OIL giant Shell last night caved in to the massive international

pressure against the dumping of the Brent spar.

In a spectacular U-turn, announced only hours before the disused

installation neared its final resting place, the company unexpectedly

called a halt to the plan.

Despite the company's explanation that the change of heart was forced

on it by other European governments, rather than the seven-week campaign

by Greenpeace, the pressure group hailed it as a victory for the

environment and people power.

The move was widely welcomed by opposition parties who roundly

condemned Prime Minister John Major and the Government for ''standing

alone in Europe'' in supporting a decision that was ''clearly not in the

best interests of the environment''.

This view was not shared by President of the Board of Trade Michael

Heseltine who launched an outspoken attack on Shell for backing down in

the face of protest.

''They have caved in under pressure,'' he told Channel 4 News. ''I

think the Prime Minister has behaved in an exemplary way, and I think he

deserved better from a leading British company.

''I think they should have kept their nerve and done what they

believed was right.'' Shell had ''no sympathy'' from him, he said.

In a statement Shell UK said: ''As the disposal involved the Atlantic

deep water, other governments have taken an interest and voiced strong

objections.

''Notwithstanding the efforts to convince these governments of the

validity of the approach, most of them remain strongly against deep

water disposal.''

A Greenpeace spokeswoman countered: ''It is a victory for us but more

importantly it is a victory for all the people who campaigned against

the dumping.''

There are now suggestions that the platform may be towed to Norway to

be broken up although it is possible the operation could take place in

north-west Scotland.

Western Isles Labour MP Calum Macdonald, one of the leaders of the

campaign against dumping Brent Spar, has already called for an

investigation to be made of the suitability of Kishorn, the west coast

former platform construction yard, for such work.

Energy Minister Tim Eggar warned that the Government would not

automatically issue permission for the Brent Spar to be broken up on

land.

He said the Department of Trade and Industry had accepted proposals

for deepwater disposal after three years of talks.

''If Shell wishes to propose an alternative course of action the

Government will consider it,'' he said.

''That proposal will have to contain solutions to the problems which

led to the identification of deep sea disposal as the best practicable

environmental option.

''Until solutions acceptable to Government departments concerned have

been found, no agreement on abandonment will be available.''

Out in the Atlantic personnel on board the flotilla of ships were

shocked at the news. The reversal at such a late stage in the dumping

operation caught both Greenpeace and Shell crews unawares.

Brent Spar, a 14,500tonne loading buoy, was only hours from its

intended final resting place 6000ft under the Atlantic when the

climb-down was announced.

Soon after the announcement came the protesters occupying the Brent

Spar could be seen setting off flares. Crew members on board the

Greenpeace vessels Solo and Altair were said to be ''delirious'' with

joy and were reported to be hugging and kissing each other.

The standby vessels spraying Greenpeace vessels and the Spar with

water cannon turned off their hoses and foghorns blasted from the Solo.

One of the activists on the Spar contacted by radio with the news

said: ''I don't know if we can get better news than that. We're a bit

speechless.

''We don't normally win things do we? That's great! We're going to put

the kettle on.''

The German sea captain who was a central figure in the Greenpeace

campaign against dumping the Brent Spar last night offered to work with

Shell to find a better way to get rid of it.

Mr Ulrich Jurgens, 42, campaigns director for Greenpeace

International, said in Lerwick, Shetland: ''It's not a victory against

Shell or the British Government. It's a victory for the sea. We're all

willing and eager to work with the industry and the Government, to find

the real best practicable environmental option for solving this

problem.''

Shell UK chairman Dr Chris Fay said last night the company's decision

to abandon deep-water disposal of the Brent Spar had nothing to do with

protests by Greenpeace.

''I can say quite unequivocally it has nothing to do with the four

Greenpeace people sitting on the Brent Spar,'' he told a news conference

at Shellmex House, in London.

''We have spent quite a bit of time rescuing Greenpeace people in and

around the Spar in recent weeks, and if you don't believe we take safety

in the widest sense of the word, you don't understand.''

He admitted though that the company had been embarrassed by the

affair.

The company maintained that deep-water disposal was the best

practicable environmental option supported by independent studies.

However, it said it would now seek a licence from the UK authorities

for onshore disposal.

The question now arises where a suitable deep-water site exists to

store the Brent Spar in the short-term.

The only places in Europe with deep enough water to take it in would

be the fjords of Norway, which has not so far indicated any willingness

to harbour it.

As news of the U-turn swept Westminster, Shadow Scots Secretary George

Robertson led demands for a Government statement. Liberal Democrats

environment spokesman Matthew Taylor called the U-turn a ''triumph for

the environment movement and the general public and a total humiliation

for the Prime Minister''.

A Downing Street spokesman said the Brent Spar decision was ''a matter

for the company''. The Prime Minister had the previous day strongly

defended the Atlantic dumping as the best method of disposal.

Government sources pointed out that Shell UK had not altered its view

that disposal in the Atlantic was the preferable but had taken account

of public reaction.

Before the decision was announced Liberal Democrat leader Paddy

Ashdown asked Mr Major in the Commons if he proposed to deal with the

other 50 or so rigs waiting for disposal. Mr Major replied that each

would be dealt with on a case by case basis.

The Prime Minister strongly denied that Government scientists had

warned against dumping the Brent Spar at sea.

Mr Major insisted at Commons Question Time that the views of Ministry

of Agriculture Fisheries and Food scientists had been ''completely

misreported''.He said a leaked paper ''expressly did not apply to deep

sea disposal, which is what is proposed''.

Shell's climbdown was welcomed in many parts of Scotland last night.

Mr Lewis Smith, convener of Shetland Islands Council, congratulated

the company for listening to public opinion and responding positively.

''In Shetland we have always been aware of the fragility of the sea,

whether the North Sea or the Atlantic, both of which provide a living

for our fishermen.

''Our council will maintain pressure on the relevant authorities for

the safe and complete removal of the infrastructure necessary for the

offshore oil industry,'' he said.

SNP leader Alex Salmond said it was a famous victory for Greenpeace

and the environmental movement.

He called for an independent organisation to oversee the

decommissioning of offshore installations as they become redundant.

Western Isles MP Calum Macdonald said he did not think any oil company

would now dare to dump a platform at sea. ''Shell's about-turn is a

terrible embarrassment for the Prime Minister who just hours before was

against defending the dumping at sea decision,'' he said.

The MP added: ''For a #30m saving in disposal costs Shell has

attracted hours and weeks of the worst publicity any multi-national

company has had. Even before it decided the about-turn the battle had

been won. No other company is going to put its head into such a

noose.''He said the Government's defence of sea dumping had been absurd.

''Recycling the metal on the Brent Spar would be the equivalent of 400

million beer cans. How can the Government ask people to recycle their

beer cans for environmental reasons when they are prepared to support

such environmental waste?''

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Jim Wallace said he was pleased that

Shell had finally ''seen sense''. He added: ''The idea that dumping

Brent Spar in the Atlantic would have no serious environmental

consequences was ridiculous.

''John Major has now been made to look extremely foolish having stood

in Shell's corner over the matter.''

The Scottish Labour Party said it was ''absolutely delighted'' at the

decision.

Mr Tommy Sheppard, the party's assistant general secretary, said: ''It

is a victory not only for Greenpeace but for commonsense and for the

environment.

''It is an absolute disgrace that the Government was prepared to do

nothing to protect the environment and instead was prepared to allow a

multi-national company to engage in a major pollution of the North Sea.

''Thankfully for everyone the British Government on this, as on so

many other occasions, stands alone.''

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