By modern standards, Orkney remains basically monocultural. Of course, the very idea might seem impolite and déclassé in a society where diversity is now promoted as a foundational value. For progressives, monocultures seem unacceptable, exclusionary things, in need of correction. However, Orkney’s monocultural strength makes it far easier for incomers to fit in. Unlike most of Britain, Orcadians set a cultural tone into which new arrivals can assimilate. The setting of clear rules and norms make it easier for outsiders to find a place in the community.
This is a good example of a member of the left-wing elite supporting and encouraging the dissolution of national sovereignty. It’s been going on for decades and they continue to chip away at the social and political fabric of the country.
It’s plain to see that the urge toward larger and larger unions; empires, great nations, trans-national unions; is a common feature of many human minds. And also that there’s something to recommend the opposite idea; smaller, more localized polities.
If nothing else the change often brings an opportunity to correct some of the glitches in the ruling legal frame-work of the larger union. This is almost certainly the case here in the US. With political tribes at loggerheads for so many decades there’s no chance of ammending our Constitution; leaving us with a democracy that simply doesn’t represent the will of most of the people. A civilized divorce would be far better.
I have no idea, but perhaps such a divorce would be better for the Orkadians, too. “National sovereignty” is not a good reason to hold them.
It’s plain to see that the urge toward larger and larger unions; empires, great nations, trans-national unions; is a common feature of many human minds. And also that there’s something to recommend the opposite idea; smaller, more localized polities.
If nothing else the change often brings an opportunity to correct some of the glitches in the ruling legal frame-work of the larger union. This is almost certainly the case here in the US. With political tribes at loggerheads for so many decades there’s no chance of ammending our Constitution; leaving us with a democracy that simply doesn’t represent the will of most of the people. A civilized divorce would be far better.
I have no idea, but perhaps such a divorce would be better for the Orkadians, too. “National sovereignty” is not a good reason to hold them.
This is a good example of a member of the left-wing elite supporting and encouraging the dissolution of national sovereignty. It’s been going on for decades and they continue to chip away at the social and political fabric of the country.
Last edited 10 months ago by William Shaw
Katalin Kish
10 months ago
By modern standards, Orkney remains basically monocultural. Of course, the very idea might seem impolite and déclassé in a society where diversity is now promoted as a foundational value. For progressives, monocultures seem unacceptable, exclusionary things, in need of correction. However, Orkney’s monocultural strength makes it far easier for incomers to fit in. Unlike most of Britain, Orcadians set a cultural tone into which new arrivals can assimilate. The setting of clear rules and norms make it easier for outsiders to find a place in the community.
How refreshing.
Peter Kwasi-Modo
10 months ago
“a Norwegian state that boasts a $1.4 billion sovereign wealth fund”; you are out by a factor of a thousand. It is $1.4 trillion.
Thank you for pointing out that “monocultural” Orkney is the “happiest place in Britain”, whilst the UK cultural elite is forever banging on about the wonders of diversity. Thanks also for your observation that it is actually easier for an outsider to integrate into a monoculture. Metropolitan diversity encourages silos, rather than integration.
There were over a dozen nationalities in my English class in 1989 in Melbourne, Australia. We had a blast translating jokes from our own lands. No one pulled away offended. Migrating is a tough gig, people expected some knocks. We learned from knocks. I know, because we talked about them.
The ideas of multiculturalism and political correctness were confusing concepts evidently for many of us, as we arced up and argued with the poor instructor trying to defend these concepts.
While we ended up in Australia for different reasons, none of us came here to sort out a chaos: many of us were escaping chaotic environments and were craving to assimilate into a stable society where right vs wrong is consistently understood, where we could easily measure our progress toward living peaceful, productive lives, where our children could thrive as Australians – without hyphens.
There were over a dozen nationalities in my English class in 1989 in Melbourne, Australia. We had a blast translating jokes from our own lands. No one pulled away offended. Migrating is a tough gig, people expected some knocks. We learned from knocks. I know, because we talked about them.
The ideas of multiculturalism and political correctness were confusing concepts evidently for many of us, as we arced up and argued with the poor instructor trying to defend these concepts.
While we ended up in Australia for different reasons, none of us came here to sort out a chaos: many of us were escaping chaotic environments and were craving to assimilate into a stable society where right vs wrong is consistently understood, where we could easily measure our progress toward living peaceful, productive lives, where our children could thrive as Australians – without hyphens.
