ABERDEEN’S Tory council co-leader has sparked backlash after responding to news that US oil prices had dropped below zero for the first time ever with a tweet about “Better Together”.

West Texas Intermediate, the US benchmark for oil prices, traded as low as -40.32 dollars yesterday as chaos unfolded in the oil markets.

A decrease in demand caused by the coronavirus pandemic means the world has a lot of oil and not enough places to store it, leading some producers to pay buyers to take it off their hands.

Douglas Lumsden took to Twitter upon seeing the news, writing: “To think oil was at the heart of the SNP’s independence campaign. #BetterTogether.”

The comment caused anger with the post amassing more than 1000 replies to just over 150 retweets.

The councillor, who represents an area with important links to oil, was criticised for suggesting oil was the basis of the SNP’s plan for independence – and for jumping to constitutional politics straight away amid the chaos.

One Twitter user named Lennie replied: “Normal councillors would be more worried about the detrimental economical impact it would have on his community rather than gloating about it.”

And Sarah Mackie responded: “Over a hundred thousand people are dead, millions are out of work and everybody's on edge about what the future holds, and you're making snidey, petty remarks like this because you're too goddamn blinkered to look at the wider picture. Jesus wept.”

Meanwhile Scott K Logie asked if Lumsden has forgotten the area he serves.

He wrote: “You know, the oil capital of Europe? Maybe your first concern should be for Aberdeen folks livelihoods rather than ill placed smugness with a pathetic political point scoring attempt, don't you think?”

Oil prices around the world have been reduced by a drop in demand as billions of people stay home because of the coronavirus.

Lumsden has been approached for comment.

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