Letters / Her pitch isn’t credible
Hannah Mary Goodlad is the latest in a string of SNP candidates, young and new to politics, especially, Shetland politics.
That said, she is clearly the most able to date and might do well, provided, her message is credible within her party’s policy context?
She is persuasive and has worked hard on her candidacy. Her vocal support for increased Shetland autonomy is, at least, superficially attractive and her co-option of John Swinney’s support (“Come with a shopping list!”) is impressive.
But is it credible, this siren’s song of freedom fantasies coming true?
First, let’s remind ourselves that this is the SNP talking. The party of eighteen-going-on-nineteen years of relentless centralisation; of lobbying Westminster for, and granting planning permission to, Viking Energy; of vast offshore wind farm licences on rich, traditional fishing grounds.
Who has spent her working life in a huge offshore energy company, from which she has “taken a year off to campaign” and to which she will return if not elected.
Who pitches herself as a ‘Shaetlan-spekkin’ autonomy advocate returning to free Shetlanders from the yoke of centralised power.
Who sings the praises of Faroese self-governance and calls for a range of increased local powers, including some most-cherished SNP favourites:
“My starter pack would be local planning over onshore renewables, local control over crown estate, full marine planning, and regulation”, she gushes.
Aye. There’s an old Shetland saying:
“Wiss (wish) athin ee luyf (palm) an’ pee ida tidder een, an’ see whit een fills first!”
Alas, the devolved SNP Scottish government has no power to grant Faroese style self-governance.
Moreover, with independence, they will never grant it, except to avoid something even worse. That isn’t their job. Rather, they will fight, tooth and nail, to avert it.
Thus, attempting to conflate Faroese self-governance with local powers they won’t grant, anyway, into some nebulous, ‘Shetland autonomy’ package is a con, taking SNP election gaslighting to a dizzying, new high.
Hannah Mary Goodlad’s views may well be sincere, however, she isn’t standing as a Shetland autonomy candidate. Representing the SNP, her pitch simply isn’t credible.
She is in the wrong party.
John Tulloch
Aberdeen
