Parliament Workbench

Petition · PE01516 · Session 4

Referenda for Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles

Closed Submitted 11 Mar 2014 Parliament & Constitution
Signatures
0
1,177 online signatures with a country
Comments
149
Considered
2 meetings
in the Official Report

What it asks

Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to hold three separate referenda in Shetland, Orkney, and the Western Isles on Thursday 25 September 2014, one week after the Scottish independence referendum, asking the people of each island group whether they would prefer their island group to:
· to become an independent country, or
· to stay in Scotland
and, in the event of a yes vote in the referendum on Scottish independence, to have the following additional option:
· to leave Scotland and stay in the remainder of the UK

What the petitioner did first

Soundings of the Scottish Government and of the respective local authorities have met with no support, despite there being many people in each of the three island groups who would welcome the chance to take part in such a referendum.

Where it was considered

Official Report
  1. 20 May 2014
    Public Petitions Committee
    New Petitions
    1 mention
  2. 5 Aug 2014
    Public Petitions Committee
    Current Petitions
    1 mention

Signatures by country

1,177 online signatures
  1. Scotland702 59.6%
  2. United Kingdom286 24.3%
  3. England134 11.4%
  4. Wales9 0.8%
  5. Ireland6 0.5%
  6. United States5 0.4%
  7. Germany4 0.3%
  8. Canada4 0.3%
  9. Northern Ireland3 0.3%
  10. Australia3 0.3%
  11. 16 other countries21 1.8%

Comments

149 comments, oldest first
149 comments · showing 1–50
  1. Jen 18 Mar 2014
    I'm half Shetlander half Orcadian....this is important to me.
  2. John Tulloch 18 Mar 2014
    Islanders must be allowed to tell the politicians what they want and a referendum is the right way to do that.
  3. Ian F Hoyle 18 Mar 2014
    Could we not also be asked if we want to join Russia?
  4. Ooi Chiat Hoe 19 Mar 2014
    It would be sad for Scotland to break-awayer her 307-years of Union. UNITED Kingdom will never be United if any of the country leave this Union. UK is unique in her own way. No other country have the admistration same as UK. United we stand, divided we fall. All I can suggest is Scotland to seek greater autonomy and not full independence.

    Europe is too fragmented compare to other continents!!
  5. Bill Smale 19 Mar 2014
    In the event of an overall Yes vote, all parts of Scotland where the majority have voted No should be able to decide whether they wish to be part of Scotland or part of the United Kingdom
  6. Brian Gray 19 Mar 2014
    It will be a huge mistake to leave the UK. It will turned Scotland into a shambles.
  7. patriot 19 Mar 2014
    The so-called uk does nothing for anyone apart from england.time to end englands empire on ALL levels.good luck islanders.scots will always be your friends
  8. Douglas Young 19 Mar 2014
    Shetland left to run it's own financial affairs?
    How would we subsidise both Northlink and air fares?
    This is going nowhere, sorry, 80 % YES and nothing less for Shetland too.
  9. An Orcadian Scottish British European 19 Mar 2014
    Separation is regressive
    - strength comes as countries becoming more united not less.
  10. Robin Mair 19 Mar 2014
    I went to school in Orkney for a few years and loved my time there. I have been back several times. Orkney people have a great sense of identity and view the Edinburgh elite
    - establishment in much the same way as they do the equivalents in London. Orkney deserves to have much more say in there affairs. I suspect things will get worse if there is a yes vote because they will be even more isolated from the rest of the UK. I guess the same holds for the Western Isles and Shetland.
    One more thing to consider is oil
    - geographically and territorially is not more Shetland's oil (and Orkney's)?
    When the big vote comes the Yes No votes in Orkney, Shetland and Western Isles should be published to reflect the desires of these administrations.
  11. Ali Inkster 19 Mar 2014
    Douglas we would not need subsidies we would be stinking rich with OUR OIL. As it is we pay net £86million to the treasury after all subsidies are taken into account. And if you don't like it you are free to take the first plane or boat sooth.
  12. Ali Inkster 19 Mar 2014
    Is there a paper version a lot of folks have said they don't use the internet but would like to sign it anyway
  13. Stan 19 Mar 2014
    I am signing this petition as I strongly agree that the islanders should be a able to decide their own future without the interference of the Scottish or English Parliaments.
  14. Lord Simmons 19 Mar 2014
    Forget it. The Islands are Scottish and shall remain so.
  15. ann kane 19 Mar 2014
    quite right and the very best of luck to you all
  16. Leo Brennan 19 Mar 2014
    The 'Yes' campaign people are forever saying that decisions effecting our llives should not be made in London. They should NOT be made in Edinburgh either!
  17. jimmy budge 19 Mar 2014
    Shetland is doing well in the oil and gas industry but orkney is struggling. I will vote no... Stay with the UK is the best for the future in the long run. Wait until oil and gas reserves run lower! Every man for themselves then...
  18. William Rendall 19 Mar 2014
    As an Orcadian living and working temporarily in London, I would like to be able to have this vote. I personally think the islands would always be better off in the UK, and should Scotland go independent, I am sure we would be welcomed back into the UK and have a bit of bargaining power with all the oil to secure a good deal for the islands from Westminster.
  19. Malcolm Stout 19 Mar 2014
    Should Scotland secede from the Uk Orkney & Shetland should move for a return to Norway or the Danish commonwealth. It's worse to be discriminated against by Edinburgh than disregarded by Westminster
  20. christian kane 19 Mar 2014
    There should be no double standards and that's why I sign this petition. Hopefully Scotland will go independent and the 3 isles will stay with the rUK. Good luck.
  21. Derek Macrae 20 Mar 2014
    its not the Scottish FM that can grant the right of a ref for the islands, its westminster, unless, of course, you vote yes on Sept 18th, then resubmit the petition, Support the Scottish Ref Indy first, vote YES on sept 18th.
  22. alan duncan 20 Mar 2014
    the snp want democracy then the islands can have it also
  23. J London 20 Mar 2014
    I think more thought should be given re offering a referenda, and devolution, in addition the Western Isles, to the Northern Isles as a whole.

