It is a strange world we live in when the Scottish Greens are leading the fight against oil and gas jobs being lost in their thousands, argues Herald columnist Alan Simpson

The eighties was a funny sort of decade to live through with widespread social change across Europe and big hair.

Very big hair.

It was the time of leg warmers, glitter balls, nightclubs with singular names and some extremely dubious fashion choices.

Sadly, there is photographic evidence of some highly questionable outfits floating about many a home in Scotland, safely stashed in a shoebox where it is hoped they will remain forever more.

The eighties was also a time of excess for some who could enjoy it, while millions of others were thrown on the scrapheap with the closure of traditional industries.

Most of the devastating closures of the mines, shipyards, steelworks and factories saw marches, picket lines and widespread fury at the economic damage being wrought on Scotland and other parts of the UK.

Everywhere you looked on the TV news there was a Labour or SNP politician, most of the time both, standing in solidarity with the workers.

Fast forward to the present day and it is a very different story in these madcap times we’re living through.

We have this week had the bizarre spectacle of the Scottish Greens leading the way in condemning plans to close the fossil fuel Mossmorran plant in Fife, while the Scottish Tories have defended oil and gas workers faced with........

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