Peter Kwasi-Modo
10 months ago
“a Norwegian state that boasts a $1.4 billion sovereign wealth fund”; you are out by a factor of a thousand. It is $1.4 trillion.
Thank you for pointing out that “monocultural” Orkney is the “happiest place in Britain”, whilst the UK cultural elite is forever banging on about the wonders of diversity. Thanks also for your observation that it is actually easier for an outsider to integrate into a monoculture. Metropolitan diversity encourages silos, rather than integration.
Brendan O'Leary
10 months ago
The biggest advantage is that Norway’s government is encouraging more drilling and development while all UK governments, and so-called oppositions, are acting like executive branches of Just Stop Oil.
The biggest advantage is that Norway’s government is encouraging more drilling and development while all UK governments, and so-called oppositions, are acting like executive branches of Just Stop Oil.
Peter Kwasi-Modo
10 months ago
The article says Orkney “last under Norwegian and Danish control in 1472”. In 1472, neither Norway nor Denmark existed as separate national entities. Along with Sweden, they formed the Kalmar Union which was ruled by a German monarch, Christian 1. (The article incorrectly describes him as “Christian I of Norway and Denmark”.) It was the German monarch who handed over Orkney to the Scots king.
Why does Orkney think it should revert to Norway, when there is just as much argument that it should revert to Sweden, Denmark, or indeed, Oldenburg in Germany, the home of Christian 1? Presumably it is because Norway is the one with the trillion bucks of sovereign wealth fund.
BTW, I wish the Orcadians no ill. If I were an Orcadian, I would fully support the move. Anything to get away from the dead hand of the SNP.
Some accounts say that Christian only had the right to pledge Orkney in his capacity as King of Norway. On the other hand, the princess involved in the marriage settlement was Margaret of Denmark.
My original point, as is usually the case with my posts, was entirely flippant. It was merely intended as a way to impute venal motives to the Orcadians.
Some accounts say that Christian only had the right to pledge Orkney in his capacity as King of Norway. On the other hand, the princess involved in the marriage settlement was Margaret of Denmark.
My original point, as is usually the case with my posts, was entirely flippant. It was merely intended as a way to impute venal motives to the Orcadians.
Norway is also the one that was occupied by Germany in WW2 and borders Russia. Orkney would be a very soft entry option for Russian interference in Norway and a backdoor to the UK.
Orkney is not proposing to join the great Renewable Energy Power that is the Kingdom of Denmark, bordering Germany, but oil-rich hydro-powered Kingdom of Norway, bordering Russia.
Orkney is not proposing to join the great Renewable Energy Power that is the Kingdom of Denmark, bordering Germany, but oil-rich hydro-powered Kingdom of Norway, bordering Russia.
William Clouston needs to do his research a bit better; in the same paragraph he writes: “Geographically closer to Oslo than Edinburgh, the islands……” Look at a map – this is not even close to being true.
Norway is also the one that was occupied by Germany in WW2 and borders Russia. Orkney would be a very soft entry option for Russian interference in Norway and a backdoor to the UK.
William Clouston needs to do his research a bit better; in the same paragraph he writes: “Geographically closer to Oslo than Edinburgh, the islands……” Look at a map – this is not even close to being true.
Peter Kwasi-Modo
10 months ago
The article says Orkney “last under Norwegian and Danish control in 1472”. In 1472, neither Norway nor Denmark existed as separate national entities. Along with Sweden, they formed the Kalmar Union which was ruled by a German monarch, Christian 1. (The article incorrectly describes him as “Christian I of Norway and Denmark”.) It was the German monarch who handed over Orkney to the Scots king.
Why does Orkney think it should revert to Norway, when there is just as much argument that it should revert to Sweden, Denmark, or indeed, Oldenburg in Germany, the home of Christian 1? Presumably it is because Norway is the one with the trillion bucks of sovereign wealth fund.
BTW, I wish the Orcadians no ill. If I were an Orcadian, I would fully support the move. Anything to get away from the dead hand of the SNP.
Last edited 10 months ago by Peter Kwasi-Modo
David Lindsay
10 months ago
Norway is not in the EU. Its combination of prosperity and equality is because it never has been. Boreas Domus, Mare Amicus, indeed, Orcadians. Boreas Domus, Mare Amicus, indeed.
Like BP, ConocoPhilips, ENI, Exxon, OMV, Wintershall, Det Norske, Lundin etc?
