The Scottish archipelago of Orkney announced on Monday that it wanted to move closer to Norway in order to emancipate itself from the United Kingdom. Leader James Stockan has presented a motion to the local council, to be debated on Tuesday, which believes it is time for the 67 small islands to consider "alternative models of governance" to better leverage its economic assets, including tourism and energy.
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We've been part of the Nordic kingdom for much longer than we've been part of the UK," he told the BBC. "On the street in Orkney, people come up to me and say, 'When do we pay back the dowry? When do we go back to Norway?'" The archipelago was controlled by the King of Norway until 1472, when he returned to Scotland along with the Shetland Islands, forming part of the dowry upon his daughter's marriage to a Scottish king. According to James Stockan, there is "an immense affinity and a deep cultural relationship". He believes that the British and Scottish governments - which themselves are fighting to hold an independence referendum - have abandoned Orkney in terms of funding.
A motion immediately rejected by the United Kingdom
In addition to exploring "Nordic connections", the motion envisages becoming a "crown dependency", similar to the Isles of Man, Guernsey or Jersey, which are under the sovereignty of the British Crown without being part of the United Kingdom. A project to which the British government was quick to oppose by rejecting any prospect of a rapprochement.
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First of all, there is no mechanism" for part of the United Kingdom to become a crown dependency or overseas territory, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's spokesman said Monday. "But fundamentally, we are stronger as the United Kingdom, this is something we do not intend to change," he added, highlighting the financial support that the archipelago enjoys.