The Archive Time-Machine

Let us pretend that it is 1997 again, when the Iraq war had not happened, Tony still had all his hair and Labour politicians were all boogying about to D:REAM like Dads at a wedding. Down South, the papers were all full of the big Labour victory, but the Orcadian front page was all Jim Wallace's as he had been elected for the fourth time running.

Look how happy these counting people are!

It had been hoped that the constituency count would be a little faster in 1997 but foggy weather meant that the ballot boxes from the outer Shetland isles could not be collected by helicopter and had to arrive by boat instead. Eventually the Shetland boxes arrived in Kirkwall with Shetland councillor Jan Riise. When asked how his journey had been Mr Riise answered "so so."

The Iceland ash cloud caused a bit of concern this year and apparently "a really fast boat" is standing by to bring the northern votes this year.

Cheers! Let's rejoice! Friends is still on telly and Neighbours isn't rubbish yet!

The Orkney Library and Archive are of course completely objective and apolitical. We are the David Dimbleby of the North. We shall be equally overjoyed whatever happens tomorrow morning. If Gordon wins, we'll open some bubbly, if it's Nick, then we shall dip our faces in melted chocolate and then proceed to do the same to a bowl of hundreds and thousands. If David moves into number 10 then we shall run screaming through the centre of Kirkwall, clawing our eyes out in a frenzy of unalloyed joy. We shall miss our eyes.

All photos: Orkney Photographic

Information taken from The Orcadian dated 8th May 1997