All these companies and their successors own and operate Norwegian oil & gas fields. Indeed, if it were not for Phillips, it’s debatable whether there would be any Norwegian fields at all. Remarkably, Phillips first development, Ekofisk, is still producing and development drilling , 54 years after its discovery. https://www.conocophillips.com/spiritnow/story/50-years-of-ekofisk/
Like BP, ConocoPhilips, ENI, Exxon, OMV, Wintershall, Det Norske, Lundin etc?
All these companies and their successors own and operate Norwegian oil & gas fields. Indeed, if it were not for Phillips, it’s debatable whether there would be any Norwegian fields at all. Remarkably, Phillips first development, Ekofisk, is still producing and development drilling , 54 years after its discovery. https://www.conocophillips.com/spiritnow/story/50-years-of-ekofisk/
How very pretentious!
Couldn’t ’they’ have dreamt up something in Norse?
David Lindsay
10 months ago
Norway is not in the EU. Its combination of prosperity and equality is because it never has been. Boreas Domus, Mare Amicus, indeed, Orcadians. Boreas Domus, Mare Amicus, indeed.
Stephen Walsh
10 months ago
Inspiring as a push for Orcadian independence from the Scottish yoke would be, they could hardly manage it unless Shetland was willing to jump with them. Yet support for the SNP in Shetland is surprisingly high (42% in the last election) and Shetland was noticeably more supportive of Scottish independence in the 2014 referendum than was Orkney (36% vs 32%), so Orkney may be caught in the middle. But the SNP leadership’s distain for the interests and concerns of the Scottish regions will be their undoing.
Stephen Walsh
10 months ago
Inspiring as a push for Orcadian independence from the Scottish yoke would be, they could hardly manage it unless Shetland was willing to jump with them. Yet support for the SNP in Shetland is surprisingly high (42% in the last election) and Shetland was noticeably more supportive of Scottish independence in the 2014 referendum than was Orkney (36% vs 32%), so Orkney may be caught in the middle. But the SNP leadership’s distain for the interests and concerns of the Scottish regions will be their undoing.
Margaret Donaldson
10 months ago
The Orcadians shoul check out the Norwegian level of taxation and cost of living before getting too dewy eyed about joining. But it is good that at last folk somewhere in the UK are expressing what most of us feel: fed up with a government, legislature and civil service that do not listen to us but ‘experts’.
They would, if part of Norway, have to pay to visit the GP (about £10) and have their tax returns available for all to inspect.
Margaret Donaldson
10 months ago
The Orcadians shoul check out the Norwegian level of taxation and cost of living before getting too dewy eyed about joining. But it is good that at last folk somewhere in the UK are expressing what most of us feel: fed up with a government, legislature and civil service that do not listen to us but ‘experts’.
William Shaw
10 months ago
What a ridiculously idealistic view of Orkney. The author makes it sound like utopia.
Having spent time in both Orkney and Norway on several occasions I don’t recognise this description of the islands and people at all. It’s also very apparent that the people of Orkney are nothing like Norwegians.
At the very least the author should cease with the rather silly use of geographical distances as a reason for sovereignty.
Kirkwall is significantly closer to Edinburgh than it is to either Oslo or Copenhagen. In fact, Kirkwall is 100 miles closer to London than it is to Copenhagen.
Is Wales going to give Anglesey to Ireland due to it being closer to Dublin than it is to Cardiff or London?
Last edited 10 months ago by William Shaw
William Shaw
10 months ago
What a ridiculously idealistic view of Orkney. The author makes it sound like utopia.
Having spent time in both Orkney and Norway on several occasions I don’t recognise this description of the islands and people at all. It’s also very apparent that the people of Orkney are nothing like Norwegians.
At the very least the author should cease with the rather silly use of geographical distances as a reason for sovereignty.
Kirkwall is significantly closer to Edinburgh than it is to either Oslo or Copenhagen. In fact, Kirkwall is 100 miles closer to London than it is to Copenhagen.
Is Wales going to give Anglesey to Ireland due to it being closer to Dublin than it is to Cardiff or London?
Last edited 10 months ago by William Shaw
Caradog Wiliams
10 months ago
For over two years I’ve seen anti-Scottish, anti-Welsh and anti-Irish comments on UnHerd – but only very rarely anti-English. This is presumably because England supports the rest of the UK financially and so generates a liege mentality in the population. Also, of course, England has the greatest number of people.
