Politics
Shetlopedia - The Shetland Encyclopaedia
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Shetlopedia has the most comprehensive database on Shetland's political history available anywhere. We currently have the following:
- Every election both nationally and locally
- Profiles and some information on every representative in Shetland's modern history, locally and nationally
- Constituencies and their representatives
- Referendum information
As of 2011, the electorate of Shetland have voted on 6 different major bodies. The UK Parliament seat has remained consistent throughout while local government has seen the largest changes. The Lerwick Town Council and Zetland County Council were formed in 1818 and 1890 respectively, and eventually merged in 1975 to form the current Shetland Islands Council. Also since 1979 and 1999, voting has occurred for the European and Scottish Parliaments respectively.
The most recent full elections of the current electoral bodies and next election dates in brackets:
- UK Parliament: May 2010 (May 2015, can be called before this date)
- Scottish Parliment: May 2011 (May 5th 2016)
- Shetland Islands Council: May 2012 (2017)
- European Parliament: May 2009 (2014)
History
Photo from Shetland Museum.
Politics in some form has probably been present in Shetland for many centuries, with pre-parliament and council deliberation taking part in the ancient Tings. The historical locations of these Tings can be seen in settlement names in Shetland, Lunnasting, Tingwall and Westing for example. It was at these Norse Parliaments that a group of select representatives would meet with the Earl, such as the Law Ting Holm.
Historically in Westminster Parliament, Shetland has always been represented beside the Orkney Islands. This relationship was first established in 1708 and remains as such over 300 years later, making the joint constituency the longest and most consistent in the entire United Kingdom. The first representative to be appointed to the seat was Sir Alexander Douglas. Nationally, vast swathes of the electorate were disenfranchised and Shetland was no different. Shetland in the 18th century was a society which was made up of a small number of elite, and large quantities of poor, uneducated citizens. The Lairds of the land had rule, but even the Shetland Lairds couldn't influence the appointment of the Member of Parliament; it was all choreographed from Orkney by around 40 men.
The 1832 Reform Act shook up politics in Britain, reforming the voting system, 'cleaning up politics' (though not considerably) and it allowed more people the right to vote. It was from here that (some of) the people of Shetland were able to have an influence on their representation, much ,it should be said, to the annoyance of the Orkney elite who had previously held the power. To further compound the said elite's anger, the Shetland vote ousted the sitting member, Samuel Laing, a Liberal popular in Orkney, and installed George Trail a Whig - by 11 votes (107-96). From here, party politics really took swing, and although Trail was followed by Thomas Balfour who was Tory, from 1837 to 1935 Shetland was a Liberal constituency, represented by 7 men across 98 years (Frederick Dundas making up 31 of these).
Photo from Shetland Museum.
Liberal representation took a brief interlude when in 1935, Basil Neven-Spence was elected as a Conservative. Neven-Spence had been a Major in the army upon leaving, and was involved in local politics in Shetland before and after his term in Westminister. The constituency returned in 1950 to Liberal representation when they elected Jo Grimond, who served the area for a total of 33 years. He was followed by Jim Wallace, now a life peer in the House of Lords. When Wallace retired from the post it was filled by the Rt. Hon Alistair Carmichael, who remains the MP and is the Deputy Whip (Liberal whip) for the Conservative-Liberal coalition (since May 2010). The liberal traditions of Shetland are evidenced in more than just Westminister, with Shetland's Scottish Parliament Member also being a Liberal, Tavish Scott. Tavish is a former councillor and the son of John Scott of Gardie House, also a former councillor.
Within the history of local government in Shetland, the initial story is similar. An agreement was reached in 1815 to turn Lerwick into a Burgh of Barony, and in 1818, the first meeting and election of the Lerwick Town Council occurred, and Shetlanders were first introduced to local rule. It is fair to say, however, that initially the council, who elected 9 members and a Senior and Junior baillie, was quite ineffective. The process of electing members was hardly democratic, and the councillors were Shetland's noble class and their sons or relations. Between the years of 1818 to 1833, the Town Council recognised things which they wanted to change - the poor sanitary conditions, the rowdy sailors - but it wasn't until 1833 when they founded the Commissioners of Police of the Burgh that they began to get a grip on the situation - albeit a very loose one. The problems continued throughout the 1800's, but the Town Council did begin to effect a change, with such things as improved schooling, sanitary conditions, regular water and policing all improving towards the latter part of the century.
In 1890, the Zetland County Council was formed following the passage of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889. This was a body which aimed to expand representation to the more rural citizens, and its first election elected for 27 constituencies - including 3 for Lerwick (4 if Gulberwick, also known as Lerwick Landward, is included). The seat would vary within the 20's, and in 1932, the Lerwick (not Gulberwick) areas were removed from the County Council. Both the ZCC and the LTC continued to represent until August 1975 when both were replaced by the Shetland Islands Council. This was a body created under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 and had 22 constituencies (6 of which were Lerwick's, causing upsets to some). The SIC underwent various boundary changes and at the most recent election had 7 constituency areas which elected 22 members, with the next election due in May 2012.
