Labour plan to tax crofters

Angus Macneil

Western isles MP Angus MacNeil has hit out at the Labour Government’s latest proposals which will mean the Crofting Industry will have to in future share the costs with the Government for any animal disease outbreak.

Mr MacNeil has said that this is another heartless tax on rural communities and in particular the agricultural sector in Scotland, and is calling on the Leader of the Labour Party in Scotland, Iain Gray to distance himself from this latest Labour tax.

Mr MacNeil will also be tabling a question in the House of Commons on this issue.

Commenting Mr MacNeil said:

“This latest tax proposal to emerge from the Labour Government will be counter productive. It’s another nail in the coffin for the livestock industry in Scotland, and added with the islands paying the highest costs of fuel tax in the UK, it shows Labours total disregard for crofters in the Hebrides. Once again it shows a complete lack of naiveity by a Labour Government which is intent on destroying rural areas.

“This week for the SNP, the villages of West Harris are taking control over their own land, and an SNP Minister being the keynote speaker at a Crofting Conference in Stornoway, and amongst this good news we have reckless proposals from Labour to damage crofting.

“I will be tabling a question in the House of Commons on this issue, and I will also be writing to the Leader of the Labour Party in Scotland Mr Iain Gray asking that the party in Scotland distance themselves from this unnecessary and counter productive tax.”

“So terrible has been Labour’s economic record that they are now reduced to taxing crofters.

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