But isn’t it becoming clear that, with the exception of relative poverty and social diseases caused by poverty, England would really be better alone. Unfortunately, I don’t think there is a mechanism for England to leave the UK.
Wales is very poor but the quality of life is much better than in England. 10 million English people visit Wales every year on vacation. I’m not sure that the quality of life is good in all of Scotland but Scotland is a big place with a lot of room for expansion – clearly Orkney seems to be a good place to live and probably also Shetland and the very north of the mainland.
It depends what you mean by ‘quality of life’. If you want money, airports, fast living, high finance, etc, then England wins. But isn’t that whole idea becoming unfashionable now? The ‘get back to nature’ movements are pretty well established. Scotland has space, Wales has beaches and water (for English survival), Ireland has….? Both Scotland and Wales have very low populations which makes everything much easier to manage. England should find a way to leave the UK.
Caradog Wiliams
10 months ago
For over two years I’ve seen anti-Scottish, anti-Welsh and anti-Irish comments on UnHerd – but only very rarely anti-English. This is presumably because England supports the rest of the UK financially and so generates a liege mentality in the population. Also, of course, England has the greatest number of people.
But isn’t it becoming clear that, with the exception of relative poverty and social diseases caused by poverty, England would really be better alone. Unfortunately, I don’t think there is a mechanism for England to leave the UK.
Wales is very poor but the quality of life is much better than in England. 10 million English people visit Wales every year on vacation. I’m not sure that the quality of life is good in all of Scotland but Scotland is a big place with a lot of room for expansion – clearly Orkney seems to be a good place to live and probably also Shetland and the very north of the mainland.
It depends what you mean by ‘quality of life’. If you want money, airports, fast living, high finance, etc, then England wins. But isn’t that whole idea becoming unfashionable now? The ‘get back to nature’ movements are pretty well established. Scotland has space, Wales has beaches and water (for English survival), Ireland has….? Both Scotland and Wales have very low populations which makes everything much easier to manage. England should find a way to leave the UK.
Jonathan Story
10 months ago
Could the author fill me in how great Britain’s security is enhanced by the Orkney’s leaving it?
How refreshing.
This is a good example of a member of the left-wing elite supporting and encouraging the dissolution of national sovereignty. It’s been going on for decades and they continue to chip away at the social and political fabric of the country.
I think you’ve misunderstood him
It’s plain to see that the urge toward larger and larger unions; empires, great nations, trans-national unions; is a common feature of many human minds. And also that there’s something to recommend the opposite idea; smaller, more localized polities.
If nothing else the change often brings an opportunity to correct some of the glitches in the ruling legal frame-work of the larger union. This is almost certainly the case here in the US. With political tribes at loggerheads for so many decades there’s no chance of ammending our Constitution; leaving us with a democracy that simply doesn’t represent the will of most of the people. A civilized divorce would be far better.
I have no idea, but perhaps such a divorce would be better for the Orkadians, too. “National sovereignty” is not a good reason to hold them.
I think you’ve misunderstood him
It’s plain to see that the urge toward larger and larger unions; empires, great nations, trans-national unions; is a common feature of many human minds. And also that there’s something to recommend the opposite idea; smaller, more localized polities.
If nothing else the change often brings an opportunity to correct some of the glitches in the ruling legal frame-work of the larger union. This is almost certainly the case here in the US. With political tribes at loggerheads for so many decades there’s no chance of ammending our Constitution; leaving us with a democracy that simply doesn’t represent the will of most of the people. A civilized divorce would be far better.
I have no idea, but perhaps such a divorce would be better for the Orkadians, too. “National sovereignty” is not a good reason to hold them.
This is a good example of a member of the left-wing elite supporting and encouraging the dissolution of national sovereignty. It’s been going on for decades and they continue to chip away at the social and political fabric of the country.
How refreshing.
“a Norwegian state that boasts a $1.4 billion sovereign wealth fund”; you are out by a factor of a thousand. It is $1.4 trillion.
Thank you for pointing out that “monocultural” Orkney is the “happiest place in Britain”, whilst the UK cultural elite is forever banging on about the wonders of diversity. Thanks also for your observation that it is actually easier for an outsider to integrate into a monoculture. Metropolitan diversity encourages silos, rather than integration.
Indeed. Decades of promoting a multicultural society has merely resulted in a multiplicity of monocultures.
