Land Matters - …the blog and website of Andy Wightman

If the problem is debt what does more debt achieve?

Posted on July 13, 2012 by Andy Wightman

Today the Bank of England and HM Treasury launched the Funding for Lending scheme (full details here) designed to enable banks to lend more money to the “real economy” (i.e. not financial institutions). But, as the above graphic shows, the

I am the evidence (cont.)

Posted on July 11, 2012 by Andy Wightman

Further to my previous blog on the future prospects for Donald trump’s golf course (scroll down to see it), I am delighted to publish some photographs which illustrate Point 2 – that the Menie dunes will keep moving. These photographs

10 reasons why Trump’s golf course will fail

Posted on July 10, 2012 by Andy Wightman

Having taken a close interest in Donald Trump’s new golf course at Menie Estate, I have at times wondered whether, irrespective of the events of the past, it will be a success or not. Today, as the golf course is

Future of the Crown Estate in Scotland

Posted on July 10, 2012 by Andy Wightman

Today, the UK Government published its response to the final Report of the Scottish Affairs Committee’s Inquiry into the Crown Estate in Scotland. The SAC Inquiry was the most detailed evidence-based investigation into how the Crown Estate Commissioners (CEC) operate

Banking in an independent Scotland

Posted on June 29, 2012 by Andy Wightman

John Swinney writes a long piece in today’s Daily Record (1) on the Barclay’s rate-rigging scandal. He says a lot about Labour’s past failings but nothing about his own plans for banking reform and merely concludes that “If we are

Barclays PLC is guilty of criminal behaviour

Posted on June 27, 2012 by Andy Wightman

This evening I submitted the following report to the Tower Hamlets Division of the Metropolitan Police. “I am contacting you as the police authority responsible for the area in which Barclays PLC, 1 Churchill Place, London has its HQ. From

The Queen’s Realm

Posted on June 27, 2012 by Andy Wightman

The Queen today visited Northern Ireland. Aside from the politics of the occasion, it is worth noting that Northern Ireland is the one part of the UK where the border is not yet agreed. Lough Foyle (red circle in the

I hope this is what the Scottish Government wanted

Posted on June 22, 2012 by Andy Wightman

Communications and public relations are a necessary part of modern political life. Indeed, getting your message over often absorbs more time and effort than the content of the message itself. So, when the First Minister, Alex Salmond, was invited to

New Website

Posted on June 16, 2012 by Andy Wightman

A dance on Hawick Common after the races My website and blog are now integrated into one (seamless) web presence. I hope this helps folk find information of interest. Please advise me if you spot anything that doesn’t seem to

The Spin on Salmond’s Speech

Posted on June 5, 2012 by Andy Wightman

For the record (and bearing in mind this is written by a spin doctor), here is the opening from Scottish Land & Estate’s e-newsletter of 1 June 2012. “This has been a very busy week indeed, it started with our

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