Constitutional status of Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles

In July 2013, the Scottish Government made the Lerwick Declaration, establishing a ministerial working group to examine decentralising powers to the three island council areas.

After the Acts of Union of 1707 Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles, along with the rest of Scotland, became part of the Kingdom of Great Britain.

In 1468, Orkney was pledged by the Scandinavian king Christian I as security against the payment of the dowry of his daughter Margaret, betrothed to James III of Scotland.

Among the scenarios proposed were achieving either Crown Dependency status or self-government modelled after the Faroe Islands, in association with either Scotland or the UK.

[7] Steven Heddle, Orkney's council leader, described pursuing Crown Dependency status as the least likely option, as it would threaten funding from the EU, which is essential for local farmers.

[8] In July 2013, the Scottish Government made the Lerwick Declaration, indicating an intention to decentralise power to the three island council areas.

In November 2013, the government made a commitment to decentralise further powers to Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles in the event of independence.

[17][18][19] In March 2014, the Scottish Parliament published the online petition it had received calling for such referendums, which was supported by Shetland MSP Tavish Scott.

[21] The third option would implement the conditional promise made in 2012, when an SNP spokesperson said that, in the event of Scottish independence, Orkney and Shetland could remain in the United Kingdom if their "drive for self-determination" was strong enough.

[24] Early in 2013, an opinion poll commissioned by the Press and Journal found only 8% of people in Shetland and Orkney supported the islands themselves becoming fully independent countries and completely separating from Scotland, with 82% against.