THE Scottish Liberal Democrats have produced an etiquette guide for the Holyrood by-election in Shetland as they draft in help from mainland.
The party has warned activists from outside the constituency that referring to “The Shetlands” is regarded as a “no no”.
Members contacting voters by phone have also being given tips on pronouncing Norse place names in the islands.
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“Don’t pronounce the ‘y’ and extend the ‘aa’ sound,” the uninitiated are told.
A phonetic guide informs would-be callers that “Bressay = Bress a”, “Scalloway = Scall o wa”, “Sullom Voe oil terminal = Soollum Voe” and “Eshaness = Euh shnuss”.
As for the village of Aith, “some people might also call it Ee d”, it says.
Former LibDem party leader Tavish Scott won Shetland in 2016 with a 44.3 per cent lead over the SNP, the biggest relative majority in Scotland.
However he quit politics after 20 years in June to become head of external affairs at Scottish Rugby.
Councillor Beatrice Wishart hopes to succeed him, with renewables worker Tom Wills challenging for the SNP.
Despite the Northern Isles traditionally returning LibDems to Westminster and Holyrood, the SNP have thrown considerable resources at the fight, with visits by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and deputy FM John Swinney.
A Scot LibDem spokesperson said: “Our hardworking members are determined to make Beatrice Wishart the next MSP for Shetland.
“Unfortunately the SNP have repeatedly failed to deliver fair funding for Shetland’s lifeline transport links so not everyone can afford to travel up and help in person.
“One of our members in Shetland kindly wrote this to assist anyone from outside Shetland who wanted to help out.”
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