SNP and Tories block Green proposals to prevent large land hoarders
An amendment to the Land Reform Bill proposed by Green MSP Ariane Burgess to allow Ministers to refuse a land sale if the buyer already owns 500ha of Scotland has been voted down by the SNP and Tories.
Reacting to the vote, Ariane said:
“I am deeply disappointed that the Scottish Government has taken the side of vested interests rather than backing Green proposals to prevent large landowners from hoarding even more of Scotland.
“There are far too many communities in the Highlands and Islands who are shut out of discussions about their future because the land, the housing, the local shop and the hotel are all owned by one landowner. It’s simply unfair to keep the door open for more communities to end up trapped in the hands of the super-rich.
“This bill could have delivered the land reform that Scotland so badly needs, but the Scottish Government has put the profits of billionaires and landowners ahead of the needs of our rural communities.
"It’s a shame that we’ve seen a real lack of ambition to deliver the real land reform that is so vital.”