Is 'Orxit' next? Orkney islands look to Norway and move away from UK

'We would like to scope all our options for our islands,' said council leader James Stockan

Orkney islanders are frustrated with governments in London and Edinburgh over funding issues. AFP

Leaders on the Scottish Orkney Islands are exploring a breakaway from the UK and a possible move to becoming Norwegian.

The islands, off Northern Scotland, are frustrated with both London and Edinburgh after what they see as years of inaction and delay in funding.

Now they are discussing alternative forms of governance which could see the islands' legal status change, potentially to become part of Norway or a crown dependency like Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man.

Council leader James Stockan has put forward a motion which says it is time for Orkney to consider other forms of governance that could provide more economic opportunity.

“We would like to scope all our options for our islands,” he said on Monday.

“We feel we have such potential that we could contribute enormously but we are not getting support from our governments. So we are asking, what alternatives are there for us?”

The island chain’s “Nordic connections” have been highlighted, with a report going before a council meeting this week mentioning the Faroe Islands – a self-governing territory of Denmark in the North Sea.

Orkney was under Norwegian and Danish control until 1472, when the islands were given to Scotland as part of Margaret of Denmark's wedding dowry to Scottish King James III.

Orkney was under Norwegian and Danish control until 1472. AFP

The UK government has shut down talk of the exit.

“First and foremost, there is no mechanism for the conferral of crown dependency or overseas territory status on any part of the UK,” the Prime Minister's representative said.

“But fundamentally, we are stronger as one United Kingdom, we have no plans to change that.”

Orkney was already being supported with £50 million through the islands growth deal, No 10 said.

Mr Stockan's motion does not commit the council to any of the proposed options for a breakaway.

The report notes that any constitutional change would likely require a combination of petitions, referenda and legislation at Holyrood and Westminster.

Mr Stockan said he felt that both the Scottish and UK governments were failing Orkney.

Funding, he said, was less per head than Shetland and the Western Isles.

“We have so many issues – the big one is replacing our internal ferry fleet,” Mr Stockan told the BBC.

“We have been seeking government support to buy a new set of ferries. There is no support coming from government.

“An island archipelago without ferries is impossible to maintain.

“We have been asking them for 15 years, and every time we have been denied and been asked to wait. Now it is getting critical because our ferries are starting to fail.”

The Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP for Orkney, Liam McArthur, said he supported empowering island communities but warned there are dangers.

“Locally, I think islanders will also want to be reassured that this exercise won't result in council resources being taken away from the day-to-day running of services at a time when these are under real pressure,” he said.