Dave Thompson MSP

Dave Thompson SNP MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch will speak warmly today in the Parliamentary debate of the positive vision for land Reform enschrined in the Bunchrew Land Declaration.

Mr Thompson said: “The publication of the Bunchrew Land Declaration is an important contribution towards establishing new land ownership patterns in Scotland, for the Common Good and in the Public Interest.

He went on: “The Bunchrew Declaration recognises that Scotland’s Land Reform journey is behind most of Europe, where more equitable patterns of land ownership have been delivered in recent centuries.

In his speech he points out that over half of Scotland’s private land is owned by just 432 people with 10% owned by 16 individuals or groups which means that Scotland has one of the most unequal patterns of land ownership in Europe.

However, he cautioned: “But, we as a Parliament also have to be honest about how we are going to do this and it would be remiss of me not to mention that Westminster still makes many decisions for us, such as on Postal Privatisation and renewal of Trident Nuclear missiles which are not supported in this chamber.

He continued: “The problem is, that the establishment in London and, particularly, the millionaires in the cabinet and the House of Lords will make it impossible to enact the type of radical reform we seek.

And he went on to say, “Members know what the answer is. We can eradicate the House of Lords at the stroke of a pen and take our taxation system into our own hands on the 18th September.

He finished with the following challenge: “The answer is in Labour’s hands but do they have the courage to grasp it?

Note:

The debate itself takes place in the Scottish Parliament Chamber at 5.10 pm today (Tuesday) and can be seen live at http://www.scottishparliament.tv/