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The Herald Scotland
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Forbes under fire for Scots energy project crisis summit absence
Summit organisers say community councils on Skye had written to her asking her to re-organise her diary to take part in what they described as "one of the biggest transformational conversations that we need to have for the Highlands". The summit in Inverness led to a cross--party group of MPs and MSPs to agree to push for ministerial answers over the community councils' convention's call for a pause on all major energy projects until there is a clear policy in place and an economic impact assessment is carried out. There were estimated to be 700 live applications in the Highland Council area alone earlier this month ranging from wind and hydro projects to energy storage and transmission grid plans. Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes at Aikengall community wind farm (left) in East Lothian during the 2024 general election campaign (Image: PA) The group of 11 which included two SNP MSPs Emma Roddick and Maree Todd and Labour MP Torcuil Crichton agreed to do all they can to secure urgent debates in both Holyrood and the House of Commons over the concerns of the 'once in a generation' convention of councils in the Highland Council area representing over 72,000 people. The Herald revealed that both the Scottish energy secretary Gillian Martin and UK energy minister and Rutherglen MP Michael Shanks declined an invitation to attend a summit in Inverness on Tuesday attended by around 300 people. Ms Martin's office told the convention in a letter that "in terms of the ministerial code, it would not be appropriate to discuss matters pertaining to live applications or proposals which could come before a live application for consent". And a Department for Energy Security and Net Zero source said Mr Shanks had turned the convention down as planning of development was devolved to the Scottish Government, although the convention wanted to talk about policy. There is now further concern that Kate Forbes, who is standing down at the next election, declined to attend. READ MORE: 'Lives at risk' as ministers spend fraction of £97m Scots safety fund No ScotGov timetable for 24/7 stroke treatment access as deaths hit eight year high Highland councillor Helen Crawford, who is chairman community council convention and is a former lawyer, believes the 'no show' of minsters breached the United Nations-administered Aarhus Convention, a binding piece of international legislation that guarantees the right to a healthy environment and enshrines people's rights to access information, to participate in decision-making and express any concerns. She said: "The highest ranking Highlands MSP was unavailable and we had community councils on Skye who wrote to her and asked for her to reorganise her diary to take part. But she didn't. "I always say it is better to be in the room. Quite a few of the MSPs and MPs that were there were booed but they are respected for coming. "Some did have other engagements and said they would attend online and then rearranged things to be in the room and prioritise it. "I get it that Kate Forbes isn't standing in the next election, but she is our most significant Highlands politician in terms of her position and however you feel about it, this is going to be one of the most defining changes and you should be in the room and debate it and speak to communities about it." Helen Crawford with the MPs and MSPs agreement Picture by Peter Jolly (Image: Peter Jolly. Northpix) Ms Forbes said she was unable to meet with the convention due to "pre-arranged meetings in Skye..." but said she had had "numerous meetings" with individual community councils about the issue. The community councils' convention's 'unified statement' also opposes "unjust and unnecessary industrialisation of the Highlands" and says the Scottish Government should undertake an inquiry to address the cumulative impact of all major renewable energy infrastructure developments. The group also called on elected members to urgent support and protect communities at national level "given that community consultation is inadequate and local democracy is being overridden..." The group of 11 MPs and MSPs have now signed off on an undertaking to move to secure parliamentary debates on the statement. Those signing off on the undertaking also included SNP MP Graham Leadbitter, Scottish Conservative MSPs Jamie Halcro Johnston, Edward Mountain, Tim Eagle and Douglas Ross as well as Liberal Democrat MPs Jamie Stone and Angus MacDonald and Independent MSP Fergus Ewing. Among the most controversial of the energy plans is a so-called 'super-pylon' proposal which was to run for over 100 miles across some of Highlands and Aberdeenshire's most picturesque areas to enable 'significant' growth of renewable energy and support transition away from fossil fuels. Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks Transmission, which owns, operates and develops the high voltage electricity transmission system in the north of Scotland and islands unveiled the strategy three years ago which it says was a 'critical project of national significance' as it has been identified as 'essential' to deliver government targets for offshore wind. The project at that point was to involve building a new 400kV overhead line connection - or energy motorway - between Beauly, Blackhillock, New Deer and Peterhead to enable the transmission of renewable power into the network for onward transmission to 'areas of demand further south'. It was Ms Forbes who spoke in favour after of Berwick Bank, one of the world's largest offshore wind farms which was granted consent two weeks ago. Ms Forbes said: 'I recognise the importance of community voices, which is why I have previously met with most, if not all, of my constituency community councils which are affected by significant energy infrastructure developments. 'I have met on a number of occasions with the community councils from Skye. I have arranged several meetings with representatives of all five local community councils in Beauly last year with Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) and separately with OfGem [the energy networks regulator]. I've also written to both the UK and Scottish Governments, as well as the Highland Council, to convey the strength of feeling and questions about the developments.
