Orkney Islands to think about break from UK governance and discover ‘Nordic connections’
The Orkney Islands is about to think about altering how it’s ruled, together with exploring its “Nordic connections”.
The chief of the Orkney Islands Council (OIC) James Stockan has put ahead a movement that claims it’s time for Orkney to debate various types of governance which might present extra financial alternative.
It suggests this might embody crown dependencies reminiscent of Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man.
“Nordic connections” are additionally put ahead, with a report going earlier than a council assembly this week mentioning the Faroe Islands – a self-governing territory of Denmark within the North Sea.
Orkney was beneath Norwegian and Danish management till 1472 when the islands got to Scotland as a part of Margaret of Denmark’s wedding ceremony dowry to King James III of Scotland.
Mr Stockan’s movement doesn’t favour both choice, with the officers’ report noting that any constitutional change would doubtless require a mix of petitions, referenda and laws at Holyrood and Westminster.
The council chief advised the BBC that Orkney is being “failed dreadfully” by governments in each Edinburgh and London, saying funding per head is lower than Shetland and the Western Isles obtain.
“We were part of the Norse kingdom for much longer than we were part of the United Kingdom,” he mentioned.
“On the road in Orkney, individuals come up and say to me ‘when are we going to pay again the dowry, when are we going again to Norway’.
“There is a huge affinity and a huge deep cultural relationship there. This is exactly the moment to explore what is possible.”
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But the Scottish Lib Dem MSP for Orkney, Liam McArthur, mentioned he supported empowering island communities however warned there are risks in “putting up barriers”.
“I am due to meet local councillors on Monday and will be interested to learn more about what is envisaged,” he mentioned.
“There were similar proposals considered by OIC around the time of the last independence referendum and I am keen to understand how these would differ.
“Locally, I believe islanders will even wish to be reassured that this train will not lead to council assets being taken away from the day-to-day operating of companies at a time when these are beneath actual strain.”