Letters / Blandishments and baubles
Excuse my cynicism, but the promoters of the Our Islands, Our Future campaign should ask themselves a simple question: do the powers we are asking for actually belong to either Scotland or the UK?
If they don’t, would it not be a good strategy for the other side to try to seduce our boys, make them feel important with access to ministers and the prospect of awards for ‘politician of the year’ (who knows, even a knighthood or two)?
Look at it from the other side. In Shetland’s case alone, the UK needs to protect the £86 million net payment we make to the Treasury each year.
That is dwarfed by the £10 billion per year (that’s billion, not million and it’s a conservative figure) in oil revenues.
If they have the right to this money, they should not be offended if we ask for proof of that right. If they don’t have the right, they will try every trick in the book to make us think they do.
If the campaign promoters did not get clarification before they started, it shows a barely forgivable lack of due diligence.
If they do not demand solid proof after they have been shown evidence to the contrary (see www.StolenIsles.com), they are aiding and abetting a fraud.
Giving something you only pretend to own is fraud, no matter at what level it is perpetrated.
I offer this quote from John Locke:
“Truth, whether in or out of fashion, is the measure of knowledge. Whatever is beside that, however authorised by consent, is nothing but ignorance or something worse.”
I ask Shetland and Orkney councillors not to be the ones accused of ‘something worse’.
Do not be the ones that betrayed their electors by being silent for the promise of blandishments and baubles. Just ask the question and demand a straight answer – you have nothing to lose.
Stuart Hill
Ocraquoy
Shetland
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