Tricky one for wee Nippy and her band of charlatans and rogues. Getting a taste of their own medicine. 😎

https://reaction.life/shetland-islands-council-votes-to-explore-breakaway-from-snp-run-scotland/

I'm very interested to hear the Yessers views on this. Very interested. 🙂

Absolutely fine with whatever Shetlanders decide.

You other support self-determination or you do not.

Copied from elsewhere.

Hats off to Iain Martin for putting “who sets the referendum question” front and centre, because it’s the most immediate issue.

The answer is simple: all constitutional matters are reserved, not devolved to Holyrood, far less any local authority.

Shetland only became part of Scotland in 1472, and just 141 years later Scotland began the process of Union, which concluded 104 years later. So Shetland was only part of Scotland for 141 years to the Union of the Crowns, or 245 to the Treaty of Union. It has been British far longer than it has been Scottish.

The great thing about the issue is the Pandora’s box it opens. Southern Scotland was one of the heaviest pro-Union regions in 2014, and unlikely to support any future separatist vote. The British Government could permit pro-Union regions the remain in the UK.

NO-voting regions in Southern Scotland in 2014 included: South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, Dumfries & Galloway, the Scottish Borders, East Lothian, Edinburgh...

iScotland could be a lot smaller than the Nats presume.

Quote from: AJ on September 10, 2020, 08:59:48 am

Quote from: PeterGrant on September 10, 2020, 08:57:08 am

Absolutely fine with whatever Shetlanders decide.

You other support self-determination or you do not.

This has swiped your legs away, eh Pete? 😎

Eh?

I’ve always favoured increased autonomy for Shetland. Independence fine by me.

I think that with an independent Scotland Shetland would probably stay in and would have Faroe style autonomy. The relationship between Faroes and Denmark has been much strengthened.

Chances of increased autonomy for Shetland in the UK? Zero.

Was my answer not what you were hoping for?

It's a slippery slope and who's to say more Scottish regions won't follow Shetland? You could end up with a central belt independent Scotland. So, be careful what you wish for is my advice.

And the “Shetland’s Oil” argument is one made only by unionists and rarely in Shetland. This is because they understand their affairs better than the common garden Yoon.

You see, most of the oil is in Scotland’s territorial waters but nowhere near Shetland. Shetland has the Sullom Voe oil terminal, but even that is privately owned. Shetland would of course have a territorial share of oil, but it’s a fraction.

Shetland independence or autonomy is fine. It could even choose to rejoin the UK if it wants. But I doubt it would.

I know Shetland a little and their political culture is more akin to Faroese due to their cultural connection to Scandinavia.

Given Sturgeon's outrage at people being dragged out of Unions against their will, I'm sure she'd offer the chance of Shetlanders, Borderers and Orcadians to stay part of the UK if a second referendum took place.

I'm also sure her invitation would also extend to the good residents of Edinburgh and Aberdeen, who won't want to be dragged out against their will either.

**No sniggering at the back**

They would have a chance to do so. The difficulty will be if 32 out of 32 council areas all vote yes. At 60% Yes is the tipping point for that statistically.

If for example Edinburgh votes No and the rest of Scotland vote yes, it will be interesting to see how Edinburgh’s politicians react.

Quote from: PeterGrant on September 10, 2020, 09:49:04 am

Quote from: Hardliner on September 10, 2020, 09:44:38 am

Given Sturgeon's outrage at people being dragged out of Unions against their will, I'm sure she'd offer the chance of Shetlanders, Borderers and Orcadians to stay part of the UK if a second referendum took place.

I'm also sure her invitation would also extend to the good residents of Edinburgh and Aberdeen, who won't want to be dragged out against their will either.

**No sniggering at the back**

They would have a chance to do so. The difficulty will be if 32 out of 32 council areas all vote yes. At 60% Yes is the tipping point for that statistically.

If for example Edinburgh votes No and the rest of Scotland vote yes, it will be interesting to see how Edinburgh’s politicians react.

I admire the fact that you are consistent in your own view Peter, but I just can't see Sturgeon allowing individual council areas to Remain.

I don’t think the politicians in any such areas would push for that either. If say 30 areas vote Yes and Clackmannanshire and East Renfrewshire vote No, it wouldn’t be practically possible for them to remain in the UK while everywhere in Scotland is independent. Borders, customs economy, blah blah. The politicians for those areas would have to take it in the chin, most likely, and would not agitate for remaining in UK.

A 60% yes win would make it academic.