GR Direct - Sony - Save up to £500
Tuesday 22 July 2025
 15.9°C   SE Light Breeze
Ocean Kinetics - The Engineering Experts

Politics / Autonomy conference cancelled after low ticket sales

A SHETLAND autonomy conference scheduled to take place later this month has been cancelled.

The event was due to be held on 20 April, but organiser James Paton said there had been low ticket sales – while three speakers had to cancel too.

It was set to be hosted by the new grassroots group Shetland Autonomy Action Team.

Its moderator Paton said: “There is interest in Shetland autonomy but it seems people are not quite sure or confident in terms of what to do about it – not unlike the council.”

Back in 2020 Shetland Islands Council voted to explore options for achieving financial and political self-determination.

There have been various shows of interest in greater autonomy over previous decades, including the Shetland Movement group formed in the late 1970s.

“It took Keir Hardie 111 years to realise a devolved Scottish Parliament from when he first mooted it in 1888,” Paton added, “so it might take some time to realise Shetland autonomy from its last zenith in the late 1980s.”

Become a member of Shetland News

Shetland News is asking its readers to consider paying for membership to get additional perks:

  • Removal of third-party ads;
  • Bookmark posts to read later;
  • Exclusive curated weekly newsletter;
  • Hide membership messages;
  • Comments open for discussion.

If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please become a member of Shetland News by either making a single payment, or setting up a monthly, quarterly or yearly subscription.

 

Sign up
for our Newsletters

Stay in the loop with newsletters tailored to your interests. Whether you're looking for daily updates, weekly highlights, or updates on jobs or property, you can choose exactly what you want to receive.

Advertisement 
Advertisement 
Advertisement 

JavaScript Required

We're sorry, but Shetland News isn't fully functional without JavaScript enabled.
Head over to the help page for instructions on how to enable JavaScript on your browser.

Interested in Notifications?

Get notifications from Shetland News for important and breaking news.
You can unsubscribe at any time.

Have you considered becoming a member of Shetland News?

  • Removal of third-party ads;
  • Bookmark posts to read later;
  • Exclusive curated weekly newsletter;
  • Hide membership messages;
  • Comments open for discussion.