Election 2026: Shetland questions for candidates
Shetland First is not asking people to vote for us. We are asking candidates to answer Shetland.
The purpose of this section is simple: to publish a clear set of questions that matter to Shetland, invite every candidate to respond, and place those responses side-by-side as a public record.
Why this matters
The coming parliamentary term will shape decisions that are effectively irreversible: seabed use, marine space, energy export infrastructure, grid industrialisation, and long-term contractual commitments.
In that context, vague slogans are not enough — and neither is cherry-picking issues for emotional appeal. Candidates should be asked clear questions, and the public should be able to compare clear answers.
What Shetland First is (and is not)
- Not a political party.
- Not a candidate slate.
- Not a call for boycott.
- It is a calm civic platform for accountability and informed consent.
The method
- Publish a fixed set of questions.
- Invite every candidate to respond.
- Publish answers in a standard format.
- Record non-answers as non-answers.
- Keep a clean public archive.
Fairness principle
The process should be designed so money or influence cannot buy the outcome.
This is why the platform is free, structured, and offered equally to every candidate and party.
Start here
The questions are short, bounded, and written so candidates can answer without being ambushed. They focus on what is assumed versus what is evidenced, and on what commitments candidates are prepared to make and how they propose to implement them.