First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is under mounting pressure as residents in the rugged archipelago signal their desire to unshackle from Scotland and the UK. Sovereign Nation of Shetland campaigner Stuart Hill, who believes the islands have never belonged to Scotland or Britain, rallied on fellow residents to Shetland to have the guts to stand up and demand what we want”.
He told Express.co.uk: “From a legal perspective, Shetland is already independent, but ruled by a foreign occupying power.
“There simply is no proof that Shetland ever became part of Scotland, but plenty of proof to the contrary.
“This is surely the position from which to start negotiations – any other stance can only guarantee worthless sops and the cementing of illegitimate power exercised by Scotland and the UK.
“The truth is that we don’t have to ask anyone for permission to do anything. We just have to have the guts to stand up and demand what we want. “
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He warned the islands are in an “amazingly strong negotiating position” to fight for “absolute autonomy” after the Shetlands Islands Council approved a motion to consider options for an independence referendum.
Mr Hill said: “For instance, we should be asking the UK government how it has the right to be negotiating Brexit with our fisheries.
“With a large part of ‘UK’ oil and ‘Scottish’ fisheries in our waters, Shetland is in an amazingly strong negotiating position. Let’s not throw it away in our haste to get ‘more autonomy’.
“Absolute autonomy is our right. Let’s start from there.”
READ MORE: Shetland Islands ramp up plans to unshackle from Scotland
“However, in recent times we have seen more and more decision making being centralised and public funding being consistently reduced.
“We are concerned that this ongoing situation is seriously threatening the prosperity, and even basic sustainability, of Shetland as a community.
“In order to look at alternatives to ensure Shetland can reach and maintain its full potential, we, the undersigned, move that: ‘The Shetland Islands Council formally begins exploring options for achieving financial and political self-determination.’”
It appears residents and councillors hope to adopt a similar path taken by the Faroe Islands, which have autonomous status within the Kingdom of Denmark.
Growing frustration over reduced government funding from Holyrood and centralised decision making is thought to have triggered the move.
Mr Hill, claims the Shetlands belongs to Norway because it was pawned to Scotland by King Christian in 1469 to cover a dowry for his daughter, but was never formally or legally made part of Scotland or the UK.
The Englishman has been campaigning over constitutional matters since he arrived in Shetland in August 2001 after his boat capsized around 50 miles west of the isles.
He wants the Shetlands and Orkney to have their own flag, currency and stamps.
