Is scotland showing us the way ?

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

In scotland what is happening is based on the policies an idealist left wing socialist political class that can't count properly.

Basically a lot of Scotland is a huge void. The land isn't worth much. People are not clamouring to buy it. A few people who don't need to be megarich can afford large estates because there isn't much competition to buy these tracts.

So one might ask why these numpties in Holyrood can find time to cook up this nonsense while news breaks about the NHS in Aberdeen being supposedly mismanaged. Not many MSPs standing up to talk about that other than to try misdirect the responsibility to Westminster.

Mega :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::fail:fail:fail
 
In scotland what is happening is based on the policies an idealist left wing socialist political class that can't count properly.

Basically a lot of Scotland is a huge void. The land isn't worth much. People are not clamouring to buy it. A few people who don't need to be megarich can afford large estates because there isn't much competition to buy these tracts.

[snipped]

Mega :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::fail:fail:fail

I'm guessing you don't live in a terraced house then. :D

Personally I think that transparency and in particular, a tax on property is a good thing as it is one of the few things that you can't hide offshore from the taxman.
 
"At the moment the owners of only 26% of the land in Scotland have been identified."
Sounds like an admission of ineptitude on the part of administration/government.

"The Scottish government will consider breaking up large land holdings when they impede the prospects of local people. It will provide further help to communities to buy the land that surrounds them."
The cynic in me wonders which esteemed MSP has their eye on a piece of land. And I wonder who judges if prospects are being held up.

The conspiracy theorist in me wonders if this is the prelude to new towns or industrial areas being built in otherwise little used/unused areas of which there are large tracts in Scotland. I am pretty sure, however, that altruism or for the benefit of 'the people' is not the real motive for this thinking. Time will tell.
 
"At the moment the owners of only 26% of the land in Scotland have been identified."
Sounds like an admission of ineptitude on the part of administration/government.

This has taken years in England and Wales as it's only compulsory on change of ownership.

I'm sure the only reason that we are ahead is often our small parcels of land change hand more frequently.
 
I'm guessing you don't live in a terraced house then. :D

Personally I think that transparency and in particular, a tax on property is a good thing as it is one of the few things that you can't hide offshore from the taxman.

I don't have a country estate (sadly).

If I thought there was a real problem I'd be moaning.

I don't think tax on holding assets is a good thing. But I do think capital gains tax should be generally applied - and no funny exemptions for houses ... or cars for that matter.

The real issue here is value. The majority of Scotland has low population density - very low by UK averages. That's why the figures on numbers of owners looks extreme. Also the land value is low. I don't think it's relevant to the problem they think they're trying to solve. And I don't think the emotive presentatation of the numbers of owners vs amount of land is actually relevant to that problem either.

So they twiddle ther thumbs fretting about this and avoid doing the hard stuff of making things actually work.
 
Last edited:
"
The conspiracy theorist in me wonders if this is the prelude to new towns or industrial areas being built in otherwise little used/unused areas of which there are large tracts in Scotland.

Ummmmmm. In a word...... NO.

In three words: NOT A CHANCE

We are not going to see the likes of Milton Keynes or Cumbernauld manifest itself north of Perth baswed on this policy.
 
Ummmmmm. In a word...... NO.

In three words: NOT A CHANCE

We are not going to see the likes of Milton Keynes or Cumbernauld manifest itself north of Perth baswed on this policy.

Perhaps I used the wrong analogy. If the politicians are pushing for anything, it isn't through any sense of altruism or fairness. There always seems to be an ulterior motive, personal or political but not selfless.
 
In scotland what is happening is based on the policies an idealist left wing socialist political class that can't count properly.

Of course if you happen to be a dyed-in-the-wool Unionist then you're going to find fault with anything a nationalist government do ;).
Just possibly they're looking to see who the absent landlords of these huge estates really are with a view to divvying up the land a bit fairer.
 
Of course if you happen to be a dyed-in-the-wool Unionist then you're going to find fault with anything a nationalist government do ;).
Just possibly they're looking to see who the absent landlords of these huge estates really are with a view to divvying up the land a bit fairer.