There were over a dozen nationalities in my English class in 1989 in Melbourne, Australia. We had a blast translating jokes from our own lands. No one pulled away offended. Migrating is a tough gig, people expected some knocks. We learned from knocks. I know, because we talked about them.
The ideas of multiculturalism and political correctness were confusing concepts evidently for many of us, as we arced up and argued with the poor instructor trying to defend these concepts.
While we ended up in Australia for different reasons, none of us came here to sort out a chaos: many of us were escaping chaotic environments and were craving to assimilate into a stable society where right vs wrong is consistently understood, where we could easily measure our progress toward living peaceful, productive lives, where our children could thrive as Australians – without hyphens.
Indeed. Decades of promoting a multicultural society has merely resulted in a multiplicity of monocultures.
There were over a dozen nationalities in my English class in 1989 in Melbourne, Australia. We had a blast translating jokes from our own lands. No one pulled away offended. Migrating is a tough gig, people expected some knocks. We learned from knocks. I know, because we talked about them.
The ideas of multiculturalism and political correctness were confusing concepts evidently for many of us, as we arced up and argued with the poor instructor trying to defend these concepts.
While we ended up in Australia for different reasons, none of us came here to sort out a chaos: many of us were escaping chaotic environments and were craving to assimilate into a stable society where right vs wrong is consistently understood, where we could easily measure our progress toward living peaceful, productive lives, where our children could thrive as Australians – without hyphens.
“a Norwegian state that boasts a $1.4 billion sovereign wealth fund”; you are out by a factor of a thousand. It is $1.4 trillion.
Thank you for pointing out that “monocultural” Orkney is the “happiest place in Britain”, whilst the UK cultural elite is forever banging on about the wonders of diversity. Thanks also for your observation that it is actually easier for an outsider to integrate into a monoculture. Metropolitan diversity encourages silos, rather than integration.
The biggest advantage is that Norway’s government is encouraging more drilling and development while all UK governments, and so-called oppositions, are acting like executive branches of Just Stop Oil.
Indeed
Indeed
The biggest advantage is that Norway’s government is encouraging more drilling and development while all UK governments, and so-called oppositions, are acting like executive branches of Just Stop Oil.
The article says Orkney “last under Norwegian and Danish control in 1472”. In 1472, neither Norway nor Denmark existed as separate national entities. Along with Sweden, they formed the Kalmar Union which was ruled by a German monarch, Christian 1. (The article incorrectly describes him as “Christian I of Norway and Denmark”.) It was the German monarch who handed over Orkney to the Scots king.
Why does Orkney think it should revert to Norway, when there is just as much argument that it should revert to Sweden, Denmark, or indeed, Oldenburg in Germany, the home of Christian 1? Presumably it is because Norway is the one with the trillion bucks of sovereign wealth fund.
BTW, I wish the Orcadians no ill. If I were an Orcadian, I would fully support the move. Anything to get away from the dead hand of the SNP.
As the ‘Union of Kalmar’ was dominated by Denmark, and Sweden was a somewhat reluctant member, the case for Sweden is rather weak.
On the other hand Norway had been ruled by Denmark for centuries, and thus ‘technically’ Denmark may have the strongest case?
Some accounts say that Christian only had the right to pledge Orkney in his capacity as King of Norway. On the other hand, the princess involved in the marriage settlement was Margaret of Denmark.
My original point, as is usually the case with my posts, was entirely flippant. It was merely intended as a way to impute venal motives to the Orcadians.
Some accounts say that Christian only had the right to pledge Orkney in his capacity as King of Norway. On the other hand, the princess involved in the marriage settlement was Margaret of Denmark.
My original point, as is usually the case with my posts, was entirely flippant. It was merely intended as a way to impute venal motives to the Orcadians.
Norway is also the one that was occupied by Germany in WW2 and borders Russia. Orkney would be a very soft entry option for Russian interference in Norway and a backdoor to the UK.
Denmark was also ‘occupied’.
Orkney is not proposing to join the great Renewable Energy Power that is the Kingdom of Denmark, bordering Germany, but oil-rich hydro-powered Kingdom of Norway, bordering Russia.
You said and I quote :-
“Norway is also the one that was occupied by Germany in WW2”.
Which is incorrect is it not?
You said and I quote :-
“Norway is also the one that was occupied by Germany in WW2”.
Which is incorrect is it not?
