BBC Scotland Investigates - The Men Who Own Scotland

Meet the powerful - and usually very private - people who own much of our country. Reporter David Miller goes in search of Scotland's landowners and asks whether it's fair that less than one per cent of Scots own over half of all Scotland's private land. As the government considers radical change, he asks whether big landowners really are the problem, and whether communities will end up owning more of the land they live on.

[@benjamindavidscargill5633]

I personally have no issue with big landowning families in Scotland because from what I can tell the public are legally allowed to walk/camp pretty much anywhere so what difference does it make? I'd rather they kept it to hunt and fish than sold it to some property developer who wants to build a million dwellings as they would in England.

[@SM-ov4vl]

Definitely don’t give the land to politicians

[@elizabethmilligan2197]

Dont think that's gonna happen BillGates already owns more than half the land in USA and in the UK it Prince Charles owns most.

[@smallfeet4581]

some are slavering at the mouth hoping to get their paws on it , leave it as it is , unspoiled , unlike culloden with housing estate and god knows what

[@philipverity113]

What are we to do? Should we hand over this beautiful land to corrupt politicians to be destroyed & have vast housing schemes built?

[@feeline1120]

In Germany a lot of many landowners have sold their land in recent years and they were turned into suburbs American style. I can’t talk about the whole of Germany but here in the north they are constantly building new houses. It’s especially heartbreaking when they have torn down an old building or an old farm..

[@delaineyjohnson8238]

I can tell you as an American I have always lived in that type of housing and long for a farm without neighbors. It's annoying looking out your window at another window that isn't family.

[@simonhadley8829]

Something to keep in mind; I've watched open land, farm land and ranch land get sold off over the past thirty years and develop into suburban sprawl here in the U.S. Small farming communities that were once considered to be "way out in the sticks" are now part of the Dallas Fort Worth metropolis with strip malls, big box stores, freeways and cookie cutter housing additions everywhere you look. Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it.

[@birddog7492]

Please listen to Simon Hadley What he's telling you is very true.

[@joseba1078]

Well, what you say about Texas is true, but I do not think you could ever extrapolate that to Scotland. Texas has almost 30 million people in it, with quite a lot of big cities that are booming. Scotland simply doesn't have that demographic dynamism and urbanisation is not going to speed up simply because there is suddenly more land available.

[@dylan4964]

@@joseba1078 the urban sprawl isnt there because of the 30 million people, The 30 million people are there because of the urban sprawl. Logically if scotland builds far more housing driving the cost down will cause more to move in.

[@scottwhitley3392]

That’s not what this is about, this film was about the aristocracy buying all the land in the 17/1800s to use for their own recreation at the same time evicting 100,000s of native Gaelic people that lived their, effectively destroying an entire culture. People think the highlands was always empty when infact it was once were the majority of the Scottish population lived. Urban sprawl happened in Scotland also with places like greater Glasgow housing nearly 2.8 million people.

[@celticwarrior777]

Luckily in Scottish Highlands most don't want to live above Aberdeen. It's windy, bitter exposed and totally raw. Nothing but nature which puts many off living here nothing here but wide openfields, space, boggy land, rocky and wetlands. At the very top a small povpopulation ulation of 50 000 total hours away in train from actual malls. They don't want outsiders and they make their lives miserable to drive them out. I've had to live with that anti social your not local get out for a decade. It's different here in Scotland than texas. Lot more unfriendly and it keeps people from staying in rural places.

[@antonclark3420]

A lot of these landowners have probably preserved these areas of land from being polluted, ruined and destroyed. People argued heritage peers were a bad and outdated anachronism from the past, not fit for the 21st century. So they were deposed. Now we have politically appointed cronies who’s interest is money/bribes and allowances to attend the upper house. Heritage peers felt a sense of duty and could not be bought. So meddle with the status quo at your peril, beautiful Scotland could easily be ruined.

[@OmmerSyssel]

Which source of pollution should be placed in the middle of nowhere? Lot's of statement presented, very few facts..

[@sissaboolives2012]

Agreed trust is the greatest economic commodity, you know the family(land owners) for years, they know the community so are usually less likely to violate that trust. It is a fortunate thing indeed, in this age of greedy globe-hopping unaccountable unknowns, ready to gain and exploit property for whatever reason, if the land owner is known to be of good character, wishes to preserve and not pollute the large land masses, and is equally generous in sharing the land with the community, also sharing the historical ties the community members have. Very fortunate situation.

