Push for greater decision-making in Scottish Isles a positive sign of the times

The move for greater autonomy in decision-making powers in the Scottish Isles is a positive development, and highly relevant given Scotland’s wider bid for independent status.  As has been stated before, the decision of centralising Scottish government in the Scottish capital as opposed to London is a logical choice given that the country has both a different political and cultural composition than the rest of the UK, and as such should be able to make a majority of the decisions that affect it on its own territory, given the differing needs and wishes of the Scottish populace.

In-keeping with this, the Scottish Islands have different economic and social needs to other parts of Scotland, and as such, it is logical that they should want a greater say in affairs of relevance to them, rather than having too much central planning that is decided at a distance and could well be, in truth, entirely irrelevant to their livelihoods. As a for instance, at least two of the Scottish Isles constituencies are of a generally liberal persuasion, where-as a large swathe of the rest of Scotland is comprised of SNP regional members. Therefore, the push for increased autonomy in decision-making should come as no surprise.

It is not only ideological factors that should come into play when deciding what level of autonomy to offer, however. The way of life in the Scottish Isles (and islands in general) is in many ways very different from that on the mainland, and it is important to give economic, social and cultural policies greater consideration when deciding what to implement. This can perhaps be done best by inviting local people to play a greater part in decision making, and allowing them a greater say in local affairs.

The Scottish Islands are perhaps the best place for such a bid to take place, as islands tend to be examples of smaller, close-knit communities who desire to preserve their way of life and live peaceably, without too much outside interference. The Scottish Isles are therefore perfectly placed in this regard - undoubtedly a key part of Scotland, yet with important considerations to make that are different to the rest of Scotland. It is undoubtedly important that the islands play an integral part in the political life of Scotland, valued as they are a bastion of Scottish tradition and culture, but a majority of visitors and residents look to island life as offering something different, and it is important that Scotland’s political composition reflects this individuality.