The Herald Scotland
06-08-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Law breach row over ministers' energy projects summit snub
There were 700 live applications in the Highland Council area alone ranging from wind and hydro projects to energy storage and transmission grid plans. But both Scottish energy secretary Gillian Martin and UK energy minister and Rutherglen MP Michael Shanks have declined an invitation to attend the summit in Inverness on August 12. READ MORE: No ScotGov timetable for 24/7 stroke treatment access as deaths hit eight year high Revealed: 13,000 Scots oil and gas jobs disappear in a year - as UK relies on imports Row over £17.6m of public money spent on Scots sporting estate with 'no plan' Ms Martin's office told the convention in a letter that "in terms of the ministerial code, it would not be appropriate to discuss matters pertaining to live applications or proposals which could come before a live application for consent". The group were told: "Therefore, the cabinet secretary is unable to accept your request." Gillian Martin (Image: PA) A Department for Energy Security and Net Zero source said Mr Shanks had turned the convention down as planning of development was devolved to the Scottish Government, although the convention wanted to talk about policy. Highland councillor Helen Crawford, who is chairman community council convention and is a former lawyer, believed they had "ignored" the United Nations-administered Aarhus Convention, a binding piece of international legislation that guarantees the right to a healthy environment and enshrines people's rights to access information, to participate in decision-making and express any concerns. Ms Martin also strongly criticised double standards saying that developers had been met with by Scots ministers as live planning applications were being pursued and that no specific projects would ever need to be discussed. Campaigners have been demanding an ethics inquiry into concerns over ministerial code breaches involving former First Ministers Humza Yousaf and Nicola Sturgeon over a controversial gas-fired power station plan - which has received millions of pounds in public money backing. First Minister John Swinney has rejected complaints of dozens of breaches of the ministerial code over plans for various energy plans including Peterhead power station project, headed by energy giants SSE, based in Perth and Norwegian government owned Equinor. They included a complaint about former First Minister Humza Yousaf's visit to the Peterhead site and a subsequent 'promo' video produced by the developers, energy giants SSE. Mr Swinney said the video was not connected to the proposals they were considering. Also complained about was a meeting on April 2022 between then First Minister, [[Nicola Sturgeon]] and Norwegian government-owned Equinor, which has said it will proceed with the development of the controversial Rosebank oil and gas field off Shetland. (Image: Derek McArthur) She was told by civil servants to say that she welcomed 'Equinor's continued investment in Scotland' while the briefing stated that 'the Peterhead site is ideally placed for carbon capture technology...." The latter commentary is identical to that produced in a press statement by SSE and Equinor in 2021. The ministerial code states: "Ministers should take particular care to avoid conflicts of interest when dealing with planning matters, including the granting of energy consents.' The code also states: "To help ensure the fairness and transparency of the planning system, the planning minister, or any other minister involved in the planning decision, must do nothing which might be seen as prejudicial to that process, particularly in advance of the decision being taken." Ms Crawford said there was frustration that no minister would discuss energy matters with what she called an "unprecedented gathering of Highlanders". "It is a failure of local democracy and the Aarhus Convention is clearly not worth the paper it is written on," she said. "We have an absurd scenario where the UK energy minister and the Scottish energy minister can't speak to communities about energy. It is actually incredible. It is worthy of a new episode of Yes Minister. "Saying they can't discuss a live application just doesn't stack up because she does meet with developers such as SSE. "That is why there is so much frustration in grass roots level. It is shutting the door on people's concerns." "If they can meet developers and not communities that want to talk about direction of travel, that is very concerning for Scotland." The convention has called for the Scottish Government to undertake an inquiry to address the cumulative impact of all major renewable energy infrastructure developments on the communities and landscape fearing projects "may hasten depopulation in some areas". It wants a pause on all major applications, "until a clear national energy policy is in place and an economic impact assessment is undertaken given that tourism is currently the backbone of The Highland economy". In June, 300 gathered in Beauly, near Inverness in a public meeting to discuss concerns over feeling "disregarded" over the wave of projects. Among the most controversial are plans for a so-called 'super-pylon' plan which was to run for over 100 miles across some of Highlands and Aberdeenshire's most picturesque areas to enable 'significant' growth of renewable energy and support transition away from fossil fuels. (Image: SSE) Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks Transmission, which owns, operates and develops the high voltage electricity transmission system in the north of Scotland and islands unveiled the strategy three years ago which it says was a 'critical project of national significance' as it has been identified as 'essential' to deliver government targets for offshore wind. The project at that point was to involve building a new 400kV overhead line connection - or energy motorway - between Beauly, Blackhillock, New Deer and Peterhead to enable the transmission of renewable power into the network for onward transmission to 'areas of demand further south'. The Scottish Government has been approached for comment.
