She is in the wrong party
Thank you for Hannah Mary Goodlad’s Viewpoint article in which she compares Shetland and Faroe, highlighting the advantages of Faroe’s autonomous self government.
She doesn’t say so explicitly, however it’s clear we are intended to conclude that she supports greater Shetland autonomy.
If so, she is in the wrong party. Shetland autonomy is the last thing the perennially centralising SNP wants.
It is directly against their interests to lose Shetland’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) with all the oil, fish and renewable energy it contains, and they will do everything in their power to cling to direct control of it.
They will only ever grant Faroese-style autonomy in the event that Scotland votes Yes to independence, while Shetland votes No and starts autonomy negotiations with Westminster.
Meanwhile, if Shetlanders elect a SNP (or Greens) council or parliamentarians – a Trojan horse par excellence – this will be taken as the ‘will of the Shetland electorate’ with respect to ‘self-determination of peoples’ and all autonomy efforts will be blocked.
It appears Ms Goodlad has fallen foul of the age old admonition about wanting to have your cake and eat it, too.
John Tulloch
Aberdeen
