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Surviving Scots Lib Dem MP faces judgment call of the isles Surviving Scots Lib Dem MP faces judgment call of the isles
(about 2 hours later)
A few weeks before the general election, Alistair Carmichael , Lib Dem MP for Orkney and Shetland and, at the time, secretary of state for Scotland , stopped for a coffee at Alan Skinner’s art gallery on the northern island of Yell. A few weeks before the general election, Alistair Carmichael , the Liberal Democrat MP for Orkney and Shetland and, at the time, secretary of state for Scotland , stopped for a coffee at Alan Skinner’s art gallery on the northern island of Yell.
“I’d met him a couple of times before, I liked him as an individual and trusted him,” said Skinner, as the sharp sunshine cut through the early morning showers. “Had I known the truth about him I would not have voted for him.” “I’d met him a couple of times before. I liked him as an individual and trusted him,” said Skinner, as the sharp sunshine cut through the early morning showers. “Had I known the truth about him, I would not have voted for him.”
It is now a week since Carmichael admitted that he authorised an adviser to release a memo about a private conversation in which Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minister, purportedly told a French diplomat that she wanted David Cameron to remain prime minister. Sturgeon and the diplomat have both made clear that the memo was inaccurate.It is now a week since Carmichael admitted that he authorised an adviser to release a memo about a private conversation in which Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minister, purportedly told a French diplomat that she wanted David Cameron to remain prime minister. Sturgeon and the diplomat have both made clear that the memo was inaccurate.
“The honourable thing to do would be to submit himself for re-election,” Skinner said, “otherwise he’s going to be a lame duck MP. But I suspect because he is the sole Lib Dem in Scotland they will be trying very hard to keep him.” “The honourable thing to do would be to submit himself for re-election,” Skinner said, “otherwise he’s going to be a lame duck MP. But I suspect because he is the sole Lib Dem in Scotland, they will be trying very hard to keep him.”
As one of only three MPs in Scotland not representing the Scottish National party, evidently Carmichael is under immense pressure from a variety of sources to hold on. In an interview with the Orcadian newspaper this week he spoke of “the worst five days” of his life. As one of only three MPs in Scotland not representing the Scottish National party, evidently Carmichael is under immense pressure from a variety of sources to hold on. In an interview with the Orcadian newspaper this week, he spoke of “the worst five days” of his life.
Referring to Carmichael’s flat denial that he had any role in the leak, after the story was first published in the Daily Telegraph, in April, Skinner said: “The leaking of the memo was him playing political silly-buggers, but he quite blatantly told a lie about it afterwards. If he’d held up his hands then people would have respected him, but to say first that he knew nothing about it ... it was extremely disappointing.” Referring to Carmichael’s flat denial that he had any role in the leak, after the story was first published in the Daily Telegraph, in April, Skinner said: “The leaking of the memo was him playing political silly buggers, but he quite blatantly told a lie about it afterwards. If he’d held up his hands then people would have respected him, but to say first that he knew nothing about it … it was extremely disappointing.”
This is a line that one hears repeated again and again across these islands and one that extends well beyond the vociferous local SNP activists. Pronouncements from Holyrood or indeed from Westminster about the need to accept that all politicians leak and lie fundamentally misread the reasons why Carmichael’s constituents are disappointed by his behaviour. Likewise, Liberal Democrat warnings of “mob rule” look over-heated from the streets of Lerwick, unless one measures witch hunts by Twitter hashtags alone. This is a line that one hears repeated again and again across these islands and one that extends well beyond the vociferous local SNP activists. Pronouncements from Holyrood or indeed from Westminster about the need to accept that all politicians leak and lie fundamentally misread the reasons why Carmichael’s constituents are disappointed by his behaviour. Likewise, Liberal Democrat warnings of “mob rule” look overheated from the streets of Lerwick, unless one measures witch-hunts by Twitter hashtags alone.
In this, the second smallest constituency in the country, divided between two very distinct island communities, the local member of parliament has a far higher profile personally and plays a far more significant public role than an urban MP in, for example, Glasgow.In this, the second smallest constituency in the country, divided between two very distinct island communities, the local member of parliament has a far higher profile personally and plays a far more significant public role than an urban MP in, for example, Glasgow.
As Fiona McInness, a writer and painter based in Kirkwall, described it: “Orkney is a very shy society in terms of expressing opinion, but I’d say that there is a lot of anger and shame. Old-fashioned values of your word being your bond still exist here and for many people your doctor, your minister, your MP shouldn’t fall below the measure of trust. I don’t think it gets much bigger than lying during an election campaign when the whole thing is about truth and trust.”As Fiona McInness, a writer and painter based in Kirkwall, described it: “Orkney is a very shy society in terms of expressing opinion, but I’d say that there is a lot of anger and shame. Old-fashioned values of your word being your bond still exist here and for many people your doctor, your minister, your MP shouldn’t fall below the measure of trust. I don’t think it gets much bigger than lying during an election campaign when the whole thing is about truth and trust.”
