Also in the news / Weather disruptions and weather data, customs union, health survey and more …
WITH strengthening winds expected to reach gale force eight during the evening (Wednesday) local transport links, especially ferries, are again likely to face disruption.
The Whalsay link was reduced to a single vessel service earlier today and has now been suspended, while disruptions on Bluemull Sound have been described as ‘likely” since the afternoon.
More disruptions are possible as the wind turns more westerly and increases.
Meanwhile the Kirkwall and Aberdeen bound Hrossey will remain berthed until midnight to avoid the worst of the weather. She is due to arrive in Aberdeen at around 2pm on Thursday.
The northbound Hjaltland is expected to arrive in Lerwick two hours late.
IT MAY have not felt like it with the prolonged spell of cold weather in the second part of November, but the mean temperature in Shetland during the month was still 0.2°C above average.
And October with an average temperature of 9.7°C was a whole degree warmer than the long-term meteorological average.
According to the latest data from the Met Office, overall autumn was 0.88°C warmer than the average with slightly less rainfall (305.4mm, 83% of average) and above the average sunshine (256.8 hours, 28% above average).
Different to what the calendar suggests, the meteorological autumn runs from 1 September to 30 November.
ISLES MP Alistair Carmichael has commended parliament after narrowly voting in favour of negotiating a UK-EU customs union.
The Lib Dem politician has now called on prime minister Keir Starmer to listen to the wish of parliament.
The vote breakdown was 100 in favour, 100 against, with the deputy speaker casting the deciding vote in favour, in line with established parliamentary procedure.
Thirteen Labour backbenchers, including two select committee chairs, voted with the Liberal Democrats in favour of negotiating a customs union with the EU.
The Orkney and Shetland MP said: “A customs union with the EU is the single biggest step the government could take to grow our economy, put money back into people’s pockets and generate billions for our public services.
“The prime minister must listen to parliament and the public, drop his self-imposed red lines and finally secure proper growth through an ambitious trade deal with the EU.”
MEANWHILE Carmichael has called on ministers to listen to the views of thousands of people in the Northern Isles by scrapping their controversial mandatory digital ID policy.
Analysis of a e-petition signed by nearly three million people show that more than 2,000 came from people living in Orkney or Shetland.
Speaking in a parliamentary debate this week, Carmichael expressed local concern about ID scheme.
He later added: “I am proud that the Liberal Democrats are fighting Labour’s ID card plans, just as we stood against the SNP’s hypocritical imposition of Covid ID restrictions a few years ago.
THE Liberal Democrats in Shetland have launched a local health survey aimed at capturing the concerns many islanders have been raising about local healthcare services.
The party’s Scottish election candidate Emma Macdonald said she was determined to hear the voice of residents across the isles.
“Over the coming days households across Shetland will receive a survey asking about their experiences with the NHS.
“I would encourage everyone to take the time to complete it. The responses given will create a clear picture of what is working, what isn’t, and what needs to change.”
She added: “From shortages of dentists to long waits for hip operations to the lack of services for people with autism there are many issues that we urgently need addressed. And we must have a new Gilbert Bain Hospital which I am determined to deliver if elected to Holyrood.”
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