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In 1977 he renounced his citizenship of the United Kingdom and "established" the Pictish Free State, a putative micronation on the island of Skye. Beginning with a single acre (4,000 mē) of land near Dunvegan, it has since been expanded by its supporters, reaching a reported size of around 1000 acres (4 kmē) in 2004.
Robbie the Pict refuses to recognise UK law, and has been arrested on over 300 occasions for (minor) breaches. He refuses to pay British road-tax on his car, to which he has added Pictish Free State Diplomatic Corps license plates (although the police do not recognise the diplomatic immunity Robbie the Pict contends this indicates). He has been imprisoned on a number of occasions, mostly for non-payment of fines.
He is a noted campaigner in the removal of tolls on the Skye Bridge, and stood for election to the Scottish Parliament as an independent candidate for the Highlands and Islands electoral area in both the 1999 electionThe polling date for the first Scottish Parliament election was held on 7th May, 1999. The Scottish National Party (SNP) had polled well in opinion polls running up to the election, gaining some 40% approval ratings and leading Labour, but this level of s (as a Scottish People's Mission candidate) and the 2003 electionThe polling date for the second Scottish Parliament election was held on May 1, 2003. The results were characterised by the rise in support for parties outwith the "main four" and a decline in support for both the Labour Party and the Scottish National Pa. He was unsuccessful on both occasions.