Carmichael meets with Faroese Foreign Minister

Orkney and Shetland MP, Alistair Carmichael, has this week met with Faroese Foreign Minister Høgni Hoydal in Parliament, alongside other MPs. Mr Carmichael discussed a range of issues with the minister, including the upcoming opening of the latest tunnel link in Faroe.

Speaking after the meeting, Mr Carmichael said:

“The progress of the campaign for fixed links in the isles has been quite remarkable in the last two years. There is a sense of momentum now and that is why the meeting with the Faroese Foreign Minister this week was so important, as yet another strike of the drumbeat.

“Speaking to the Faroese minister this week it was notable that the latest tunnel they are opening is over ten kilometres long and connects a community of just 1,600. That clearly tells a tale about what is practicable and the scale that is viable. It is one further spur from our northern neighbours for us to move ahead.

“We had the first Tunnel Vision event online in January 2022. Since then we have seen £700,000 coming in from the council to investigate the options, an officer appointed to take charge, and we have the Tunnel Action Groups preparing the case in their communities and raising funds for geological studies and other necessary work.

“There is much further to go on this road – but the lesson from Faroe is that once we get the first link made, the case for the next one will make itself.”