Shetland Times poll: Should the roadside verges be cut more often? Yes: 27% No: 71% Period: 17 - 26 July 2026 Sample size: 111 (Note: unweighted, unscientific poll)

Orkney Islands Council has recently decided to create a new position of deputy convener, in a slight shake-up to the council leadership. Shetland Islands Council has long had a depute convener. The position has been held by Catherine Hughson (Shetland Central, Independent) since this March.

With parties beginning to make announcements, how might next year's council election seat numbers look if vote trends moved in the same way as May's Scottish Parliament election? [JUST FOR FUN - THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN!] Independents: 19 (-1) Green: 2 (+1) Labour: 1 Reform UK: 1 (+1) +/- vs. 2022

With parties beginning to make announcements, how might next year's council election vote share look if vote trends moved in the same way as May's Scottish Parliament election? [JUST FOR FUN - THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN!] Independents: 69% (-19) Green: 14% (+7) Reform UK: 11% (+11) ... +/- vs. 2022

BBC Radio Shetland reports the SNP plans to contest next year's local council election, in addition to Reform UK. The SNP previously contested elections in 2012, 2017 and 2022. Based on the last election, there may also be Green and Labour candidates contesting - alongside the usual independents.

Reform UK announced it plans to contest Orkney and Shetland's council elections next year. Previous parties to contest in Shetland: 2022: Green, SNP, Labour, Sovereignty 2017: Conservative, SNP 2012: SNP, Christian 2007: Lib Dem, Socialist, Conservative More: www.shetnews.co.uk/2026/07/23/r...

Orkney and Shetland, Westminster constituency, Find Out Now/Electoral Calculus MRP projection: Liberal Democrats: 55% Scottish National Party: 16% (-2) Reform UK: 11% (+1) Green: 12% (-1) Conservative: 3% Restore Britain: 3% (+3) Labour: 0% +/- vs. 27 March - 7 April 2026 Fieldwork: 23-30 June

Orkney and Shetland Westminster constituency, More in Common MRP projection: Liberal Democrat: 45% (-14) Scottish National Party: 18% (+9) Green: 16% (+9) Reform UK: 16% (+10) Conservative: 3% Labour: 2% (-7) +/- vs. 1-31 March 2026 projection Fieldwork: 5-28 June 2026

Shetland Times poll: Could Shetland accommodate more tourism growth? Yes: 26% No: 74% Period: 10-17 July 2026 Sample size: 120 (Note: unweighted, unscientific poll)

Trying out a new visualisation format ahead of next year's local council elections... Here's a bubble chart showing how many first preferences each candidate received in the 2022 Shetland Islands Council election.

The 15 towns shortlisted from 398 applications to be the first UK Town of Culture: Basildon Birkenhead Corby Great Yarmouth Grimsby Ilfracombe Isle of Bute Leith Lerwick Pontypridd Port Talbot Rotherham Sandown Stockton Town Centre Ward Strabane

Shetland Times poll: Do you think a 'local quota' on NorthLink ferries would work? Yes: 66% No: 34% Period: 26 June - 4 July 2026 Sample size: 137 (Note: unweighted, unscientific poll)

Support for the status quo of 29 municipalities was highest among supporters of the conservative Centre Party, while support for amalgamating to 3 municipalities was highest among supporters of the liberal Progress Party.

The BBC has a map of the tunnels that Shetland Islands Council now formally supports building (from five years ago - this process has been going on for a while!). (Yes, I mostly posted this as an excuse to put the rest of the UK in a box)

Shetland Islands Council has backed plans to build tunnels in Shetland - though progress is still dependent on funding. Connections to Yell and Unst will be prioritised, with a "longer term commitment" to Bressay and Whalsay. Foula, Papa Stour and Skerries will continue to be served by ferries.

Shetland Times poll: Do you agree with the UK government's social media ban for under-16s? Yes: 52% No: 48% Period: 19-26 June 2026 Sample size: 67 (🫲🫱) (Note: unweighted, unscientific poll)

Orkney and Shetland (EU membership referendum), More in Common MRP projection, June 2026: Rejoin: 74% (+14) Stay out: 26% (-14) +/- vs. 2016 referendum

Happy Pride! 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ Today's schedule for Shetland Pride can be found here: www.shetlandpride.co.uk/shetland-pri...

-Hannah Mary Goodlad (SNP): None (as a minister) -Kristopher Leask (Green): Economy, Tourism and Energy Committee -Maree Todd (SNP): None (as a minister) -Morven-May MacCallum (Lib Dem): Social Justice, Housing and Local Government Committee (2/2)

Jersey: Lyndon Farnham (Independent), the incumbent Chief Minister of Jersey since 2024, appears on course to be re-elected next week in an uncontested vote.

Some dramatic results from the recent election in Niue, a Pacific island in free association with New Zealand: in the constituency of Alofi South, the Prime Minister, Dalton Tagelagi, was re-elected by just one vote!

Shetland Times poll: Will Shetland see its first tunnel within the next decade? Yes: 46% No: 54% Period: 1-6 June 2026 Sample size: 52 (Note: unweighted, unscientific poll)

Shetland's new MSP, Hannah Mary Goodlad (SNP), made her first speech in the Scottish Parliament today, closing a debate on wealth taxation on behalf of the Scottish Government.

Shetland Times poll: Should Commercial Street be fully pedestrianised? Yes: 61% No: 39% Period: 22-29 May 2026 Sample size: 131 (Note: unweighted, unscientific poll)

How Shetland's MSPs voted on a motion calling for the powers to hold an independence referendum: For: Ariane Burgess (Green) Hannah Mary Goodlad (SNP) Kristopher Leask (Green) Maree Todd (SNP) Against: Max Bannerman (Reform) Vic Currie (Reform) Tim Eagle (Conservative) Morvern-May MacCallum (LD)

Jim Fairlie (Perthshire South and Kinross-shire, SNP) has been appointed Minister for Agriculture, Marine and the Islands. He takes over over the islands brief from Mairi Gougeon (Angus North and Mearns, SNP), who stood down at the election.

To be elected First Minister, a candidate needs to receive more votes than for all other candidates combined, with at least 33 members taking part in the vote.

Shetland's new MSP, Hannah Mary Goodlad (SNP), has been appointed the next Minister for Public Finance. This is the first time that Shetland's constituency MSP has been part of the Scottish Government since 2007, when Tavish Scott (Lib Dem) served as Minister for Transport and Telecommunications.

Map of the 2026 council election results in the Isle of Wight (Wikimedia Commons, Iseethesea123).