Readers' letters: Scotland should use it's natural resources as a potential revenue stream

Brian Wilson cites the Scottish Government’s initial underestimate of the value of the seabed in the ScotWind fiasco as an example of its fiscal carelessness (August 17). This reference to natural resources as a potential revenue stream is crucial, and should apply universally to all land, not just theseabed.

Last week in a Financial Times article the eminent economist, Charles Goodhart, argued for land tax to become the prime source of public revenue, and urged Rachel Reeves to pursue it in order to reduce the UK’s financial black hole. He pointed out that land values exist not as a result of input by the owner, but are attributable to favourable locations and the efforts of the community as a whole. Land cannot be moved, so avoidance or evasion are not options. Unlike the negative impact of current taxes on work and investment, a land tax will not affect the quantity or quality of land.

Brian Wilson berates the Scottish Government’s handling of the country’s finances and its strategy of blaming Westminster. Indeed, in her budget statement last December Shona Robison said that Scotland had reached the “upper limit of the mitigation that can be provided within the devolved settlement”.

Shona Robison was Convener of the Social Justice and Fairness Commission whose 2021 report strongly favoured land value taxation (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Yet Shona Robison was Convener of the Social Justice and Fairness Commission whose 2021 report strongly favoured land value taxation (LVT) which could “ultimately remove our dependence on Council Tax, Land and Buildings Transaction Tax and non-domestic rates”. That report was in the context of an independent Scotland, but the devolved tax powers would allow the introduction of LVT anyway. As an entirely new tax, it would be permissible within the Fiscal Framework agreement without any change to the block grant.

Scotland must use its devolved powers creatively and re-think its tax system from scratch.

John Digney, Stirling

Freedom of speech

I don’t agree agree with John Mason on many issues, but I respect his freedom to say it and while his original comment that “If Israel wanted to commit genocide, they would have killed ten times as many.” was true, it was badly worded and lacking the context that his subsequent statement provided. There wasn’t much in it that most of the leaders of countries that support the state of Israel would disagree with, including his view that “Too many lives have already been lost in Israel, Gaza, and beyond and, as I said when I spoke in Parliament, many people feel that Israel has moved from a position of self-defence to seeking revenge.”

That his own party and others have turned on him so furiously and self-righteously while not condemning the shocking verbal assault on an elderly Jewish couple by “comedian” Reginald D Hunter and most of his audience on their own doorstep at the Edinburgh festival, or ever mentioning the ongoing genocides in Burma, Ethiopia, South Sudan Syria is perplexing, cynical andhypocritical.

Allan Sutherland, Stonehaven

Postpone aid

It is very disappointing – but perhaps not surprising, considering the minister involved – that Ed Miliband has said the new UK government will pay £11.6 billion as promised in overseas “climate aid”.

Our old have had their also promised winter fuel allowance taken away. I accept the government in the situation they inherited had little choice but cut budgets. But it is still staggering that the new Labour government sees fit to take that massive amount out of our budget in order to help other countries “fight climate change”.

I understand perfectly the need for getting our finances straightened out. However, surely this was the perfect example of exactly why charity should begin at home; overseas aid could be postponed until we had the cash available.

Mr Miliband should not have been given the brief he holds; he has previous on these matters.

Alexander McKay, Edinburgh

False Dawns?

Putin is reeling from the Ukrainian incursion into Russia, Biden is hopeful for a ceasefire agreement in Gaza and Kamala Harris is fighting toe to toe with Trump. Such optimism should be tempered by caution.

Putin continues to make gains in Ukraine, homing in on the strategically important city of Pokrovsk. Russian resources have not been diverted from crucial frontline positions as was hoped to stem the Ukrainian incursion in Kursk. While an embarrassment for Putin, ultimately it will have little strategic significance as the territory is tiny in comparison with that gained in the Donbas and Crimea. It does show, however, that Ukraine can advance further in 6 weeks than Russia has advanced in 6 months which will be a concern to Putin.

Without Hamas support for a ceasefire in Gaza, successful talks seem unlikely. Netanyahu knows that he can’t afford to stop Israeli violence against Hamas and innocent Palestinians or he will lose power to right wing radicals. Biden’s optimism can be explained by the fact that the alternative to a ceasefire will see Hezbollah enter the war in support of Hamas and a more serious Iranian strike on Israel than the damp squib back in April. The threat of a Middle Eastern conflict involving Iran hangs by a thread.

Kamala Harris continues to enjoy a honeymoon period with polls suggesting she is neck and neck with Trump. They also show she is behind in the crucial swing states of Nevada, Arizona and Georgia, all won by Biden in 2020. Harris needs to win at least one of these and maintain momentum until November. A tall order to achieve “a triumph of hope over experience”.

We can but hope.

Neil Anderson, Edinburgh

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