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Business Standard
24-07-2025
- Health
- Business Standard
Gaza faces worst hunger crisis yet as truce talks stall over aid access
Scores of aid groups say the humanitarian situation in Gaza is worse than ever and that starvation is spreading, with Israel blaming the situation on Hamas. The crisis is spiraling as Israel and Hamas mull a truce and comes two weeks after the European Union announced an agreement with Israel to increase the flow of food to Gaza. A major dispute in the ceasefire negotiations, officials from both sides say, is over a Hamas demand for the restoration of a United Nations-administered relief network that Israel sidelined, arguing the Palestinian militant group was stealing food and medicine. World anger toward Israel's government is growing amid increasing reports of emaciated babies, children crammed into soup queues and men tussling over bags of flour. Foreign doctors volunteering in Gaza say they too are going hungry. International news agencies are withdrawing staff for fear of famine. 'There is no real change on the ground,' Médecins Sans Frontières said in a statement, referring to the July 10 accord between Israel and the EU. MSF and many other humanitarian groups accused Israel of failing to make good on the arrangement. 'Every day without a sustained flow means more people dying of preventable illnesses,' MSF said. 'Children starve while waiting for promises that never arrive.' The World Health Organization added its voice to the alarm. 'The 2.1 million people trapped in the war zone that is Gaza are facing yet another killer on top of bombs and bullets: starvation,' said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Wednesday. 'We are now witnessing a deadly surge in malnutrition-related deaths.' These accusations are a 'coordinated, scripted campaign,' according to Israel's ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon. Iran-backed Hamas, which is on terrorism blacklists in much of the West, called on Wednesday for global protests against Israel 'until the siege is broken and the famine ends.' Thirty-three Palestinians have died of malnutrition over the last 48 hours, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza. More than 59,000 people have been killed since the war started in October 2023, according to the ministry. Hamas triggered the conflict with an attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people and saw 250 taken hostage. Israel has lost more than 400 troops in Gaza combat. Israel says it must continue the war until the remaining 50 captives — roughly 20 of who Israel believes are alive — are freed. It's negotiating a 60-day truce with Hamas that would lead to the return of 10 living and and around 18 deceased hostages. During the ceasefire, the sides would continue talks to end the war permanently and release the last captives. Aid dispute Like other Israeli officials, Danon said what problems do exist in Gaza are due to distribution shortfalls within Palestinian-controlled areas. 'It's really easy for the UN to blame Israel for everything,' Danon told Israel's Kan radio. 'They don't talk about the drivers who flee and aren't willing to go to all kind of places. They don't talk about the pillaging by Hamas.' Israel blocked aid supplies for Gaza in early March, shortly before a ceasefire that started in January broke down. It said that was necessary to put more pressure on Hamas to surrender. In May, Israel allowed aid to enter Gaza again via a new US-backed entity called the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. Designed to stop Hamas from getting aid, GHF has been dogged by controversy and chaos, with hundreds of Palestinians being shot near distribution sites. The UN and other groups say GHF has politicized the supply of aid and is giving out nowhere near enough to meet the needs of Gazans. GHF and Israel dispute reports that Palestinians killed or hurt near aid sites have been hit by their fire, instead blaming Hamas. On Monday, 26 countries including the UK, Italy, Japan and Switzerland put out a joint statement calling on Israel to end the war immediately. 'The suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths,' they said. 'The Israeli government's aid delivery model is dangerous, fuels instability and deprives Gazans of human dignity. We condemn the drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians, including children, seeking to meet their most basic needs of water and food.'
