…the blog and website of Andy Wightman
Amidst all the press coverage of the student demonstration in London on Wednesday, one small question was niggling me as I watched the windows being smashed in Millbank Tower. Whose windows? Who owns Millbank Tower? As it happens, the same
Continue readingYesterday, the Scottish Government published its draft Long Leases Bill which is designed to convert any lease of over 175 years (with at least 100 years left to run) to full ownership. This follows a consultation earlier this year (responses
Continue readingCountry Life have published a piece on who owns Britain and appear to be surprised that things have changed quite a bit since 1872! They should get out more often. The piece was puffed up in the Telegraph [link broken
Continue readingBrian Pack has today published his final report on the future of farming support in Scotland. Among a number of recommendations, he argues that there should be no cap on individual payments of public subsidies for farming (page 69 of
Continue readingphoto: Andrei Taranchenko via flickr Scottish Natural Heritage published a report last month which showed that ‘nature’ tourism is worth at least £1.4 billion to the Scottish economy. This includes contributions from activities such as walking, bird watching and canoeing.
Continue readingI don’t want to be a pedant but it is symptomatic of much political debate about land reform that the wrong things are said about some important matters which, if not corrected, serve only to confuse. In Iain Gray’s speech
Continue readingHarry Reid’s review of my new book in the Herald today (30 October 2010) makes exhilarating reading. I am particularly impressed by the presentation they gave it against the stunning background of a Colin Mearns photograph of South Uist (I
Continue readingI am not one who usually goes in for some of the wailing and hand wringing about the evils of the landlords or how we wus robbed in the past. Scotland is already full of plenty people for whom this
Continue readingThese were the final words uttered by Richard Lochhead in his speech to the SNP conference in Perth today. Looks like the SNP and the Liberal Democrats are now in agreement. I look forward to seeing the results but am
Continue readingToday’s Herald [broke link May 2024] carries the first extract from my new book, The Poor Had No Lawyers and relates the tale of the Hill of Alyth common. For those interested in further background to my argument, I have
Continue reading