…the blog and website of Andy Wightman
photo: 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 readingI know two of the men pictured above and have nothing but respect for them as legal scholars. They have even been invited to the launch of my new book, The Poor had No Lawyers. But I do question the
Continue readingAt the risk of becoming an anorak, I though I would share some correspondence I have been having with the British Property Federation via Twitter on the topic of Tax Increment Financing (see previous posts today). This correspondence has taken
Continue readingWhen John Swinney approved the tax increment finance scheme for Leith docks last week (see previous post), I wonder if he was aware that among the business rate payers who would be picking up the tab for paying back the
Continue readingInteresting interview on Newsnight Scotland tonight with CEO of Scottish Futures Trust on tax increment financing. This is a funding mechanism for infrastructure projects whereby a public authority borrows money to pay for infrastructure (bridges, roads etc.) in anticipation of
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