A list of the current councillors and the area they represent can be found here.
Election Results
Shetlopedia currently has the most comprehensive database on Shetland's political history available anywhere. Every* major election and by-election to occur in Shetland is available here. See below for more details.
*Known missing elections are the Shetland-specific European Parliament elections from 1979-1994
List of Members of Parliament
Note: Member re-elections are not listed unless they had changed party, or had been out of office.
List of Members of the Scottish Parliament
Note: Members are mentioned upon their first win but not subsequent wins.
| Year | Member | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Tavish Scott | Liberal Democrat | 
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Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament
| Year | Member | |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Nicole Mouat | |
| 2011 | Nicole Mouat Emily Shaw |  
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Current Shetland Islands Councillors
Shetland's 22 councillors are divided between seven constituency areas and these take into account population and geographical consideration. To find out who your councillor is, you can click the image to the right at the area you live in and it will take you to the page for that constituency or look at the list below.
| Councillor | Area Represented | Party | Councillor Since | Elected Until | |
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| Angus, Leslie | Lerwick South | None | May 1999 | 03/05/2012 | 
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| Baisley, Laura | North Isles | None | May 2007 | 03/05/2012 | 
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| Budge, James | Shetland South | None | May 2007 | 03/05/2012 | 
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| Cluness, Alexander J. | Lerwick North | None | May 1999 | 03/05/2012 | 
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| Cooper, Alastair | Shetland North | Independent | May 2007 | 03/05/2012 | 
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| Doull, Adam T | Shetland North | None | May 2007 | 03/05/2012 | 
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| Duncan, Allison | Shetland South | Independent | May 2007 | 03/05/2012 | 
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| Fullerton, Betty | Shetland Central | None | May 2007 | 03/05/2012 | 
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| Grains, Florence B | Shetland West | None | May 1986 | 03/05/2012 | 
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| Hawkins, Iris Jean | Shetland Central | Independent | May 1994 | 03/05/2012 | 
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| Henderson, Robert | North Isles | None | May 2007 | 03/05/2012 | 
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| Henry, James H | Lerwick South | None | May 2003 | 03/05/2012 | 
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| Hughson, Andrew J | Shetland Central | Independent | May 2007 | 03/05/2012 | 
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| Manson, William H† | Shetland North | Independent | June 1991 | 03/05/2012 | 
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| Miller, Caroline H. J. | Lerwick North | None | May 2007 | 03/05/2012 | 
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| Nickerson, Richard C | Shetland South | Independent | May 2007 | 03/05/2012 | 
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| Robertson, Frank A | Shetland West | None | May 1999 | 03/05/2012 | 
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| Robinson, Gary | Shetland West | Independent | May 2007 | 03/05/2012 | 
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| Simpson, Joseph Gilbert | North Isles | Independent | May 2007 | 03/05/2012 | 
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| Smith, Cecil | Lerwick South | Independent | May 2007 | 03/05/2012 | 
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| Wills, Jonathan W G* | Lerwick South | Independent | February 2008 | 03/05/2012 | 
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| Wishart, Allan | Lerwick North | Independent | May 2007 | 03/05/2012 | 
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†Elected by by-election following the death of James M Manson.
*Elected by by-election following the death of Cecil Eunson.
Local Government Constituencies
Lerwick Town Council Provosts
| Years | Name | Years | Name |
|---|---|---|---|
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1893-1895 |
Charles Robertson |
1936-1941 |
James Smith |
Referenda
- 2011 Voting System Referendum
- 1997 Devolution Referendum
- 1979 Devolution Referendum
- 1975 EEC Referendum
Burgh and Shire Commissioners (Parliament of Scotland)
Below is a list of members for the ancient Parliament for Scotland. There are some gaps, as the information is quite erratic. The information is from both The Parliaments of Scotland - Burgh and Shire Commissioners, M. Young, (Edinburgh, 1992-3) and http://rps.co.uk.
| Year | Member |
|---|---|
| 1617 | Robert Henderson of Holland Edward Sinclair of Essenquoy |
| 1652 | Hugh Craigie of Gairsay |
| 1661-2 | Hugh Craigie of Gairsay |
| 1663 | Patrick Blair of Littleblair |
| 1667 | Arthur Buchanan of Sound William Douglas of Egilshay |
| 1669-72 | Patrick Blair of Littleblair |
| 1678 | Captain Andrew Dick |
| 1681 | Sir William Craigie of Gairsay |
| 1685-6 | Henry Graham of Breckness Charles Murray of Hadden |
| 1689-90, 1696-1701 | Sir William Craigie of Gairsay |
| 1703 | Alexander Douglas of Egilshay |
| 1703-5 | Sir Archibald Stewart of Burray |
| 1705-7 | Alexander Douglas of Egilshay |