Orkney is not proposing to join the great Renewable Energy Power that is the Kingdom of Denmark, bordering Germany, but oil-rich hydro-powered Kingdom of Norway, bordering Russia.
Denmark was also ‘occupied’.
William Clouston needs to do his research a bit better; in the same paragraph he writes: “Geographically closer to Oslo than Edinburgh, the islands……” Look at a map – this is not even close to being true.
As the ‘Union of Kalmar’ was dominated by Denmark, and Sweden was a somewhat reluctant member, the case for Sweden is rather weak.
On the other hand Norway had been ruled by Denmark for centuries, and thus ‘technically’ Denmark may have the strongest case?
Norway is also the one that was occupied by Germany in WW2 and borders Russia. Orkney would be a very soft entry option for Russian interference in Norway and a backdoor to the UK.
William Clouston needs to do his research a bit better; in the same paragraph he writes: “Geographically closer to Oslo than Edinburgh, the islands……” Look at a map – this is not even close to being true.
The article says Orkney “last under Norwegian and Danish control in 1472”. In 1472, neither Norway nor Denmark existed as separate national entities. Along with Sweden, they formed the Kalmar Union which was ruled by a German monarch, Christian 1. (The article incorrectly describes him as “Christian I of Norway and Denmark”.) It was the German monarch who handed over Orkney to the Scots king.
Why does Orkney think it should revert to Norway, when there is just as much argument that it should revert to Sweden, Denmark, or indeed, Oldenburg in Germany, the home of Christian 1? Presumably it is because Norway is the one with the trillion bucks of sovereign wealth fund.
BTW, I wish the Orcadians no ill. If I were an Orcadian, I would fully support the move. Anything to get away from the dead hand of the SNP.
Norway is not in the EU. Its combination of prosperity and equality is because it never has been. Boreas Domus, Mare Amicus, indeed, Orcadians. Boreas Domus, Mare Amicus, indeed.
They also didn’t flog their oil and gas fields to their friends at the first opportunity
Like BP, ConocoPhilips, ENI, Exxon, OMV, Wintershall, Det Norske, Lundin etc?
All these companies and their successors own and operate Norwegian oil & gas fields. Indeed, if it were not for Phillips, it’s debatable whether there would be any Norwegian fields at all. Remarkably, Phillips first development, Ekofisk, is still producing and development drilling , 54 years after its discovery.
https://www.conocophillips.com/spiritnow/story/50-years-of-ekofisk/
Like BP, ConocoPhilips, ENI, Exxon, OMV, Wintershall, Det Norske, Lundin etc?
All these companies and their successors own and operate Norwegian oil & gas fields. Indeed, if it were not for Phillips, it’s debatable whether there would be any Norwegian fields at all. Remarkably, Phillips first development, Ekofisk, is still producing and development drilling , 54 years after its discovery.
https://www.conocophillips.com/spiritnow/story/50-years-of-ekofisk/
“Boreas Domus, Mare Amicus”.
How very pretentious!
Couldn’t ’they’ have dreamt up something in Norse?
They also didn’t flog their oil and gas fields to their friends at the first opportunity
“Boreas Domus, Mare Amicus”.
How very pretentious!
Couldn’t ’they’ have dreamt up something in Norse?
Norway is not in the EU. Its combination of prosperity and equality is because it never has been. Boreas Domus, Mare Amicus, indeed, Orcadians. Boreas Domus, Mare Amicus, indeed.
Inspiring as a push for Orcadian independence from the Scottish yoke would be, they could hardly manage it unless Shetland was willing to jump with them. Yet support for the SNP in Shetland is surprisingly high (42% in the last election) and Shetland was noticeably more supportive of Scottish independence in the 2014 referendum than was Orkney (36% vs 32%), so Orkney may be caught in the middle. But the SNP leadership’s distain for the interests and concerns of the Scottish regions will be their undoing.
Inspiring as a push for Orcadian independence from the Scottish yoke would be, they could hardly manage it unless Shetland was willing to jump with them. Yet support for the SNP in Shetland is surprisingly high (42% in the last election) and Shetland was noticeably more supportive of Scottish independence in the 2014 referendum than was Orkney (36% vs 32%), so Orkney may be caught in the middle. But the SNP leadership’s distain for the interests and concerns of the Scottish regions will be their undoing.
The Orcadians shoul check out the Norwegian level of taxation and cost of living before getting too dewy eyed about joining. But it is good that at last folk somewhere in the UK are expressing what most of us feel: fed up with a government, legislature and civil service that do not listen to us but ‘experts’.
