The Week Ahead in Scottish Politics
Growth, jobs and the economy have dominated the General Election debate over the last week. The polls have yet to shift decisively in one direction or the other since the election was called last month, however. SLE’s message remains the same: The rural sector is delivering for people, jobs and nature. It must be central to the UK Government’s plans and cannot be ignored. As all of the major parties have now launched their manifestos, the lack of focus on key rural issues like depopulation, farm funding and rural proofing is a cause for concern.
I do, however, see this lack of rural focus as a challenge, and a reason to work harder to place these issues more firmly on the political agenda. I am delighted that we will shortly be hosting our rural hustings event with candidates and senior politicians attending , with an opportunity to place the spotlight on our often forgotten rural communities. Our event in Perth on 27 June is not to be missed, and you can find out more about it here: General Election 2024 - Rural Hustings - AK Bell Library, Perth | Scottish Land & Estates (scottishlandandestates.co.uk)
The political excitement continues in Scotland too, but this time, thankfully, with more of a focus on rural issues. We were delighted to see Scotland’s newest MSP, Tim Eagle, lead a Members’ Debate on the important issue of tackling rural depopulation last Wednesday. Mr Eagle did a fantastic job of demonstrating the challenges our rural communities face, and calling on the Scottish Government to take a targeted approach to addressing it.
This week, the Agriculture and Rural Communities Bill will complete its passage through Holyrood, with MSPs voting on the final changes to the legislation which will underpin the future agricultural support framework. SLE will be briefing MSPs ahead of the debate, and we look forward to another lively discussion around supporting our farmers on the eve of this year’s Royal Highland Show. MSPs will also have the opportunity to asks questions to the Rural Affairs Secretary and Agriculture Minister on their portfolios on Wednesday.
We can also expect a Scottish Government Debate on economic priorities on Tuesday, and a Ministerial Statement on the Housing Emergency on Thursday in a packed week for MSPs, providing plenty of opportunities to raise rural issues. In committees, SLE will be participating in an evidence session on the Housing Bill, and the NZET committee will continue its scrutiny of the Land Reform Bill.
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