London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Jul 05, 2025

Shetland’s right to choose? Islands vote to ‘explore independence’ from Scotland

Shetland’s right to choose? Islands vote to ‘explore independence’ from Scotland

Councillors on Scotland’s Shetland Islands archipelago have voted in favor of exploring “financial and political self-determination” amid growing public funding cuts under Nicola Sturgeon's SNP government.

The council voted 18 to two in favour of seeking increased independence against a backdrop of significant unease at the direction Scotland is taking in recent months, exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic and the ongoing Brexit deliberations.


The motion, signed by council leader Steven Coutts, states that “more and more decision making [is] being centralised and public funding being consistently reduced … seriously threatening the prosperity, and even basic sustainability, of Shetland.”

“The Shetland Islands Council formally begins exploring options for achieving financial and political self-determination,” it added.

The development was greeted with glee by those who oppose Scotland’s push for independence from the United Kingdom. Many commenters took to social media to lambast the Scottish National Party (SNP) and Sturgeon.

Pro-independence slogans and phrases used by the SNP were adapted for Shetland’s cause now that the shoe is, sort-of, on the other foot. “Shetlands’ right to choose... Shetlands’ future in Shetlands’ hands... It is a fundamental democratic principle that the decision on whether or not Shetland becomes independent should rest with the people who live in Shetland,” former politician John Ferry quipped on Twitter.

Conservative commentator Darren Grimes added: “Will ⁦the SNP support the Shetland Islands right to self determination away from the controlling clutches of authoritarian Holyrood?”


Despite the vote and the swirl of reaction, Scotland’s islands minister Paul Wheelhouse said he is not aware of any island council requesting additional powers. The Holyrood minister said it is the responsibility of individual local authorities to manage their own budgets and to allocate the financial resources available to them.

Others also threw cold water on breathless media headlines evoking the spirit of William Wallace rather than addressing the actual comments from the Shetland council.


The Shetland archipelago has a population of just over 20,000 and was the only part of Britain that voted against European Economic Community membership in the 1975 referendum which brought the UK into what would later become the European Union.

Last month, the Scottish government announced £50 million in funding for the Outer Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland as part of an Islands Growth Deal, part of the National Islands Plan which targets depopulation, insufficient housing and substandard transport and health services on the islands.

The matter is further complicated by the fact that Scotland boasts approximately 60 percent of Europe's proven oil reserves and its second-largest volume of natural gas deposits, the majority of which sit offshore Shetland.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
×