discovered the giant Forties oilfield in 1970 - which by 1977 was producing 500,000 barrels of oil a day, equivalent to a quarter of Nigeria's entire daily production - the real rush for "black gold" had only begun around 1973, when the Yom Kippur War caused a crisis in the Middle East and forced prices up to around $16 a barrel.

By the time the oil companies realised that North Sea drilling was not only cost-effective but highly lucrative, and the British government realised it was sitting on a gold mine, the Scottish nationalists had already laid claim to the oil.
The "It's Scotland's Oil" campaign began in 1972. If only they had seen the professor's research.
An independent Scotland's budget surpluses as a result of the oil boom, wrote Professor McCrone, would be so large as to be "embarrassing".

Scotland's currency "would become the hardest in Europe, with the exception perhaps of the Norwegian Kronor." From being poorer than their southern neighbours, Scots would quite possibly become richer. Scotland would be in a position to lend heavily to England and "this situation could last for a very long time into the future."
In short, the oil would put the British boot, after centuries of resentment, firmly on the foot standing north of the border.

Within days of its receipt at Westminster in 1974, Professor McCrone's document was judged as incendiary and classified as secret. It would be sat upon for the next thirty years.

The mandarins demanded that Professor McCrone's 19-page analysis be given "only a most restricted circulation in the Scottish Office because of the extreme sensitivity of the subject." The subject was sensitive alright.
This is a story of Whitehall betrayal that will satisfy the pre-conceptions of the most extreme Scottish anglophobe.
It was the comparison with Norway that particularly worried the Westminster politicians. In the mid 1970s of course, Norway was fully independent and about to take advantage of an oil boom that has generated undreamed-of prosperity to the present day.

In Scotland, the situation was somewhat different, and potentially explosive. National pride had been hugely galvanised by the appearance of the Scotland Football Team in the 1974 World Cup, a competition for which the England side had failed to qualify. But economically, the outlook was bleak. Heavy manufacturing, which had been the heart and soul of the Scottish economy for generations, was in deep trouble. Between 1970 and 1974 the number of coal mines in Scotland fell by a third, while steel production plunged by a fifth. Shipbuilding, the mainstay of the Clyde, was in particular trouble. After the Heath government refused to bail out four yards in Upper Clyde in 1971, trade unionists staged a work-in and occupied the yards.Some 70,000 people marched calling for government help and a 48-hour strike by other workers brought out more than 100,000 in support.
Meanwhile, in politics, the nationalists were riding high as never before.

The 1970 general election saw the SNP poll just 11.4 per cent of the vote and one seat. But in February 1974 they scored 21.9 per cent and won seven seats. Within eight months, by the October election of that year, their support had risen to the all-time high of 30.4 per cent of the vote, and 11 seats. The party was also nipping at the heels of Labour in 34 other Labour-held seats. This was the high tide of Scottish nationalism.

Previously unheard of would-be terrorist cells began to emerge: The "Scottish Legion", "Jacobites", "Border Clan", 'Tartan Army" and the "100 Organisation", which took its name from the famous historic Declaration of Arbroath, stating: "So long as 100 of us remain alive we will never submit to English rule."
American companies based in Aberdeen became nervous that a Scottish breakaway, socialist in outlook, was threatening their interests. Pressure was exerted on the government to control the situation.
Professor McCrone's report, in such volatile circumstances, would almost certainly have provoked a turning point in the history of the United Kingdom.

Billy Wolfe, who was leader of the SNP at the time and the man credited with developing the nationalists as a clearly defined left-of-centre political party, is in no doubt of what the McCrone findings could have meant.
"If that information had been published before the October 1974 election," said Mr Wolfe, "we would have won Scotland and it would be a much wealthier and happier place."A whole lot of economic factors would be a lot different, especially in the fishing, steel and shipbuilding industries. It would have been a tremendous boost for Scotland."

Tam Dalyell, who served as Labour MP in West Lothian for 43 years, agrees that the document could have led to independence. "In my view it might have done," he said. "It could have tipped the balance it a number of seats including mine. Oil was very much a totemic issue. It was new and it was dramatic. Politics at that time was very different. In 1974 my majority went from around 6,000 in February to around 2,000 after the October general election. "It was most unpleasant. People were saying 'it's our oil'."

By the mid 1970s, international convention had already agreed that the North Sea north of the 55th parallel was under Scottish jurisdiction. That meant around 90 per cent of the UK's oil and gas reserves fell within Scottish waters. Such was the fear of the rise of Scottish nationalism that the document remained secret under the governments of Callaghan, Thatcher, Major and even Tony Blair.

Its very existence only emerged when Scottish National Party researchers, thought to be acting on a tip off from a former official, placed a carefully-worded request under the freedom of information legislation.
Next week the Scottish Executive is due to publish the annual Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland analysis, which charts expenditure north of the border.

Statistics for 2002- 03 showed expenditure per head of £6,579 in Scotland compared with £5,453 in England. It also showed that Scotland received £9.3 billion more than it took in taxes. It is an old English nationalist refrain that the Scots are both over-subsidised and over-represented in the British Parliament.

In response to the first of those charges, for the first time in thirty years the Scots now, in the form of Professor McClone's suppressed report, have hard evidence to suggest that it could have been Scotland, not England, sending money across the border. Yesterday Alex Salmond, the SNP leader, made it clear that the 31-year-old McClone papers were not just a dusty history lesson, but would form a central part of their campaigning for the future.

He said: "The impact of this would have been dynamite. It would have had great influence.
"I was astonished by how direct the paper was, and appalled at the extent of what has been hidden from the people. McCrone was saying that an independent Scotland would be Europe's Switzerland. The Labour party were saying that it would be like Bangladesh.

"This is hugely important. But it was not just important then. It is important now. Gordon Brown's black hole is being filled by black oil." At the time of Professor McCrone's report to the cabinet office, the SNP claimed that North Sea Oil would yield £800 million a year for the government by 1980.
Professor McCrone's main criticism of their analysis was that their forecasts were "far too low". He put the sum at about £3 billion. Scottish independence had become a mortal threat to the British exchequer. "The importance of North Sea oil" wrote, the Professor, "is that it raises just this issue in a more acute form than at any time."

by l - n Mon Apr 18, 2011 11:00

http://www.youtube.com/user/JDTVbyKat#p/u/8/wLJZISpAqvI
The head of the Dutch board for international energy and transport can be seen promoting his ICN project. This man, Kalbfleish is also a judge and he has been convicted over a controversy called chipshol where he helped illegally selling an investors land by court order thus relieving the investor of his investment and monies. the man is now a known crook and this opens up new possibilities in the struggle to proof illigimiticy of the corrib gas deal. Dive into this and find your solution.

by GigsD Mon Mar 28, 2011 13:50

Correct me if I am wrong but didnt that "missing link" Conor "Lend a Hand" I mean Conor Lenihan pull a similar Stroke on his last few days?
With such a compliced Media in this State its hard to find out anything till 30years to late!!!!

If we're ever to have any kind of Morals in this society that excuse for a "PUBLIC INFORMATION" broadcaster will need to be Burned to the Ground
Or better still pull tax payer funding and watch it self destruct!!!!!!!!!!

You would think Pat kenny would be well in the Frontline of exposing corruption in this state (£750,000 a year NOT to do his job)
Own the media Own the people

by opus diablos - the regressive hypocrite party Wed Mar 23, 2011 14:44

many of us listened to the moral high-ground being claimed by Micky Martin regarding the inside dealing of Lowery/O'Brien/Ben Dunne this morning.

Pity nobody could ask him about the Carey's final stroke on Squeeky Micky's exit. All we got was a few vague references to his own party's tribunal tribulations.

No change of government, but at least, and at last, the beginnings of an opposition. Great to see the dome of silence cracking.

by Direct action gets results Wed Mar 23, 2011 10:06

Meanwhile, back up in Rossport, direct action continues to hold up Shells work:

Shells Work Stopped for 4 hours (Tuesday March 22, 2011)
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/99335

This morning 5 members of the Rossport solidarity camp blockaded Shell Oil from accessing thier proposed compound in Glengad Co.Mayo.

