Captain Calamity to declare independence

0 Comments | AFP, June, 2008

LONDON (AFP) — A tiny isle off the coast of Britain's northern-most island chain is to declare independence, claiming it had never been legally part of the country anyway, the Shetland News said Thursday.

Forvik island's only resident, Stuart Hill, said his new territory off the west coast of Shetland recognises neither the British government nor the European Union and should become a Crown dependency like the Channel Islands.

In other words, the rocky, 2.5-acre (1.0-hectare) outcrop would be not be part of the United Kingdom, but run its own affairs and have no income, sales, property or corporation taxes.

The 65-year-old, known locally as "Captain Calamity" after being rescued on a doomed circumnavigation attempt of the British isles seven years ago, also...