Who would they divvy it up to?
 
Of course if you happen to be a dyed-in-the-wool Unionist then you're going to find fault with anything a nationalist government do ;).

Any dogmatist can find a reason to call me a died in the wool anything that suits them. That's what they do.

This has nothing to do with unionism or nationalisim - apart from the perpetrators of the nonsense on this occasion seem to come from the latter camp.

Just possibly they're looking to see who the absent landlords of these huge estates really are with a view to divvying up the land a bit fairer.

The term 'absentee landlord' is emotive (for some reason). The underlying fact is people are not competing to buy this land and driving the prices up.

That tells us somethihng.

There is a theory (let's be kind and make it sound proper!) that trying to give communities control is a good thing. It certainly *sounds* good. But so far it's not clear what the existing initiatives have achieved as there are no instant fixes.

Meanwhile some in Holyrood want to tinker some more.

I think what they're doing isn't being driven by objectivity. And I think it's very political and actually only tinkering with the margins of the Scottish economy.

They could almost certainly be doing better things with their time in Holyrood.
 
Some people recently have been complaining about how policies decided far away by a bunch of unelected foreigners with little interest or knowledge of local conditions is a bad thing. They cite reasons like the right to self determination patriotism traditional and libertarian values. They are called UKIP and are in the main regarded to be to the right of British Politics--- and yet when similar views are expressed by Scottish Nationalists about land ownership they suddenly become an idealist left wing socialist political class that can't count properly--- I suppose it all depends on your political preconceptions. :rolleyes:

P.S. In terms of what's happened to the NHS in Aberdeen. It's almost certainly a localised situation exacerbated by [a] the effect of a huge increase in population in its catchment area and a gradual "over the years" erosion of --and failure to recruit -----good medical staff due the high cost of living in Aberdeen for those on Nationally determined wage scales. Initially this had little effect but over the last 20 odd years has had an accumulative effect. Couple that to political parties terrified to ask people to pay more for better healthcare or strive for enlightened reformation of the system and that's what you get?:dk:
 
and yet when similar views are expressed by Scottish Nationalists about land ownership they suddenly become an idealist left wing socialist political class that can't count properly--- I suppose it all depends on your political preconceptions.

I chose my words carefully.:cool:

You might have noticed my reference to a political class and those among who can't count.

*You* have fallen into the trap of making the political association with just the Scots Nats.

The muddle of Scottish politics is rather complicated - and I would assert just as broken in many ways as its Westminster counterpart but in different ways.

So not my knee jerk (on this occasion!).
wink.gif


In terms of what's happened to the NHS in Aberdeen
My feeling is that Aberdeen isn't a place that people in Holyrood notice much even when they're talking about oil. It's a almost a foreign city.

What i would suggest is that Scotland needs to settle down for at least a decade. Holyrood needs to start showing it can stand up and be seen on *real* issues and taking real responsibility. It must demonstrate that it isn't just a self-obsessed regional council that says it isn't empowered but is perhaps at times rather too comfortable within its cage rattling the bars even though the door is open.
 
I chose my words carefully.

You might have noticed my reference to a political class and those among who can't count.

*You* have fallen into the trap of making the political association with just the Scots Nats.

So not my knee jerk (on this occasion!).
wink.gif


.

Nice try but the juxtaposition of politically loaded phrases such as "an idealist left wing socialist political class that can't count properly " when talking about a proposed legislation program brought forward by a particular political party and then trying to weasel out of such a remark as somehow general rather than particular is a tactic worthy of the best Millbank tower spin doctor ;)
 
a tactic worthy of the best Millbank tower spin doctor ;)

Not up for that as a career.

But it's not just the one political party - it's a political class. As I said - Scotland's politics are quite muddled.

But I wouldn't expect those caught up with it to necessarily recognise that. (Do I need a ;) with this? )

Your kneejerk .... not mine.
 
Of course if you happen to be a dyed-in-the-wool Unionist then you're going to find fault with anything a nationalist government do ;).

Must be nice to be one of three of the union parts that has a "national" government.

We have to make do with the one that has to look after everyone.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom