Autonomy for the islands, or not?

VLK · Autonomy for the islands, or not?

What are your views? If there ever was an independent Scotland, should such an independent state grant autonomy to distinctly different parts of the country, ie. the Shetland Islands and the Western Isles? After all, there is a cultural difference which exists between the Shetlanders and the mainland Scottish as many people in the Shetlands still consider themselves closer to Norway than Scotland.

As for the Hebrides, that group of islands is extremely important in that sense that there the Gaelic-language is still being spoken in everyday use.

In my opinion, those two groups of islands should have some degree of autonomy if there ever was an independent Scotland. Edinburgh cares just as little about the concerns of the Shetlanders as does London.

SLG

Yes, but not just to these island groups. IMO as much power as practical should be devolved to local government.

kevin04

I also think that Shetland cares little for being Scottish or a part of Scotland. I remember my time up there and was constantly told "I'm not Scottish" by many Shetlanders, Maybe they'll want to stick with GB? I don't know the landscape but I think the SNP usually poll badly on the island.

Great people Shetlanders are but I am not sure how far the love they have for Scotland and being Scottish goes, It's funny because I've spent some time in Iceland and they are nothing like Icelanders and I see them personally having been in a few places in Scandinavia as having a more scottish outlook on life than Scandic, I suppose it's a mix which it really is being halfway between Norway & Scotland.

I think the Western Isles and Hebs are very Scottish and they are very proud to be Scottish and see themselves as Scottish. We need to support Gaelic in an Independent Scotland and although the Labour Gov't in Holyrood brought in the Gaelic Act, We still need to push it further, I'd love one day for many Scots to at least know a few phrases of the language and be quite decent level in the language,

Economist

SLG

I've not been to Shetland, but those Shetlanders I've met have identified as much with Scotland as most people I come across. The difference I suppose is the stronger sense of local identity.

I have no doubt that when Scotland chooses to become independent, Shetland will be part of that. Whether they remain part of that will be determined by the type of government that develops. If Shetland feels isolated and abused, with decisions taken in Edinburgh that should be taken locally, then they will want to leave. Simple as that.

William_Cleland

I'm part Shetlander ancestrally and have been there a lot although not in the last decade admittedly. The younger generations that grew up with television are much less into the Shetlander and British but not Scottish angle than those that grew up in the 30s, 40s and 50s and even the oldtimers now are much less bitter about it than their parental generation who have passed on. Hence the Yes Yes vote in 1997. On autonomy, most definitely if they want it because they need to control the fisheries just like the Faroese and deserve a fairer share of the oil and gas revenues. The best hope for Gaelic as a living language in daily life would be something similar in the West Highlands and Islands rather than continuing to pretend it is a national language of all of Scotland. That doesn't fit the agenda of the Gaelic mafia, however, unfortunately.

garye

Maol.Chaluim

William_Cleland

The moment you wrote "apart from" you basically admitted it isn't a national language. To try to make out it is in any way the language of Shetland for example is farcical and Shetland is part of Scotland. Even in the Hebrides there is opposition to Gaelic gaining prominence over English:-

http://www.theherald.co.uk/politics/news/display.var.1365849.0.0.php

The agenda for the language should be set by native speaking Gaels but all too often it isn't. The only truly national language in Scotland is Scottish Standard English. Both Scots and Gaelic are regional in character.