Opinion: We want – and need – politicians with authenticity
© Adobe Stock My crofting neighbour heard his first cuckoo of the year on 6 April, the same day I heard my first skylark.
The pastures are filled with wildflowers, the sun’s shining and the tourists are back. Spring is in full swing and, in this Scottish election year, so are party politics.
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After a divisive campaigning period, Scotland’s given itself another left-wing majority.
This will delight people who believe in magic money trees, but it’s a horrible result for common-sense ruralists.
The Left’s policies have mostly not, to borrow their parlance, been informed by the lived experience of indigenous rural people.
I’m not saying that all the aspirations of the Left are bad, but there are some red flags waving at us.
We’re still bitter about the obnoxious Bute House Agreement, that failed marriage between the SNP and Greens from 2021-24, which resulted in a rural rebellion against insanities such as banning stoves – typically our only source of heat during inevitable power cuts – and a marine policy that would have decimated the Gàidhealtachd fishing community.
The SNP remain the largest party, but short of their desired pro-independence majority.
It’ll be devastating for the countryside if they seek another policy deal with the extremist Greens.
But the Right is also a mixed bag. Reform did well, and while their manifesto – its front cover looking strangely like a 1990s coach tour brochure – has some sensible ideas, their rural policies aren’t coherent.
The Conservative manifesto was better, but the public didn’t want to read it. Tory purgatory is far from over.
The general view from fellow crofters is that crofting communities will continue to suffer while policy is done to us, instead of with us.
I’ve gathered a few crofting asks, which include properly fixing our pothole-scarred township roads.
Next, with arable crops being so important for biodiversity here, create a modernised version of the old ploughing grants – and support local livestock production with small abattoirs and fair consumer access.
Then, tackle the gross inflation of croft values caused by the owner-occupier “lifestyle” market, and regulate crofting in favour of agriculture and against crofts being converted into glorified house plots.
Crofting communities will continue to suffer while policy is done to us, instead of with us
What else? Diversify the local economy away from dependence on tourism, so youngsters have a genuine choice of employment.
And finally, stop malicious ideologues from dominating community bodies, pretending to represent the local community when they’re really trying to subvert our crofting culture with their own fanatical beliefs.
This isn’t hyperbole, it’s happening. But there aren’t many locals who’ll say this publicly, so frightened are they by the threat of social media abuse or losing their jobs if they fall foul of the radicalism that’s captured Scotland’s political elite.
But crofters are a kind bunch, and we have some goodhearted advice for MSPs and their advisers.
Here it is – we can tell when a politician doesn’t know what they’re talking about.
Authenticity matters. We won’t co-operate with those who hector us and fail to understand our natural, symbiotic relationship with our own land.
To lead us, you need to be able to serve us. To MSPs heading to Holyrood this week, you need to prove you have the qualities vital to public service – intellectual heft and emotional depth.
That’s how to gain our respect. And without that, your policies will remain in cuckoo land.