Class and land

Once again we have the SNP picking the populist low fruit by attacking landowners.

Nicola Sturgeon might think she is going to enjoy an easy political victory but it may not work out that way.

Her class war against landowners will cause collateral damage. According to independent researchers, Scotland’s rural estates contribute £470 million to the economy every year and employ 8000 people.

Nicola Sturgeon’s plans will see the estates broken up, taxed to the hilt or weakened to such an extent to make them uneconomic.

The landowners may suffer, but the real pain will be felt by the ghillies and other workers who rely on the estates for their livelihoods. They will be the ones to lose their jobs. Most landowners are decent people who subsidise activities on their land, employ as many people as they can and keep communities thriving. This is a shameful, cheap and doctrinaire attack based purely on misguided perceived class envy.

Donald Lewis

Beech Hill

Gifford, East Lothian