Cameron Stout says he is ‘Proud to be leading Better Together in Orkney’
I’m proud to be leading the Better Together campaign in Orkney. In the months ahead, we’ll be putting forward our positive case for why we think Orkney is better as part of a Scotland within a strong United Kingdom. We’ll be looking at the benefits the UK brings to Orkney, and why we believe people should vote “No” next year.
But Better Together Orkney isn’t about me or about politicians. It’s about folk who live in Orkney and their reasons for wanting Scotland to remain as part of the UK. We know there’s huge support in Orkney; you only have to speak to the people to get a real sense of that. And the Press & Journal’s own poll shows that, in the Northern Isles, 70% of those asked want Scotland to remain part of the United Kingdom, with only 8% wanting Scotland to go it alone.
People in Orkney know the advantages being part of the United Kingdom brings. For example, Orkney benefitted from the North Sea oil boom, largely thanks to the deal by which the UK Government ensured the island authorities benefitted from the throughput of oil from their offshore reserves by supporting local economic development. This reversed the decline in the population and led to the growth of local businesses. With the Revenue since 1972 estimated at over £0.5bn, would an independent Scottish Government, heavily reliant on oil income as the SNP/Yes campaign makes clear they would be, have allowed Orkney to benefit as we have done? I don’t think so. Perhaps that’s why, in a recent survey of North Sea workers, only 16% believe the industry would be better run if Scotland was independent.
And now there is a second energy windfall for the islands, with Orkney ideally placed for the development of marine renewables. And this windfall is not only being supported by the UK Government, but encouraged and promoted by it through initiatives like the UK’s Green Investment Bank. With Edinburgh chosen as its headquarters, the Bank has £3 billion to invest in sustainable projects.
But it’s not just the new industries. Farming is one of Orkney’s most important sectors and one which would be hugely affected if a newly-independent Scotland was forced to negotiate entry into the EU. The SNP seem oblivious to the concerns some farmers have over the real uncertainty independence would create for Orkney farming.
What’s increasingly clear from the referendum debate so far is that the SNP/Yes campaign simply doesn’t understand Orkney, our history and our unique identity. Orkney has always seen itself as apart from Scotland and, in the devolution referendum, Orkney voted only marginally in favour. We have a natural suspicion of centralist governments like the SNP, controlled by central belt politicians.
I’m looking forward to putting our case in front of local people. As well as the economic, political and social arguments, it’s also a real issue of the heart for me. I’ve always felt very proud to be Orcadian, proud to be Scottish and proud to be British. I’ve never felt any conflict between them.
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