SNP leader Sturgeon to visit Shetland today
Ryan Nicolson
First Minster Nicola Sturgeon will be in Shetland on Saturday 27th July to launch the SNP’s by-election campaign alongside candidate Tom Wills.
Ms Sturgeon will meet with party members at 2.30pm at the SNP’s campaign office on Commercial Street, in the building last occupied by Love from Shetland.
She will then visit local businesses along the street from around 2.50pm.
Ms Sturgeon said about her visit: “Like the rest of Scotland – Shetland didn’t vote for Brexit, Boris Johnson or for a no-deal Brexit. The people of Shetland deserve a better future than what’s currently being forced on us by Westminster.
“A vote for the SNP on 29th August is a vote to send a message that Shetland says no to this Tory Brexit and yes to a better future.”
SNP candidate Tom Wills was announced as the party’s candidate on Friday 19th July and is among a packed field of eight by-election candidates who will contest the seat that Tavish Scott has vacated.
Ian McCormack
Whether she accepts it or not. Many (now ex SNP) voters voted FOR brexit. She couldn’t care less about this island that also REJECTED the indy 2014 vote. Go home wee Jimmy krankie
Graham Fleming
But,the majority voted to be part of the E.U,like the rest of the country, why not speak for most of us, and speak up loud and clear its called- Democracy!
Why should we be dictated to by the whinging minority!SHETLAND has spoken loud and clear,and Ms Sturgeon is first minister an elected politician putting our views across – get over it.
Ali Inkster
Far more voted to remain part of the UK. Shetland and Scotland has spoken loud and clear, it’s called democracy. Is it not time you got over it?
John Tulloch
Alas, Ms Sturgeon’s EU policy is vacuous, unsustainable humbug.
If Britain stays in the EU, Scotland will automatically leave on Independence Day, creating an immediate “hard border” with the UK (63 percent of all trade). EU tariffs will apply and trade negotiations will be with Brussels, not Westminster.
Our 5.9 percent budget deficit (per Scottish Growth Commission) exceeds EU limits (3 percent GDP), implying spending cuts/tax hikes of around £5 billion per year from a total budget of £70-75 billion.
We shall face years of austerity, at the end of which we shall adopt the euro and hand over control of our economy and trade, fishing and agriculture to Brussels. ‘Hasta la vista’, independence!
Scots will never vote for that.
The obvious antidote is to join EFTA, instead of the EU. But that isn’t the policy being peddled to voters. Ms Sturgeon recently confirmed SNP intentions to rejoin the EU on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show.
The policy is unsustainable humbug and it will change before any independence referendum takes place.
Graham Fleming
The problem is Mr Tulloch is you live in a British mindset when it comes to economics and is very much accepting of the present way of government of Scotland .Proactive governments like Norway, Ireland and Iceland run their government and countries a lot different from Westminster and have for example a lot higher g.d.ps or bigger economies than we have at the moment, Ireland a hundred years ago was an integral part of the British state ,a rural backwater a neo military junta (a bit like Northern Ireland today).Today’s economy an open modern European nation is something to be proud of with a g.d.p of 81686 compared to the U.K 47042 or it’s North east of Ireland of 29341dollars.O the JUSTICE of it.
John Tulloch
Mr Salmond’s 2013 “Declaration of Lerwick” promised new powers for Shetland.
The Smith Commission Report (2015) subsequently made the following recommendation:
“Crown Estate
“32. Responsibility for the management of the Crown Estate’s economic assets in Scotland, and the revenue generated from these assets, will be transferred to the Scottish Parliament. This will include the Crown Estate’s seabed, urban assets, rural estates, mineral and fishing rights, and the Scottish foreshore for which it is responsible.
“33. Following this transfer, responsibility for the management of those assets will be further devolved to local authority areas such as Orkney, Shetland, Na h-Eilean Siar or other areas who seek such responsibilities…….”
Perhaps, Ms Sturgeon will update us on progress, four years on?
Ian Tinkler
What a great advert for the SNP!!!!
Scotland has the highest drug death rate in Europe, another achievement for the SNP:
– Highest Fiscal deficit in Europe (7.9%)
– Highest Drug death rate
– Highest Alcohol death rate
-‘Devastating’ increase in Scotland’s suicide rate, highest in UK (2019 figures)
– One of the worst education systems according to the international measurement last published.
John M Scott
Nicola Sturgeon, albeit unwittingly, chose to wear a Barbour jacket during her brief visit to Shetland. The ‘Barbour’ brand is the ultimate symbol of being proud to be British; worn by celebrities around the world, including our own British Royal Family, and made in South Shields in North East England. Although Nicola’s grandmother did come from Sunderland, so it might have been an unconscious calling from her ancestors.
Brian Smith
The following appeared in the splendid little journal The Shetlander, shortly after the general election of November 1922.
‘First Working Man – “John, what’s du tinkin noo aboot dis elekshun?”
‘Second Working man – “Tinkin aboot hit! I’m tinkin ta vote is I’m aye dune, for da Leebral!”
‘First Working Man – “Dan du still believes in Leebralism, John?”
‘Second Working Man (with emphasis) – “I dö dat! I’m bune a Leebral a me time.”
‘First Working Man – “What is Leebralism, John?”
‘Second Working Man (after a little reflection) – “Leebralism is – feth I can hardly richtly tell dee what hit is!’
Peter Hamilton
“What is Leebralism”? A Liberal candidate made it clear on a visit to Shetland. It is being in favour of the freedom of business and the freedom of the individual, even though these may conflict.
The man was standing for the European Parliament back when John Major was PM. He was speaking at an NFU meeting in the Lerwick Hotel. Asked about a Tory threat to the minimum wage protection that was in place for agricultural workers, he said he didn’t hold with a minimum wage; workers should be free to accept as low a wage as was offered. Their “freedom” was to be exploited.
Back then LibDems opposed Labour’s plan to extend the minimum wage on principle. Something to do with their backing from small businesses. Of course they changed their minds once it was clear it was going to happen. A bit like Tavish backing the right of women to join the Royal and Ancient golf club at St. Andrews, after they’d let them in.
So the clash between securing the freedom of individuals and that of business is resolved by sitting on a fence and waiting for a strong wind.
What is Liberalism? Whose round is it?
Mr ian Tinkler
Another classic cock-up from the SNP! Not only is Sturgeon under investigation for breaking The Ministerial code, destroying vital evidential e-mails but now we have, “SNP Health Secretary could have to resign over hospital scandal, says trade unionist, Unison official Tam Waterson. The new £150m hospital for sick children in Edinburgh may have to be ripped down over safety concerns. This is Scotland Government at its best!!! If anyone has the heart, try a walk above Weisdale and see what the SNP is doing to our countryside. Whoops, they are fencing the public away, I wonder why? A real Wills triumph!!! Remember your vote counts.
Peter Hamilton
Who is to blame for the threat to Shetland posed by Viking Energy? Everyone driving any distance North or West of Lerwick, visitors and locals alike, may well soon drive under multiple towering concrete masts fixed into massive concrete bases which will not only disrupt the ecosystem and devastate tens of thousands of tons of carbon-storing peat, but will themselves leach great quantities CO2 into the atmosphere.
Ian Tinkler, above and elsewhere, attempts to blame the youthful SNP candidate and his father.
Had Shetland’s LibDems been true to their principles they would have forced the democratic reform on the then owner of Viking Energy, Shetland Charitable Trust, that so many agreed was necessary. The people of Shetland could then have consented to the project or not.
In his book, The Liberal Challenge – Democracy Through Participation, Jo Grimond sought more opportunities for the public engagement in the running of their affairs, arguing increased involvement would be of benefit in itself and would promote further benefits. This built on established Liberal principles.
Jonathon Wills actively promoted democratic reform of SCT. Tavish Scott and Beatrice Wishart said it was necessary, but did nothing.
We should blame Shetland’s long-governing laissez-faire LibDem political establishment.