Dear Orkney News,

In my book, Stolen Isles, I revealed the hidden history of the Crown’s deceptions since 1469, when Shetland came under the control of Scotland. I now discover what I suspected all along, that the answer to Shetland’s constitutional position is supremely simple – and it lies in Scots law. The Laws of Scotland, Stair Memorial Encyclopaedia, the most authoritative book on Scots law, states that, in Scotland, sovereignty is defined as ownership of the allodial title (absolute ownership) of the land. It also says that all land in Orkney and Shetland is allodial title. The Crown has never claimed ownership of allodial title in Shetland, therefore, by their own definition, neither the Scottish or the UK Crown has ever legitimately established sovereignty here – it has all been done by presumption and no court, when challenged, has seen any proof.

The Sovereign Nation of Shetland, which is open to all residents of Shetland, has made a formal claim to the land and seas out to 200 miles from our coast, which includes the oil and fisheries. As far as we are concerned there is no Brexit deal concerning those resources because neither Scotland nor the UK has any legitimate claim on them. Whatever it was that joined the EU did not include Shetland – we never joined, there is no deal. In Shetland there is no CFP, no CAP, no EU rights and we have no masters. We watch with interest to see how our neighbours digest this information.

This year marks the 550^th anniversary of the pawning by King Christian of Denmark of his lands in Shetland to King James III of Scotland and the start of 550 years of deception and trickery at the highest level. It is little wonder that this date, the most important in Shetland’s history, is ignored by the authorities. It will be fitting for the sovereign people of Shetland to celebrate that anniversary in style – able to see the fruits of the resources so long stolen from us. A shame if we put a spanner in the Brexit works, but that is not our problem – the pigeons have come home to roost.

What we do in Shetland is also open to the people of Orkney and we welcome them in joining us.

The formal Notice of Claim is at www.sovereignshetland.com

Yours, Stuart Hill, Shetland