IRRESPECTIVE of independent MSP Fergus Ewing’s tentative support for large land owners, praise must go to the Scottish Government ’s Rural Affairs Secretary, Mairi Gougeon, for guiding the Land Reform Bill through parliament.

With a massive majority of 85 to 28, it has been described as the most radical land reform legislation in the history of devolution. This may or may not be the case. The minister said: “this bill represents an ambitious step forward on our land reform journey”. However, with only a few hundred people, out of more than five million, owning most of Scotland’s land, this is a definite step forward.

Finally with the Tories still calling for the bill to be scrapped, the minister thanked those who in the past have worked for this reform, including Donald Dewar, Winnie

See Full Page