Defamation
In October 2016 I received a letter from a law firm alleging defamation in relation to two blogs written by me and published on this website. I am publishing this blog in order to:- provide an update to a wide range
Continue readingDeclaration of Interests, Income and Tax 2015
Since 2010, I have been (like a couple of my self-employed writer/activist colleagues George Monbiot and Alastair McIntosh) making an annual declaration of interests, income and tax. Previous declarations can be found at the foot of the About page. Commentators, campaigners
Continue readingTulchan Estate is not for sale
Newspapers including the Daily Telegraph reports excitedly that the Tulchan Estate in Morayshire is on the market for offers £25 million. A closer look at the facts, however, indicates that this is not so. The Press Release published by Savills makes
Continue reading“Pentland Ltd. is a UK trading company”
Following my previous blog on the offshore interests of the Scott/Buccleuch family, the Panama Papers have emerged. I look forward to interrogating the 2.6 terabytes of data once it is made available for public examination in early May. Meanwhile, I
Continue readingA Leonardo da Vinci painting, a Country Park and a secrecy jurisdiction – the offshore interests of the Scott family.
by Andy Wightman and Carole Ross Buccleuch Estates Ltd. Mr Richard Scott (sometimes referred to as the Duke of Buccleuch) is frequently cited as the owner of the largest extent of private land in the United Kingdom. Yet, this has
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Why should tenants be evicted because the landlord wants to sell?
Lorne Street tenants protesting at City Chambers, Edinburgh November 2015 The American land and tax reformer, Henry George, observed in his book, Progress and Poverty, that “thirty thousand people have legal power to expel the whole population from five-sixths of
Continue reading£30,100,000 divided by 2640 = £11,401
On 19 February, the Chief Executive of Scottish Land and Estates (the body representing 1351 landowners owning 29% of Scotland) wrote the following in his weekly newsletter to SLE members. Mr McAdam’s grievance stemmed from the fact that the Scottish
Continue readingHighland Titles Day
UPDATE 19 APRIL 2020 This blog, together with a previous one published on 29 September 2015 were the subject of defamation proceedings brought by Wildcat Haven Enterprises CIC against myself in a citation from the Court of Session served on
Continue readingDeclaration of Interests, Income and Tax 2014
Since 2010, I have been (like a couple of my self-employed writer/activist colleagues George Monbiot and Alastair McIntosh) making an annual declaration of interests, income and tax. Previous declarations can be found at the foot of the About page. Commentators,
Continue readingLand Reform (Scotland) Bill Stage 2
This Wednesday the Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee (RACCE) holds it first meeting to consider amendments to the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill at Stage 2. Once the Committee has completed Stage, its amended Bill will go forward to
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