[@kirsteneasdale5707]

Anton Clark They maintain the land for hunting shooting and fishing which means the destruction of the natural environment. The felling of ancient forests to begin with and yearly burning of Heather on moors so that upper class idiots can get a clear shot. People were also cleared from the land in order to introduce more money making sheep. The few workers which estates employ, live in tied cottages which makes them powless. Egalitarian ownership certainly hasn’t done Norway any harm. Why should ordinary people be hemmed in to small areas when so much land is empty? An upper chamber stuffed with unelected peers, is an anachronism in the 21st century.

[@sodalitia]

@@kirsteneasdale5707 Finally someone mentioned destruction of habitat. The deer are also kept in high numbers for sport and mostly, because they graze on tree seedlings so that nothing grows even on tops of the hills. Also the sheep farming is not so much to make money, but to get subsidies from government for owning vast empty land. The moment it is forested, the money flow stops. So the system is actively rewarding the wildlife habitat destruction.

[@wrightgregson9761]

see my comment above about the resistance of most landowners to allow reforestation to occur. Remember that Scotland was heavily forested originally.

[@lon3don]

Government Land Reform. Stalin and Mugabe spring to mind.

[@alenpaul2523]

Exactly

[@tomsmyth5138]

Keep it out of the hands of the government.

[@williama.hovestreydt6623]

Has life EVER been "FAIR"

[@LeeGee]

They take the land by force and then write a law to fix it that way, along with a monopoly on the use of force. Sassenach.

[@keithmcgowan1363]

Jealousy is a powerful driver

[@johnsteel5299]

@@LeeGee 1966

[@juzzlookin]

What a pile of crap, nobody knows anything and nobody can change it....just goes to show, they must've been happy with it all along. If it was really bad, they'd get off their asses and do something.

[@09Magyck]

@Graf von Losinj have you gotta link at all please

[@jnucleo]

Perhaps an even more compelling documentary would be: Who owns the BBC?

[@ChrisGroggyCreaser]

Left wing Anarchists!!... :(

[@grateberk6435]

you

[@Jaysonbc1234]

China, we just pay for it...

[@ludgang5]

its a national treasure owned by the people

[@paulashe7460]

The license fee payers.

[@stevewilson9154]

Life is not fair, nor can you make it fair by any means. Just use your God given abilities to the fullest.

[@mikerupp2312]

I like the county fair, but I agree Steve, this notion of fairness is silly do the best you can the results will sort themselves out

[@landornan]

The big difference is that you aren't born with a gorgeous wife. These land owners never worked for it.

[@fredrik8500]

That’s the same thing I tell people when I rob them.

[@fuckfannyfiddlefart]

Those abilities include the ability for socialist revolution. #HaggisTheRich

[@ArcanisUrriah]

"Life is not fair, nor can you make it fair by any means." So you should just give up? The acceptance of the status quo is not how we have evolved to the generally good standard of living we have.

[@antonysteel8061]

How about investigating SNP betrayal of covid rules

[@brozbro]

There's always someone who knows better than you.....and they are always best to define what "fair" is.

[@peteodonnell6219]

Why change what works, as you mentioned, Scotland is beautiful - open it up for profit, it wont stay that way. dirty great refineries and other land exploitation, We say no to that, let the toffs keep it, as it is - safe

[@MegaSkiboy]

You have a point. I hate the idea of one person owning so much but it is true that they treat the land more as their personal garden. Big business would destroy it.

[@ax6356]

@Liam id argue that this not be the same issue

[@geraldswain3259]

@Liam As a former RSPB member, now a very keen amateur ornathologist ,why do I find far more wildlife in general on private estates and moorland,I than I ever have on the same owned by the public and RSPB. I used to think like you . The killing of raptors is practiced by a very small minority . It has been scientifically proven (in depth studies ) that keepers in general do far more good than harm ,I would suggest you spread your wings a little and visit some of these places ,it is amazing how helpful many can be . On a final note ,I lived in Coventry for many years which has many public parks where wardens used to control certain species to protect the songbird population that used to thrive . Since stopping this practice (liberal gov council ) some 20 yrs ago there has been a catastrophic loss in the number of small bird ,now every one of these parks bar none have literally swarms of corvids and little else , no longer worth visiting if you are into wild life .

