Council leader James Stockan said Orkney does not get fair funding with its current relationship within the UK. He wants to look at Crown Dependencies like the Channel Islands and overseas territories like the Falkland Islands.
In 2014, when Unionists promoted the prospect of Orkney and Shetland breaking away from an independent Scotland, it was pointed out that the Continental Shelf Act 1964 and the Continental Shelf (Jurisdiction) Order 1968 defines the UK North Sea maritime area to the north of latitude 55 degrees north as being under the jurisdiction of Scots law. In addition, section 126 of the Scotland Act 1998 defines Scottish waters as the internal waters and territorial sea of the United Kingdom as are adjacent to Scotland
If Scotland becomes independent Westminster won’t be able to hang on to Shetland, Orkney, Rockall or any other part of Scotland. These matters are regulated by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, to which the UK is a signatory. International law specifies that a state controls the continental shelf and associated mineral and fishing rights up to 200 nautical miles (230 miles or 370 km) off its shores.
Neither would Westminster gain much by holding onto Shetland and Orkney. When an island belonging to one state sits on the continental shelf of another state, the islands are treated as enclaves. This matter was discussed in detail in a legal paper published by the European Journal of International Law: Prospective Anglo-Scottish Maritime Boundary Revisited
Most of the rights to the continental shelf would remain Scottish, Map 2 on page 29 of the legal paper shows the most likely sea boundaries. Westminster would be entitled only to a small zone around the islands, and the waters between Orkney and Shetland.
Orkney was colonized and later annexed by the Kingdom of Norway in 875 and settled by the Norsemen. In 1472, the Parliament of Scotland absorbed the Earldom of Orkney into the Kingdom of Scotland, following failure to pay a dowry promised to James III of Scotland by the family of his bride, Margaret of Denmark.
The Orkney islands have been part of Scotland for 550 years and there are brochs on Orkney, Shetland, the Western Isles and mainland Scotland. Nowhere else. This would suggest the Northern isles had a close relationship with Scotland back in the Iron Age. Long before any Vikings arrived.
The Orkney establishment is very UK Unionist as evidenced by St Magnus Cathedral, which is a Church of Scotland place of worship but owned by the community and run by Orkney Council, displaying the Norwegian Flag and the Union Jack but no Saltire. There is also a huge Union flag at the Victoria Pier in Kirkwall just to reinforce the idea that Orkney is not considered a part of Scotland.
As Yes Orkney recently pointed out in The National, last year it was estimated that Orkney had lost out on around £620,000 as UK Government replacement funds fell short of replacing EU funding.
Orkney is a significant producer of electricity from renewable generation – mainly onshore wind but also some marine energy and solar PV. In fact, Orkney has generated more electricity annually than it can use for several years now.
Also, devolution reversed Orkney’s decline in population under Westminster rule:
So, do Northern Isles residents feel Scottish? Well, yes.
Let’s take the last census, in 2011. The share of people in Orkney who said they identified as Scottish only was exactly the same as the national average. 62.4%.
Council leader James Stockan is connected to the delicious oatcake producers whose web site describes their product as: “wholegrain oats, Orkney island water & traditional baking skills make our Scottish savoury biscuits special”
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
So he wants independence from an independent Scotland!!!!!!!!!!!
Is this a troll unionist ploy
LikeLiked by 2 people
It has been a while since the unionist media trotted out this old trope from 2014. With Orkney gone, there goes the oil, gas and renewables. So, forget independence, we are better together.
But, joining NORWAY?????? Don’t these viking chappies know they are part of England/Britain? After all, Neil Oliver said so.
LikeLiked by 3 people
How keen would they be to join up with Norway if Westminster was in charge of Norway’s finances?
Most of the North and West of Scotland was under Norse control at one point,so not just the Northern Isles.
The islanders seem to like their government as far away as possible and not interfering in their affairs which is understandable.
Interesting however that this should be getting raised as an issue right now.
Are they looking for direct funding from London or do they think that Scottish independence and a real government in Edinburgh might happen?
Their desire for self governance is fully understandable but they will have to face the reality that Orkney is not and never has been a country/nation and as such would face difficulties in dealing with other nations on that basis.
So which state would be best for them to be part of?
England,Norway or Scotland.
England is furthest away so would possibly be their first choice.
Perhaps this is just another ploy to leaverage greater funds from someone?
LikeLiked by 2 people
James Stockan references people asking ……….
“when will we pay off the dowry”?
If we calculate the initial principle then add on the compound interest it could see the transfer of Norways entire “sovereignty funds” to Scotland.
Bring it on!!!!!!
LikeLike
Mr Stockan is obviously ignorant of Shetland and Orkney history. Orkney and Shetland from the 1230’s onward were ruled by Scottish Earls, the St Clairs and 1 other( can’t remember who) and although the Treaty of Perth ceded sovereignty of the western isles and the Hebrides, titular control of Shetland and Orkney remained with Norway but De facto control had passed to Scotland. By the 1470’s titular and sovereign power had passed to Scotland and later, sometime before 1480 Scotland’s parliament passed an Act absorbing Shetland and Orkney as belonging to the Scottish Crown. Just one of the reasons Scotland must not allow England to claim continuing status while Scotland becomes a new state, continuing status is essential to main out territorial integrity.
LikeLiked by 1 person
As ever, the media are wilfully misreading and misinterpreting the key issue.
The issue is improved local governance with more power, finance and revenue raining powers required to be devolved to local levels and units much smaller than the current councils.
Because of their distance from the central belt and because they are offshore, the island communities in the north and west feel the disempowerment more acutely. So, they are right to be agitating for more powers.
But, we also need more empowerment to the communities of Drumchapel, Maryhill, Blackhill, Pollok and to the towns the length and breadth of Scotland.
Although the Community Empowerment Act was passed in 2016, there is still a lot to be done to get powers and monies away from Westminster AND Holyrood and into communities. Sadly, the SNP has been as centralising as the Tories and Labour.
LikeLike
I don’t get all the MSM coverage for, from what I have gathered, is a publicity stunt from an independent councillor.
As all constitutional matters are reserved to Wasteminster and localities are not even allowed a referendum on constitutional matters this is (has to be) a non-starter.
Change the rules for Orkney means changing them for Scotland
LikeLike
The Scottish media delightedly announce what “Orkney wants”. A more accurate headline would be “what Orcadian Tory git wants.”
LikeLike