Tom Peterkin: Considering the push for more power for the islands

When the Shetland MSP thundered “It’s not your oil, Alex. It’s wirs,” he sounded not so much like a mild-mannered Lib Dem but more like Hagar the Horrible after a few too many at Up Helly Aa.

But his suggestion that a new constitutional settlement could be brokered to ensure Scotland’s most northerly extremities gain control over the abundant oil reserves in their waters grabbed the vast majority of the headlines at the Lib Dem conference in March.

There must have been some chagrin from the Scottish Lib Dem leader, Willie Rennie, that his speech had been upstaged by his predecessor’s imaginative contribution.

Leaving that aside, it was clear that Scott was on to something. As a native of Shetland, he was only too aware of local frustrations over the centralisation of power.

As an astute politician, he was also aware that his opponents in the SNP would find it tricky to argue against a proposition which was almost Nationalist policy in microcosm.

Given Scott’s stormy rhetoric in Dundee, one might almost have expected Alex Salmond to be met by ferocious Shetland Home Rule campaigners when he took his Cabinet to Lerwick yesterday. A horn-helmeted show of strength failed to materialise.

Instead, ministers have been met by an organised and sensible campaign – largely free of the tribal political loyalties of the mainland – which has united independent councillors from Shetland, Orkney and the Western Isles.

Salmond and his ministers will talk to representatives of an “Our Islands – Our Future” campaign, which is concerned by too much centralisation, but is not overly concerned whether that centralisation happens to be in London or Edinburgh.

The political leaders of Shetland, Orkney and the Western Isles simply want more power, regardless of the outcome of the referendum on Scottish independence. In recognition of that they have pressed their case with both Salmond and David Cameron.

Their message has certainly got through to Salmond, judging by yesterday’s announcement that the Scottish Government is to set up a ministerial working group to examine devolving such things as control of the sea bed and transport to the  islands.

On the wider Scottish constitutional question, it has yet to be seen whether Salmond’s initiative will win him the Yes votes he seeks in those parts of the country which have traditionally tended to eschew the SNP. Scott will hope this doesn’t happen. But it is now up to those of a Better Together persuasion to set out what they have to offer our islands.