Days of Palestine
13-07-2025
- Politics
- Days of Palestine
Euro-Med Demands Prosecution of Trump, Shutdown of GHF Over Aid Massacres
DayofPal– Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor is calling for the immediate closure of the Israeli-American Gaza Humanitarian Foundation and the prosecution of U.S. President Donald Trump, accusing both of complicity in acts of genocide in the Gaza Strip. In a sharply worded statement, the rights group accused Israel, the United States, and complicit governments of systematic war crimes and crimes against humanity, particularly at aid distribution points that have become deadly zones for desperate Palestinian civilians. According to Euro-Med, these sites, managed by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation with the support of Israeli forces and American private security contractors, have been turned into 'arenas of mass slaughter.' The group said the foundation has replaced a United Nations-administered aid mechanism and now operates under Israeli military authority, which it says is illegitimate under international law. The organization insists these distribution points are no longer humanitarian spaces but 'deliberately designed' killing zones. Euro-Med cited a deadly incident in the Al-Shakoush area north of Rafah city, where on a recent Saturday morning, 30 civilians were killed and over 180 wounded near one such distribution point. This occurred after Israel reportedly shut down three other aid centres, forcing tens of thousands of starving people into a single area. The group says the event is part of a broader 'systematic starvation policy' by Israel. Field testimonies gathered by Euro-Med indicate that private American security personnel working for the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation opened fire and launched tear gas at gathered civilians, acting in coordination with Israeli soldiers. Video footage reviewed by the organization shows foundation-affiliated guards throwing grenades directly at unarmed civilians. 'There is a large pit roughly 1,000 metres before the entrance to the aid point, which civilians use to hide before the gate opens. Today, we were surprised to see three sand mounds opposite the pit, but as usual, people entered the pit. Once it was full of civilians, we were shocked to see three tanks mount the mounds, each armed with machine guns and accompanied by around 30 heavily armed infantry soldiers and snipers,' a survivor described the events to Euro-Med investigators. He continued: 'They began by firing several stun grenades over the people in the pit. When people tried to flee, anyone who attempted to get out was shot at directly. Crowds poured out of the pit, and the tanks opened heavy fire directly at them. Some bullets passed through multiple people at once due to the density of the crowd and proximity of the tanks. All of this happened between 8:30 and 9:30 this morning.' Euro-Med states that in just under two months, Israeli forces and American private security operatives have killed at least 829 Palestinians and injured approximately 5,500 near these distribution points. The foundation, presented publicly as a humanitarian aid organization, is accused of acting as a front for policies of siege, starvation, and military control. The statement further accused President Trump, through direct support of this aid model and provision of military, financial, and political backing, is criminally complicit in the alleged genocide. Euro-Med is urging international and national courts to hold Trump and other involved U.S. and Israeli officials accountable. 'Even in cases where a threat is alleged,' the group noted, 'international law does not legally justify the use of lethal force. Security forces are bound by international legal standards to follow the principle of proportionality and gradual escalation in the use of force.' Euro-Med argues that Israel is using starvation as a method of warfare and that its control over humanitarian aid distribution is a violation of its obligations under international humanitarian law. The organization added that these violations rise to the level of war crimes and crimes against humanity under the Rome Statute, and that they meet the legal definition of genocide under Article II of the Genocide Convention. 'Israel, which is using starvation as a central tool in carrying out the crime of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza… cannot, under any circumstance, be regarded as a legitimate party in any humanitarian operation,' the statement continued. The group is also calling for independent international investigations into the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, including potential prosecutions of its founders, directors, logistics coordinators, and contracted security firms. It called on countries with universal jurisdiction to launch immediate criminal investigations into individuals associated with the Foundation. Euro-Med further recommends civil litigation in national courts to secure compensation for victims and their families. 'This includes deaths, physical and psychological injuries, and the forced deprivation of the right to life, food, and dignity,' the statement said. The Monitor urged the international community to apply maximum diplomatic, economic, and military pressure on Israel to stop its military involvement in humanitarian aid distribution and to lift the blockade on Gaza. It also called for the implementation of International Criminal Court arrest warrants against Israeli leaders, a comprehensive weapons embargo, and the suspension of financial, trade, and security cooperation with Israeli entities and officials. In closing, the group demanded urgent international intervention to restore humanitarian access to Gaza under neutral, independent oversight, stressing the need for immediate protection of civilians and adherence to international legal standards. Shortlink for this post:
