Windwalker

What I find ironic is the SNP wants independence and to leave the UK then states they will join the EU and be subject to all their rules, having to accept the euro, their laws etc. Hypocrisy at its best. If they think Brexit has been difficult, wait until the difficulties of agreeing a divorce from the UK starts.
 
You seem to put the blinkers on and forgot that Scotland, in its once in a generation vote, voted to remain as part of the UK.
 
As for what they’ve achieved, this is only what they should be doing, but you don’t mention the negatives. Nurseries closing, higher taxes, poor transport, electricity poverty, I could go on.
 
It’s easy to highlight a few things they have achieved but perhaps if they would set independence to one side for a generation as promised and put their efforts into governing the country, they could achieve even more, then they might even get my vote. At the moment I’m looking at broken promises and a load of waffle whist they desperately try to get their candidate elected, not to benefit Shetland, but to bolster their argument for independence

And do you honestly think if the SNP gets in that they and the EU will not bleed us dry just the same?

I think your strong aversion to Westminster is blinkering your view of how the SNP will sell us up the river to get what they want. I for one hope Shetland doesn't end up with an SNP MSP. No disrespect to Tom Wills. I’m just totally against Scottish independence. Now, Shetland independence is a different matter.

Yes, it's a fundamental problem with elements of our democracy and media - spectacle and sensation grabs people's attention and there's no way to hold liars to account. They just say whatever they think people want to hear, shrug it off if it's proven to be false and carry on. 
 
I think they best thing we can do is try not to be hoodwinked by the buggers, inform ourselves rather than get swept up in their rhetoric, and have reasoned discussion that aims to find compromise and consensus rather than take sides and throw buns at each other.

Yeah it’s just a pity that politicians on all sides of the debate try to play with and twist the truth for their own aims. But unfortunately that politics.

I take your point, but most people getting a voting slip assumes they are voting for what’s on the slip and they accept the majority comes out on top. They don’t think when they have been asked to vote, that it will only be counted as advisory when it clearly doesn't say that on the slip, nor did any of the news articles mention this at the time if voting. Funny it’s just come to light now.

He'll be in the position of doing exactly what his party's hierachy tells him to do, or he'll be left out in the cold. In the typical style of the socialists/pseudo-communist they are, everything must be micro managed from the top, and the minions comply.
 
He'll also be in the un-enviable position of being the poor sucker who has to dress up and try and sell their more un-palatable and undesirable acts to us proles as something they're not and for far more than they're worth.
 
Having a representative who is in opposition maybe doesn't have much influence over what legislation gets forced through, but they sure as hell have the ability to be a thorn in the side of those making it, and expose it for what its is, if they choose to, rather than just sit there and be a 'Yes' (wo)man.

What I find ironic is the SNP wants independence and to leave the UK then states they will join the EU and be subject to all their rules, having to accept the euro, their laws etc. Hypocrisy at its best. If they think Brexit has been difficult, wait until the difficulties of agreeing a divorce from the UK starts.
 
You seem to put the blinkers on and forgot that Scotland, in its once in a generation vote, voted to remain as part of the UK.
 
As for what they’ve achieved, this is only what they should be doing, but you don’t mention the negatives. Nurseries closing, higher taxes, poor transport, electricity poverty, I could go on.
 
It’s easy to highlight a few things they have achieved but perhaps if they would set independence to one side for a generation as promised and put their efforts into governing the country, they could achieve even more, then they might even get my vote. At the moment I’m looking at broken promises and a load of waffle whist they desperately try to get their candidate elected, not to benefit Shetland, but to bolster their argument for independence

yes then they will take us out of the union, struggle to join the EU, hit us with the euro, and wont be able to make ends meet. Then all you think they are promising, will be out the window, along with hefty rises in taxes to pay for it all. They can only see one goal which is independence and meantime they have forgotten to get on with governing the country, the sooner a new party us elected the better.

I tend to use eBay on a regular basis and most items arrive without issue.
 
I have found that a few sellers are saying they posted something, and when you tell them it has not arrived they won’t send out a replacement and cancel the order. One told me it the easiest way to avoid paying the high postage and keep within eBay rules.
 
I have had several issues with buying an item, paying for it immediately, just followed by the order being cancelled by the seller with an excuse, like out of stock, once they realised where it was to be posted to. Interestingly when doing a search of their eBay shop, you will find they still have dozens if the same item for sale.
 
But trying to find a way through the maze to complain is a waste if time.
 
The usual is for most to contact you seeking additional shipping fees, I’ve noticed this is also creeping into Amazon, despite prime members getting free delivery.
 
Searching for an item on eBay yesterday, became a task as most were stating, they won’t send to the islands. Eventually found one who would send it free

I winder, did Nicola Sturgen try tae book da boat tae come here, and be tell da best she could hope fir would be a reclining chair or a seat in da bar. Maybe if she had tae endure a packed boat sleeping next tae strangers, she wid understand whit we hae tae pit up we. Poor capacity and no fit fir purpose.
 
The chances o her booking da boat wid be brawly slim, nae doot she flew up, she widna hae gotten business class though. Hopefully she will realise dat travel in and oot o Shetland is a lifeline service, not the luxury business class she’s nae doot used to.
 
As far as I’m concerned her visit is aa aboot waffle and false promises. We’ve been listening tae it fir years noo. I doot Mr Wills will soon find oot he has tae tow the party line if he gets in.

An independent in a hung parliament can’t be ignored. That’s what I’m hoping for in 2021. Even Tavish, when he was in a powerful position in government, was constrained in his ability to put Shetland first. An independent, free from the whip, can and should unashamedly put his constituents first and to hell with the rest of the country.

Please take the unwanted SNP leaflet that pops through your door and pop it in an envelope, stampless, and send it to: 
 
Scottish National Party,
Gordon Lamb House,
3 Jackson's Entry,
Edinburgh.
EH8 8PJ
 
Please let these islands remain free of the Scottish independence mania.

OH Dear!
 
SNP MSP Derek Mackay has dropped a real clanger. He has openly stated that giving back control of Scotland's fishing rights is a price worth paying for Scotland rejoining the EU. This is exactly the kind of thing the SNP have been trying to keep under wraps.
 
He has said this just after the lovely Nicola has paid a flying visit to Shetland to reassure us that the interests of Shetland are
in safe hands. She will be giving him a good spanking I think.
 
The fishing rights of the UK were given away by Ted Heath's Tory government, with the connivance of Harold Wilson's labour party. Leaflets sent out to every household in the country assuring us there would be no loss of sovereignty or legislative powers. These lies took us into Europe in that referendum, so let's not make a big issue about lies today. It isn't a new thing with politicians of any persuasion.
 
Anyway the Tories took us into Europe after a less than honest referendum, so why not let them take us out again. 
 
And for God's sake keep the SNP out of these islands, and preferably away from control of Scotland's fishing rights. 

Completely agree Whalsa, having read the article, I’m amazed that he believes what he’s written or been quoted, typical snp rubbish, trying to distort the true picture. The snp Seem to think they can spoot ony old crap and we will all fall fir it.

I think Tom Wills could do a good job, but there is no way I would every vote for the SNP.
So do you go for a party rep or an independent ? Usually I’m pretty sure who I’d vote for, but this is the first time I feel a few of them could be good in the job.
 
Totally undecided at present, so let’s hope they take this short time to sell themselves and convince me who to vote for.

Ta Agree wi GR. I tocht a vott fur laeve wid be a clean brak an a bruk o sh*te. Dats why I votted Byde. A lot o da fok at votted laeve likkly tocht dey hed naethin to loss, and dat is mair dan likkly true for maist o dem.  Hoosumever a lot lat demsels be misled - and Ignorance is no Defence.
Bit aa fur dat, der is a fair case fur re-run, as der nae doot we wer leed til.
Tavish has drapped wis at a parteecularly ill-judged time. Da slaverin ower his saet is geen da Nationalists a fit i da door wi da "independents" playin in ta der hands, by spleetin the vott.

I'm fine with another referendum in either case, simply because times have changed and people in general are more aware of what things mean and also the consequences of "assuming the landslide" so not bothering to vote.
 
It's good that for the first time we have a few genuine alternatives to the LibDem stronghold, and while the "tactical vote" has to be for any SNP candidate due to it being the overwhelming option for whoever wins actually being listened to, they are doing themselves no favors on todays visit.
 
The Shetland News headline sums it up : "Sturgeon arrives in town with anti-Brexit and pro-independence message"
 
Even primary bairns can see that's a direct contradiction, it can only be one or the other...

Dunna worry about it Ghostie, if we dunna lik da outcome we can just argue fir anider vote. Dats whit da remainers and the SNP are doing. If it’s guid enough fir dem, it’s guid enough fir wis.

Good god what a lot of drivel in this article!

Crime has reduced by 50% thanks to the increase in officers? I'd be interested in seeing more detail in those statistics. In Whalsay we rarely ever see a policeman so it is no wonder crime figures are down, Police Scotland have closed their recently built police station. When asked why Police are no longer stationed in the outer Isles the Chief Inspector replied they do not have the resources, where has the increase been?

They have supported our internal ferry service? Everyone must be aware that they are consistently refusing to fully fund the revenue service, let alone commit to the capital funding of the much needed replacements. They have forced the Council to draw from it's reserves in order to make a balanced budget. Far from fighting to improve transport they are hindering it! 

Externally, they have bought unfit for purpose vessels that are under capacity. They have introduced parking charges at Sumburgh, are relocating air traffic control to Inverness and are refusing to pay air traffic controllers enough wages to hinder them going on strike (you might claim this is HIAL but they are just a Government quango). 

He also totally fails to mention the SNPs raison d'etre - Scottish Independence. Why that I wonder? Could it be because Shetland voted No and is traditionally against Scottish Independence? 

Shetland Islands Council has had it's funding cut by the SNP Government over and over again, more so than any other area. They are making conscious choices to starve local government of funding and force them to make cuts, how is that supporting rural communities? 

Mr Wills must think we are blind and have very short memories! 
 
https://www.thenational.scot/news/17785143.tom-willis-snp-good-shetland/?ref=fbshr&fbclid=IwAR3KGli_C_NMRtFuX495hAe9jOAGE29MRNMny-RnQnJcgI1o74oCADnZF5I

 

What could be a problem here is a big proportion of the traditional liberal vote going to Labour or the Greens, just as a protest against some previous policy matters. This could well result in a major victory for the SNP who are desperate to increase their power to include the northern isles.
We may well get those Gaelic road signs eventually as the SNP have already planted them in areas of Scotland with no history of the language. We have more people speaking Chinese here than Gaelic, either language would be an unnecessary ridiculous addition to our road signs.
Keep the SNP, the kilt, the sporran, the bagpipes, and the clan chiefs and tartans where they belong, on the Scottish mainland. 
The history of Shetland shows we have little to thank Scottish lairds and lords for.

Considering the quantity of hoops the private individual has to leap through to say:- extend the porch, build a shed, put up an agricultural building, build a private dwelling house, etc. one has to wonder when something of this magnitude seems to slide through to a late stage relatively quickly, and without any consultations with any of the affected parties.
Considering the multi-million pound  international company involved here, one has to wonder what kind of lubricant has been applied to the wheels.
A cynic might assume fighting this is a lost cause.
I'm not that cynical yet.
Yet! 

Can’t make up my mind whether to laugh or scream. For me as a voter the process was clear and democratic.
 
Concerning Brexit, we voted as a union. The decision was clear, the UK, which we are are part of voted to leave. Despite voting remain I can’t understand why the will of the people, that these clowns in Westminster are there to represent, hasn’t been carried through.
 
Concerning Scottish Independence, the Scottish people voted to remain part of the union, yet despite this the clowns in the Scottish parliament continue to ignore the will of the people.
 
The only thing that seem to be clear is the Clowns are running the asylum and totally ignoring democracy and the will of the people.
 
Bring on Shetland independence and let’s get clear of the lot of them.

You’ve got my vote Ghostie.

Mhhhh now. That’s a difficult one, however assuming it’s someone local they would be easier to get rid off, contact or girn about in da Shetland times. (: