Shetlanders won’t be fooled

SNP deputy leader Keith Brown has really let the cat out of the bag. The former economy secretary has threatened local voters, claiming Shetland would only have “real influence” with the powers that be in Edinburgh if they vote in his candidate.

But Keith Brown, a rarity amongst SNP ministers as someone who actually lost his job for not doing it very well (most cling on – see Jeanne Freeman, Derek Mackay, Michael Matheson etc) is only saying what the SNP campaign in Shetland is saying – we won’t listen to you unless you vote in the SNP MSP, one who will vote in the SNP’s interests not Shetland’s.

Shetlanders are very familiar with this approach and this attitude. The nationalists – both SNP HQ and their supporters – look at our communities with utter confusion. How could we possibly reject the election-only wooings of the SNP, their “valid until polling day” promises, and their army of day-tripping leafleters?

Well, we do. Election after election. Because local voters know to our cost that, when the election is over, so is the wooing. The pledges are left unmet. And local people are left with services that aren’t what they were promised.

Shetlanders have seen it all before. We weren’t fooled last time and we won’t be fooled this time.

Ian Inkster
Lerwick