Political Update - 14 February
The Scottish Parliament is finishing up its half term holiday, returning to business as usual on Tuesday. But as MSPs took to their constituencies for their mid-February break, their Westminster counterparts spent the early part of the week debating the impact of the UK Government’s proposed changes to Inheritance Tax for agricultural property. This debate drew contributions from nine MPs representing rural constituencies in Scotland, unified in their opposition to the government’s damaging proposals in a rare moment of consensus between Conservative, SNP and Liberal Democrat politicians. There were no representatives of Scottish Labour in the debate, which took place in the backdrop of hundreds of tractors streaming through Whitehall to protest against the government’s plans.
The rural focus in Westminster continued through to Wednesday when Gordon and Buchan MP, Harriet Cross, raised concerns during Prime Minister’s Question Time that the UK Farming Minister had described farming as ‘not a priority’ for the Labour Government, although the Prime Minister responded to say that it was ‘top of the agenda’.
As MSPs return to Holyrood next week, the rural focus for Scottish politics will continue with a debate on rural crime being led by Borders MSP Rachael Hamilton following on from rural affairs questions in the chamber; a roundup of Stage 1 evidence for the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill with the Rural Affairs Secretary, after almost a year of scrutiny; and a ministerial statement on the future of community wealth building.
As ever, SLE will be getting involved in all of next week’s rural political developments, with debate briefings, a range of political meetings and a careful eye on proceedings lined up to cover the week.
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