News / Twenty back sovereign Stuart
SHETLAND independence campaigner Stuart Hill was joined by a number of like-minded people when he declared the Sovereign Nation of Shetland, at Lerwick’s Market Cross on Monday lunchtime.
The 67 year old, originally from East Anglia, has been campaigning for greater autonomy for the isles for many years claiming that Shetland officially never became part of Scotland or the UK.
Over the years Mr Hill, locally known as Captain Calamity following his dramatic rescue from his sailing boat Maximum Exposure in summer 2001, has been making the national headlines with a number of independence related stunts.
Two years ago he declared the tiny island Forewick Holm, off the island of Papa Stour, as the crown dependency of Forvik, claiming his island had the same status as the Isle of Man.
On Monday, 20 followers read out loud the Declaration of Redemption of Sovereignty and then signed the declaration which makes sovereign citizens of Shetland.
Mr Hill said: “In the UK our freedom has been eroded. The government is owned by the bankers. What we are saying is that it is time that this stops.
“Shetland has the unique opportunity to do something about it because of its history. Shetland used to be a sovereign nation. This has never been taken away and we are taking it back.”
Others were equally convinced that declaring a sovereign nation would make a difference for themselves.
Local man Robert Williamson said Shetland was never mentioned as part of the Union with the English Crown in 1707, and therefore couldn’t be part of the UK today.
And Richard Hawden from Brighton, who was in Shetland as part of the 2010 Hamefarin celebrations, said the declaration was liberating.
“It is very important for people to have a sense of identity and place, and I think this is a very good step towards achieving this.
“This is about your own identity and where you are from and not about someone else’s ideal put on to you,” he said.
But what practical relevance does all that have? Mr Hill said he had been challenging the authorities for many years and no one has ever been able to tell him when Shetland became part of Scotland.
He said: “I stopped paying my VAT in 2008 and the VAT people sent the sheriff officers round knocking at my door.
“They handed me the court papers and I gave them a paper saying ‘I don’t recognise you or the court. When you can show when Shetland became part of Scotland, I will pay the bill. I am happy to pay it but I need to see where your authority comes from’.
“That was in July 2008 and they never came back.”
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