    I also think the 3rd option
    - to remain a constituent part of the UK
    - should be included whatever the result of the referendum re separation of GB and Scotland from the UK.

    The above said, whilst celebrating historical and cultural differences, we should also celebrate our shared British history and culture ...

    and I no more want the Northern and Western Isles to be separate any more than I wan Britain and Scotland to.

    #RegionalDevolutionAndBritishNationStateEqualsBestWayForward
  24. John M Graham 20 Mar 2014
    We should make in roads to associate ourselves with Norway and there culture which for obvious reasons are similar to our own.
  25. Vicki Redpath-Watson 20 Mar 2014
    I hope you don't need to but in the event of a Yes vote I hope you vote for the third option.
  26. Stephen Clackson 20 Mar 2014
    Devolution has stopped at Edinburgh, why should independence do the same?
  27. craig 20 Mar 2014
    It scotland goes its sell I honestly think we are going to the wall
  28. Graham Irvine 20 Mar 2014
    I dont believe Alec Salmond will allow us this option.
  29. Kirsty Maclean 20 Mar 2014
    Ali Inkster
    - I think if you email petitions(at)scottish.parliament.uk they will be able to tell you how to get a paper version. It might be possible to print out a pdf version (click where it says "Click here for the petition PDF") and then circulate printed copies and ask people to send them in. Another thing that really needs doing is for someone to create a Facebook group, with a link to this site, encouraging people to sign. Can you do this? I'm afraid I don't know how and am a bit too old to learn! Kirsty
  30. Joyce Mackenzie 20 Mar 2014
    Scottish, living in Belgium at the moment, I am not entitled to vote in the Referendum & the future of my country ! So, I can understand these Islanders ! Let their voices be heard !
  31. Island man 20 Mar 2014
    Some of you guys need to get a grip fast, the isle are Scottish and will remain that way for a long time after a yes vote, if ruk then decided to cherry pick they would risk causing troubles ie. nireland... I don't think they would welcome that prospect also they would then need to give Cornwall a referendum, can of worms spring to mind
  32. Barry Porteus 20 Mar 2014
    Orcadians don't think that they are "Scottish"
    - they are Orcadians with a different view than that of the SNP. If Orkney and Shetland want to stay in the UK then that's fine. If they want their own Parliament like in the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands, then that's fine too. Its already been proven that Salmond and Co. don't care about anything beyond the Central Belt.
  33. Munster Fan 20 Mar 2014
    Reply to Island man
    The exact same arguement can be used for Scotland leaving the UK. What's good enough for the Scots is good enough for the Shetlanders and Orcadians. If the Cornish want a referendum, let them ask for it.
  34. Christopher Kealy 20 Mar 2014
    The islanders should have their voice. Scotland is getting its chance
    - why shouldn't they ?
  35. John Challoner 20 Mar 2014
    Salmond and his gang don't give a hoot as regards the needs and future of the western and northern isles
  36. Gregor McIntyre 20 Mar 2014
    If Scotland sleepwalks in the nightmare of independence I fully support Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles to stay within the United Kingdom!

    Feel very badly let down by the Scottish Government for opening divisions in society and racism and hatred shown towards England shows the country in a very bad light!
  37. Andrew link 20 Mar 2014
    as I understand it true orkadians don't consider themselves scotish and would relish this chance to break away from scotland.
  38. Graham Lane 20 Mar 2014
    Self determination applies to the northern isles as much as it does Scotland so yes they must be allowed to choose if they wish to remain part of Scotland if Scotland can choose if it wishes to remain part of the UK.
  39. C Cardell 20 Mar 2014
    30% of the remaining oil is in Shetland waters. We too should get a say.
  40. Fiona Webb 20 Mar 2014
    Can someone please set up a Facebook group for this petition as soon as possible!

