Scotty Dyble knows exactly what his priority would be if elected. “I want to see independence,” he says. “We have the resources to be able to prosper and be self-sufficient. It would allow us to make the right choices for our future.”

In an election where independence has been the defining theme, Mr Dyble’s words sound all too familiar. But unlike just about everyone else who has uttered this mantra, he is not a member of the SNP and the place he is referring to is not Scotland, but the Shetland Islands. “I support Scotland when they play football but I’m a Shetlander first,” says Mr Dyble, 30, from his home in the town of Scalloway on Shetland’s “West Side”.

He lives in a cluster of brightly painted wooden houses with long, sloping roofs, all imported from Norway. Just along the road, beneath a bleak hilltop and six slowly beating wind turbines, is the site of the old Norse parliament in Shetland.

The islands are closer to the Norwegian city of Bergen than Edinburgh, and nearer to the Arctic Circle than London. “As Shetlanders, we feel just as close to Scandinavia as Britain,” Mr Dyble says. “We’ve taken part in British history but we’ve never forgotten where we belong, which is with the Faeroes and Iceland as part of Scandinavia.”

Mr Dyble, an earnest-looking man with a faraway look in his eyes, has not quite worked out how Shetland would defend itself without an army or what currency it would use. He admits that some people find his views extreme. One critic puts it more bluntly: “His ideas are totally implausible. He’s mad.” But on Thursday he still hopes to win enough votes to “sneak in” as one of Shetland’s 22 councillors.

The idea of independence is a step too far for most here, but many believe that Shetland should have more power. While the young accept that they are both Scottish and Shetlanders, many of the older generation find the very suggestion offensive. Asked whether she would consider herself Scottish, Edith Lawrie, 85, Mr Dyble’s grandmother, screws up her face in horror: “No, no, no! I have never considered myself Scottish and I never will.”

It is not hard to see why Shetlanders are so protective of their identity. The islands became part of Scotland only in 1469, after 600 years of Scandinavian rule. They were pawned by King Christian I of Denmark and Norway because he was unable to raise a dowry for the marriage of his daughter, Margaret, to James III of Scotland. The dowry was never paid and in 1472 James annexed the islands. Some say that Scotland’s claim remains illegitimate, and that ancient Norse law, under which the islands would retain control of the seas and fishing, should technically still prevail.

When most Shetlanders speak of Scotland, it is as if they are referring to a foreign country. Shetland flags – a white Scandinavian-style cross on a light blue background – hang in front gardens. The local radio station even has a “Nordic News” bulletin. DNA sampling has confirmed that more than 60 per cent of male genes on the islands are of Norse origin. Place names – Haroldswick, Hamnavoe – are a testament to the Scandinavian influence. In Lerwick, the “capital”, the streets names include King Erik, King Haakon and St Olaf.

While the election campaign has gripped the mainland, in Shetland the atmosphere is subdued. Nobody expects anyone other than the current MSP, Tavish Scott, of the Liberal Democrats, to win. Party politics does not go down well and many believe, not without reason, that Holyrood’s interest in the islands is only because of their vast oil reserves. All the candidates recognise the need to devolve more authority.

Val Simpson, the SNP candidate, says that being an outsider – she is from Perthshire – does not go down well on the doorsteps. The majority of candidates for the council elections are standing as independents, even those affiliated to parties. Sandy Cluness, the Lib Dem convenor of the council, says: “I’m not standing as a Lib Dem, I’m just standing as Sandy Cluness. It’s important to be able to put the case for Shetland without having to protect party policy.” Last year more than a third of Shetlanders signed a petition opposing the Home Office’s plans to deport Sakchai Makao, a Thai-born local. Vandals recently painted out on signs the thistle emblem of Scotland’s tourist authority.

Mr Cluness is convinced that greater powers would allow the islands to thrive, and although he believes that Shetland should remain part of Scotland, it will always be a place apart.

Mr Scott says: “People here see themselves as Shetlanders first and foremost.”

Northern lights

—The Shetlands consist of about 100 islands, of which 15 are inhabited

—They are the most northerly part of the UK

—Average temperature in the summer is 13C (55F) but there can be 19 hours of daylight

—Average winter temperature is 7C, with as little as five hours’ daylight

—Biggest industries are fishing, agriculture and oil

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