Letters / ‘For mercy’s sake, duyna duy dat!’
How to explain the SNP’s sudden conversion to handing increased local powers to Shetland? Perchance, an election looms?
First, let’s note that when John Swinney refers to “autonomy” he doesn’t mean Faroese-style self-governance – legal/administrative power over fishing, energy, environment, marine/continental shelf resources, trade relations, financial policy, business regulation, taxation/customs, transport, communications, emergency preparedness, social security, culture, education and research, etc.
Only Westminster can grant that.
Rather, he means limited powers over relatively trivial issues like taking back control of the internal ferries budget etc.
He stated, “I’m a believer in decentralisation so that should be reflected in our structures in government.”
Really? My granny used to say, “I dunna ken whit’s ta be bit I ken whit’s been!”
Indeed. The SNP’s 18 year rule has brought relentless centralisation, leaving Mr Swinney’s professed support for local powers looking a lot like electioneering. Perhaps, he will surprise us by reversing some significant SNP centralisations before the election?
Shetland voters must never forget their (and Orkney’s) unique history.
Unlike the Western Isles, ceded to Scotland in 1266, Shetland was pawned (redeemable in perpetuity) in 1469, in lieu of a dowry for the marriage of a Danish princess to the Scottish king. Subsequent attempts to redeem the pawn were thwarted by Scots’ avoidance tactics, creating the legal anomaly that forms the basis for arguments about sovereignty, jurisdiction of courts, Udal v Feudal Law, land title/rights etc.
Shetland Islands Council (SIC) is, perhaps, unlikely to take their autonomy quest to an international tribunal where, among other things, this legal anomaly and associated shenanigans might hold some sway. However, they provide, meanwhile, a useful, moral lever for negotiations on self-governance.
Importantly, the SIC and parliamentary representatives will be essential for negotiating full self-governance, should the opportunity arise, and the election of a SNP council and/or parliamentary representatives could result in that path being blocked.
Moreover, as with voting ‘Yes’ in any Scottish independence referendum, electing SNP representatives will be taken as the ‘will of the Shetland electorate’ for “self-determination of peoples” purposes (UN Charter, Chapter 1, Article 1, Para. 2), automatically negating attempts to win full self-governance.
Any such outcome would also be throwing away an important lever for ongoing dealings with the Scottish government. Witness the six year, £5.5 million per year, internal ferry funding dispute, magically sorted within three months of the SIC resolving to pursue autonomy.
So, “for mercy’s sake, duyna duy dat!”
John Tulloch
Aberdeen
‘Intensifying discussions’ over greater island autonomy, first minister says