    384 signatories in the first 2 days is great. I think we are well on our way to getting Parliamentary time.

    But if we end up with 5000 or 10000, the Scottish Government won't just have to "take notice"
    - they will have to give us the referendum we want. They won't want to tell us we're all wrong and that the people of the islands shouldn't get a chance to decide.

    Repeat
    - if you are reading this and know how to set up a Facebook group, please do so! Please spread the word. Many thanks, Fiona

    There is also the Twitter hashtag #islandsreferenda
    Please can people circulate this, or do whatever you do with Twitter hashtags. (I'm too old to understand Twitter!)
  41. Daniel Robinson 20 Mar 2014
    Graham, you say you "don't believe Alec Salmond will allow us this option."

    He probably isn't inclined to, but if enough of us sign this petition, he will HAVE to allow these referenda. Let's be positive here! Let's all try to get us many signatures as possible. We should all canvass everyone we know: neighbours, colleagues, family, Facebook friends, etc.

    This petition is already in the media. People should come up with angles to make sure it gets more and more coverage. The momentum is with us now. This is quite amazing really, but if we maximise the number of signatures, we win.

    It doesn't matter what status people support. Everybody who thinks islanders have a right to decide (which should really be everybody) should sign this. Let the miserable and mean refuse to sign it if they want.

    I have to say well done to Malcolm Lamont and the other organisers for wording the three options so well, in such an unbiased way. If anyone is interested, personally I am in favour of the status quo (Western Isles in Scotland in the UK), but if Scotland goes independent then I will be in favour of the Western Isles leaving Scotland and staying in the UK. My sister takes the opposite view. She wants Scottish independence, but if Scotland stays in the UK she wants the Western Isles to leave Scotland and go independent. We have both signed the petition!
  42. Donald Mackenzie 20 Mar 2014
    Christopher Kealy says, "The islanders should have their voice. Scotland is getting its chance
    - why shouldn't they ?"

    That's an excellent question. Let's give it a catchy name. Everyone's heard about the West Lothian question. How about calling Christopher's question "THE LERWICK QUESTION".

    (All due respect to our friends in Orkney and the Western Isles. Calling it the KIRKWALL question or the STORNOWAY question would be absolutely fine. The only reason I suggest "LERWICK" is that the status issue has slightly more of a history in Shetland than in the other two island groups.)
  43. Natalie Smith 20 Mar 2014
    Ooi Chiat Hoe
    - I agree with you: the UK should stay together. But there has been so much divisive talk recently. That can't be ignored. Let's renew our marriage vows for the future. A new 'settlement'. This is why I and my family, future-looking Unionists, have signed this petition.
  44. John T Leland 20 Mar 2014
    Someone set up a Facebook group for this NOW. You don't have to ask anyone's permission. Please just do it. And why isn't it on Twitter? Someone please put it on there. (I am a pensioner on Barra. I would do it if I could, but I can't.)
  45. Angus Macmillan 20 Mar 2014
    What about Glasgow? Should it not be allowed to side with being part of an independent Scotland or the UK?
  46. Island man 20 Mar 2014
    Most on this page are not even from the isles, so really their opinion is twisted and bitter. Give yourself a shake,and by the look of the poll the concervitve mad P&J reported there is no appite for what you non islanders are shouting about. It is not an empire no more and divide and concur Is a thing of the past
  47. Island man 20 Mar 2014
    So will each of the three hundred islands get a vote on weather they stay part of scotland?
  48. David Clark 21 Mar 2014
    The Islanders should be allowed to decide their destiny. If that meansd they stay with the UK, fine, if they decide to stay with Scotland, fine. Also in the mix should be the Norwegian option. Whatever they decide they have my support and I will keep visiting.
  49. another island man 21 Mar 2014
    island man
    - support in each of the island groups is spread over the various options. You can't genuinely believe that everyone who disagrees with you (and I'm not even sure which option you support) is not a true islander. I'm as much of an islander as you are. I've always lived in Kirkwall except for 5 years I spent in Glasgow. If you want islanders to decide, sign the petition! If you don't think islanders have any right to decide, don't. But if it's the latter, then why are you expressing your opinion as an islander? Much better to decide in the ballot box at a referendum than in a "comments" section on the internet!
  50. Barrie Davies 21 Mar 2014
    I have fought for the United Kingdom's freedom and I expect the Islanders to have that freedom to vote for what they truly believe. So anyone who denies them that should be tried and punished for treason.