Unsubstantiated

James Sandison (Most amusing; SN, 04/08/14) is being more than just a little disingenuous in his claims as to what I actually said in my letter.

At no point did I say I had a disbelief in conspiracy theories, after all, my letter was about one.

Just how he thinks my claim of a conspiracy theory was debunked when what he produced about the Clair Ridge is based on rumours and not facts and appears to have been started by Yes Shetland, is beyond belief.

At no point did I claim Douglas Young was talking about the Whirlwind and the Lancaster oil fields, I merely used them as an example of what is happening to the West of Shetland and the easy availability of information relating to this on the internet.

There are plenty of rumours regarding the Clair Ridge on the internet, some of them started by Yes Shetland, even if the credit is given to Yes Highlands and Islands, but nothing that has been substantiated.

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This would be an excellent opportunity for the PM to gain some kudos for the Better Together campaign, as it is his government that has given the oil companies the tax breaks to enable exploration and extraction of oil in all UK waters.

Why would he want it kept quiet, if he knew about it surely he would be shouting it from the roof tops?

Which when I think about it could mean that there may be some truth in my hypothetical conspiracy theory. Then again no, as there is also a story that work on the Clair Ridge has been delayed for a year because of extensive workloads at fabrication yards in Korea, but why let something resembling the truth get in the way of a good conspiracy theory.

Definition of a conspiracy theory; the idea that many important political events or economic and social trends are the products of secret plots that are largely unknown to the general public. This is a perfect description of Douglas’s letter thereby confirming it is a conspiracy theory until proven otherwise.

Gordon Harmer,
Brae.