McInnes is spearheading a crowdfunding campaign to pay for a legal challenge to Carmichael’s election, which has raised almost £43,000 from nearly 3,000 donors over three days. McInnes and Logan Nicolson, a teacher who organised a protest calling, last weekend, for a byelection in Lerwick, are active SNP supporters, radicalised by last year’s yes campaign. They insist they are acting as channels for broader discontent.McInnes is spearheading a crowdfunding campaign to pay for a legal challenge to Carmichael’s election, which has raised almost £43,000 from nearly 3,000 donors over three days. McInnes and Logan Nicolson, a teacher who organised a protest calling, last weekend, for a byelection in Lerwick, are active SNP supporters, radicalised by last year’s yes campaign. They insist they are acting as channels for broader discontent.
Even if they are not, of course, the nationalist vote in Orkney and Shetland is hardly negligible, with Carmichael’s majority slashed from more than 10,000 to 817 in the face of a strong challenge by the SNP’s Danus Skene .Even if they are not, of course, the nationalist vote in Orkney and Shetland is hardly negligible, with Carmichael’s majority slashed from more than 10,000 to 817 in the face of a strong challenge by the SNP’s Danus Skene .
Nicolson is incensed that the Lib Dem MSP for Shetland, Tavish Scott , implied his peaceful protest was a mob – “there were church elders there!” – and that the MP suggested in his rather grudging and belated statement of support for Carmichael on Wednesday that “real Shetlanders” would give their member of parliament a second chance.Nicolson is incensed that the Lib Dem MSP for Shetland, Tavish Scott , implied his peaceful protest was a mob – “there were church elders there!” – and that the MP suggested in his rather grudging and belated statement of support for Carmichael on Wednesday that “real Shetlanders” would give their member of parliament a second chance.
“A second chance has to be given, but now it feels like it’s being taken,” said Nicolson. “As a community we’re not always the best at doing things in the open, so that’s what we’re trying to do this time.”“A second chance has to be given, but now it feels like it’s being taken,” said Nicolson. “As a community we’re not always the best at doing things in the open, so that’s what we’re trying to do this time.”
Here he touched on another tension that becomes evident in discussion with residents – between a younger, freshly aware, generation wanting to discuss politics in the open, and older folk who would rather things remained as they’ve “aye been”. Here he touched on another tension that becomes evident in discussion with residents – between a younger, freshly aware, generation wanting to discuss politics in the open and older folk who would rather things remained as they’ve “aye been”.
Drinking tea in a Lerwick cafe, Brian Smith, a Shetland archivist and local historian, said he wished that people would calm down. “Shetlanders don’t usually get worked up about politics, ” he said. There was a fox-hunting atmosphere about the campaign against Carmichael, he thought. “Some are clearly from an SNP background but there are a lot more people who think that telling lies is unforgivable.”Drinking tea in a Lerwick cafe, Brian Smith, a Shetland archivist and local historian, said he wished that people would calm down. “Shetlanders don’t usually get worked up about politics, ” he said. There was a fox-hunting atmosphere about the campaign against Carmichael, he thought. “Some are clearly from an SNP background but there are a lot more people who think that telling lies is unforgivable.”
Smith noted wryly that the Labour party had defended Carmichael far better than the Liberal Democrats had done.Smith noted wryly that the Labour party had defended Carmichael far better than the Liberal Democrats had done.
Carmichael declined a request for an interview with the Guardian, and would not talk to the local BBC station nor the Shetland News before or after his Lerwick surgery on Thursday. A brief visit to his office was met with a rebuff: the executive committee of Shetland Liberal Democrats had resolved that Carmichael had retained their full confidence following a meeting Tuesday evening and there was “nothing more to say”. All individual approaches were similarly directed to the committee’s statement. Carmichael declined a request for an interview with the Guardian, and would not talk to the local BBC station nor the Shetland News before or after his Lerwick surgery on Thursday. A brief visit to his office was met with a rebuff: the executive committee of Shetland Lib Dems had resolved that Carmichael had retained their full confidence following a meeting Tuesday evening and there was “nothing more to say”. All individual approaches were similarly directed to the committee’s statement.
Eventually, one Shetland Liberal Democrat agreed to speak on condition of anonymity. Was he concerned about revealing his identity to this purported SNP lynch mob? Not at all, he replied cheerfully. “In the main, Shetlanders don’t wear their politics on their sleeves. There wouldn’t be any malign repercussions if I did put my name to it, but it is in the bloodstream of islanders that the operation of local society is mutually exclusive with the confrontational nature of party politics. Even our habit of voting liberal is about sitting comfy in the middle.” Eventually, one Shetland Lib Dem agreed to speak on condition of anonymity. Was he concerned about revealing his identity to this purported SNP lynch mob? Not at all, he replied cheerfully. “In the main, Shetlanders don’t wear their politics on their sleeves. There wouldn’t be any malign repercussions if I did put my name to it, but it is in the bloodstream of islanders that the operation of local society is mutually exclusive with the confrontational nature of party politics. Even our habit of voting liberal is about sitting comfy in the middle.”
He dismissed the current dispute as “synthetic indignation from aggrieved nationalists”. He added: “With rolling news, social media and all that carry-on it’s so easy for ephemeral issues to be puffed up – it will pass.”He dismissed the current dispute as “synthetic indignation from aggrieved nationalists”. He added: “With rolling news, social media and all that carry-on it’s so easy for ephemeral issues to be puffed up – it will pass.”