The protesters held two banners infront of the main entrance they read "Shell out" and "Energy should not cost the Earth."

There was very little hassel and almost no gardi to interfere ( they drove past twice). Despite the calmness of the blockaide the IRMS security still felt it was nessesary to employ over 20 people to stand around all morning.

Shell's Glengad site blockaded! (Monday March 21, 201)
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/99313

The site was initially blockaded with a re-enforced banner but, after a quick scuffle, IRMS security tore the banner from the campaigners' hands and attempted to take it hostage. Thinking quickly the group lay down on the ground in front of the entrance and linked arms. This successfully prevented work from starting for nearly three hours, despite the presence of 15 hired mercenaries.

Today's blockade has been the most successful this year and with work on the camp already begun, the anti-Shell resistance is building steadily.

"Shell out" + "Energy should not cost the Earth." 2 days of direct action in Rossport

by Dunk Wed Mar 23, 2011 09:55

Sinn Fein report: Ferris calls for radical changes to oil and gas terms
http://www.sinnfein.ie/contents/20321

The Sinn Féin Spokesperson on natural resources Martin Ferris TD, has called on the Government to reverse Pat Carey’s election day approval for the Corrib gas pipeline and to introduce changes to the licensing and revenue terms governing oil and gas exploration. The Kerry North/Limerick West TD was speaking at a Shell to Sea event outside Leinster House this afternoon which was attended by TDs from Sinn Féin, the United Left Alliance and several independents.

Deputy Ferris said:

“The last Government pulled a sleight of hand in issuing the approval for the pipeline on the day of the election. The current Government parties must immediately reverse that order to allow the entire project to be revisited.

“More and more people are coming to realize that under the current licensing terms that a hugely valuable natural resource and potentially massive injection to the economy has been handed over with little benefit to the Irish people. The state needs to take a controlling interest in oil and gas and to introduce a tax on the exploration companies in line with that imposed in other countries. This is a matter of crucial importance at the current time when the potential revenue from oil and gas could provide a stimulus to the economy.”

Earlier support from Ferris for the Rossport situation, from An Phoblacht: Ferris rejects report on Corrib pipeline
http://aprnonline.com/?p=62594

Will be SF be strong enough now to push Corribs battle through the Dáil, Gerry Adams thinks so:

Adams says 'credible' SF is main party in Opposition
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0323/1....html

SINN FÉIN is now “the main Opposition party” in the Dáil because it had more credibility than Fianna Fáil, even though the latter party had more TDs, Gerry Adams has claimed.

He added: “We see ourselves very much as the main Opposition party here because we have credibility in terms of the issues which are bearing down upon people.

recent Irish Times article related to Rossport: Could oil and gas be Ireland's big dig-out?
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/weekend/2011/0319/1....html

The report (Atlantic Ireland: An Exciting Petroleum Province, published by Department of Natural Resources ) concluded that these basins alone could contain 10 billion barrels of oil. At current market prices that amounts to €850 billion worth of oil, about 10 times the size of the EU-IMF bailout fund. There is also an unquantifiable amount of gas. With such riches Ireland is a bit like a man whose home is about to be repossessed who cannot find his winning lottery ticket down the back of the sofa.

Read the full report from Dublin shell to sea: Someday Independent - All the facts
http://www.dublinshelltosea.com/content/120000-all-fact...buted
PDF found at http://www.dublinshelltosea.com/sites/default/files/S2S...s.pdf

PDF: Dublin shell to sea: Someday Independent - All the facts

by Dunk Wed Mar 23, 2011 09:21

Great stuff. Given the state of the situation with the economic black hole we are in, this is one avenue that makes sense, and it could be the crack that opens up something far far deeper, just what sort of Republic are we living in, or do we wish to live in. I hope this simple initial action of support from sinn féin and others is built upon, and wouldnt be surprised if it grows and grows... both inside the Dáil and outside in the streets, and up in rossport with the continued resistance to shell, their thugs and the gardaí.

Rossport abú

by WH Tue Mar 22, 2011 16:26

All photos are copyright William Hederman.
Click on photos to see a better quality version.