Fears have been raised for jobs and investment in the north-east after Shell pulled out of the controversial Cambo oil field development, with a former SNP figure labelling the move “seriously worrying”.

Fergus Mutch, the SNP‘ s former head of communications, warned against the “negative mood music” towards the sector.

Aberdeen’s Chamber of Commerce said a “premature” end to domestic oil and gas production risked repeating “what happened to our mining communities in the 1980s”.

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