They would, if part of Norway, have to pay to visit the GP (about £10) and have their tax returns available for all to inspect.
What a brilliant system!
That certainly makes up for Mr Quisling!
What a brilliant system!
That certainly makes up for Mr Quisling!
They would, if part of Norway, have to pay to visit the GP (about £10) and have their tax returns available for all to inspect.
The Orcadians shoul check out the Norwegian level of taxation and cost of living before getting too dewy eyed about joining. But it is good that at last folk somewhere in the UK are expressing what most of us feel: fed up with a government, legislature and civil service that do not listen to us but ‘experts’.
What a ridiculously idealistic view of Orkney. The author makes it sound like utopia.
Having spent time in both Orkney and Norway on several occasions I don’t recognise this description of the islands and people at all. It’s also very apparent that the people of Orkney are nothing like Norwegians.
At the very least the author should cease with the rather silly use of geographical distances as a reason for sovereignty.
Kirkwall is significantly closer to Edinburgh than it is to either Oslo or Copenhagen. In fact, Kirkwall is 100 miles closer to London than it is to Copenhagen.
Is Wales going to give Anglesey to Ireland due to it being closer to Dublin than it is to Cardiff or London?
What a ridiculously idealistic view of Orkney. The author makes it sound like utopia.
Having spent time in both Orkney and Norway on several occasions I don’t recognise this description of the islands and people at all. It’s also very apparent that the people of Orkney are nothing like Norwegians.
At the very least the author should cease with the rather silly use of geographical distances as a reason for sovereignty.
Kirkwall is significantly closer to Edinburgh than it is to either Oslo or Copenhagen. In fact, Kirkwall is 100 miles closer to London than it is to Copenhagen.
Is Wales going to give Anglesey to Ireland due to it being closer to Dublin than it is to Cardiff or London?
For over two years I’ve seen anti-Scottish, anti-Welsh and anti-Irish comments on UnHerd – but only very rarely anti-English. This is presumably because England supports the rest of the UK financially and so generates a liege mentality in the population. Also, of course, England has the greatest number of people.
But isn’t it becoming clear that, with the exception of relative poverty and social diseases caused by poverty, England would really be better alone. Unfortunately, I don’t think there is a mechanism for England to leave the UK.
Wales is very poor but the quality of life is much better than in England. 10 million English people visit Wales every year on vacation. I’m not sure that the quality of life is good in all of Scotland but Scotland is a big place with a lot of room for expansion – clearly Orkney seems to be a good place to live and probably also Shetland and the very north of the mainland.
It depends what you mean by ‘quality of life’. If you want money, airports, fast living, high finance, etc, then England wins. But isn’t that whole idea becoming unfashionable now? The ‘get back to nature’ movements are pretty well established. Scotland has space, Wales has beaches and water (for English survival), Ireland has….? Both Scotland and Wales have very low populations which makes everything much easier to manage. England should find a way to leave the UK.
For over two years I’ve seen anti-Scottish, anti-Welsh and anti-Irish comments on UnHerd – but only very rarely anti-English. This is presumably because England supports the rest of the UK financially and so generates a liege mentality in the population. Also, of course, England has the greatest number of people.
But isn’t it becoming clear that, with the exception of relative poverty and social diseases caused by poverty, England would really be better alone. Unfortunately, I don’t think there is a mechanism for England to leave the UK.
Wales is very poor but the quality of life is much better than in England. 10 million English people visit Wales every year on vacation. I’m not sure that the quality of life is good in all of Scotland but Scotland is a big place with a lot of room for expansion – clearly Orkney seems to be a good place to live and probably also Shetland and the very north of the mainland.
It depends what you mean by ‘quality of life’. If you want money, airports, fast living, high finance, etc, then England wins. But isn’t that whole idea becoming unfashionable now? The ‘get back to nature’ movements are pretty well established. Scotland has space, Wales has beaches and water (for English survival), Ireland has….? Both Scotland and Wales have very low populations which makes everything much easier to manage. England should find a way to leave the UK.
Could the author fill me in how great Britain’s security is enhanced by the Orkney’s leaving it?
Where does he suggest that? He suggests that they would be a significant strategic loss.
Where does he suggest that? He suggests that they would be a significant strategic loss.
Could the author fill me in how great Britain’s security is enhanced by the Orkney’s leaving it?