First Brexit, now Orxit? Politicians on Scotland's Orkney Islands vote to explore more autonomy

Officials on the Orkney Islands have voted to explore ways of seeking more autonomy or even independence from neglectful U.K. governments. Orkney Islands Council voted to study “alternative models of governance” for the archipelago which has a population of 22,000. The proposal from council leader James Stockan grabbed international headlines with its mention of potentially restoring Orkney’s “Nordic connections." Orkney was under Norwegian and Danish control for centuries until 1472 when the islands were taken by the Scottish crown as part of a royal wedding dowry. Stockan said Tuesday that his proposal “is not about us joining Norway” but about countering “discrimination" from governments in Edinburgh and London.