[@honeybear200]

@Liam you need to legalize marijuana in scotland maybe all your rich folks will grow weed on the land instead of killing all your wildlife. I'd like to go over yonder to Scotland one day and see my old ancestry homes of Riddell and macdonald clans. P.s. try to get your country to grow some trees back Scot pine is very pretty in the snow.

[@honeybear200]

@Liam well dammit liam that really sucks I have no idea on how to aid you now😁😂

[@teresaharris-travelbybooks5564]

The reason people come to Scotland on holiday; is to see the unspoiled, open land and the castles, and the historic places. Why would you want to take the land from the people who preserve it?

[@adammoney9981]

id love to have a few acres of land and live in a stone cabin and be Eco its my dream life style but i have a shit underpaid bricklaying job so it will never happen i slave my guts out to have a shit pit house in north east England the site i work on is nice new builds and the ones that people have already moved in and viewing are just about Muslims all paid for by tax payers how the fuck dose that work

[@jbravobravo493]

I am a bricklayer to i want that dream to lol

[@zen4men]

Welcome to Global Marxism!

[@delaineyjohnson8238]

I'm glad they've kept Scotland open and hasn't over built like you see everywhere else.

[@BOLLEFISK123]

If Scotland had good weather it would be full!

[@delaineyjohnson8238]

@@BOLLEFISK123 I hate good weather.

[@andrewyoung749]

@@BOLLEFISK123 so true if Scotland had thong bikini weather largs would be a boom town.

[@fwcolb]

It's because most of the land will not sustain people except in poverty. Why my ancestor left.

[@WhirledPublishing]

@Chris liv If your thinking skills were as developed as your writing skills, you could come up with a solution.

[@smacwhinnie]

And BTW, we have tried community owned land in the US. They are called Indian reservations. Miserable places where the inhabitants are stuck in poverty, and no way to own a home and accrue equity.

[@jeffbrunswick5511]

Is the plight of the Native Americans defined by 'community owned land' or did something else affect their culture? How about the decimation of their population by European immigrants, followed by degrading their status to second class citizens in their own land. Do you reckon that had any influence?

[@milopepper2559]

26:30 Do what he's proposing, and indeed the land values will fall. Because no one will want to buy that land. Who would be foolish enough to pay for land that the government just took away from someone else without compensating them the full value of what the land is worth? You might be able to buy it cheaper, but that's no guarantee that the minute you hand over your cash, the government informs you that they've just sold it again to somebody else for even less than what you paid for it. Sounds like a government legalized Ponzi scheme to me.

[@Sabhail_ar_Alba]

This is a typically BBC politically correct documentary. If you notice he mentions nothing about the foreigners who own large area's of the Highlands instead he chooses the small number of British landowners . The journo (Miller) is a right-on BBC man who should be asking if the laws can be changed to stop rich Arabs (and others) taking over Highland estates and then blocking the right to roam.

[@alistairthompson8311]

You mean we should go along the same route as Switzerland and not allow foreign citizens the right to buy property in the UK?

[@user-vg1fs2uk4p]

Laura Connolly do you let strangers walk around your garden I don't.

[@VJBlues]

That is the reason Switzerland remains independent and strong. They can't care less about what others think about them.

[@flake452]

You mean the foreigners who bought it as opposed to the Aristocrats who have it because their ancestors stole it?

[@AlbaRecoil]

Switzerland have the right idea, to hell with political correctness. You look after your own first.

[@Simonjose7258]

12:40 Oh how sad. All the peasant serfs that lived around the property in cottages have moved away. As if they thought they were independent and could chart their own courses in life. How selfish. It's so hard to find a peasant these days.

[@jareeda_]

"it may not be fair but i mean, is it fair that your wife is prettier than mine?" lmao wtf

[@SAXONWARLORD1000AD]

DUMB REPLY - HE HAD A CHOICE OF WIFE - IF HE MARRIED UGLY,THATS HIS PROBLEM - HE WAS HANDED 53,000 ACRES - MOST FOLKS WOULD LIKE TO OWN 1 IF THEY COULD POSSIBLY AFFORD IT

[@zwergstein2152]

@@SAXONWARLORD1000AD Well... looking at him I doubt many were vying to be chosen as his wife

[@peregrine7303]

What a dumb answer..

[@oldmanfromscenetwentyfour8164]

Big landowners keep away greedy developers, who'd in a heart beat turn every piece of woodland into a shopping mall or amusement park. Let's all face it, if all of us had a nice piece of land, most of us would lose it in 5 years. Most people don't know how to maintain land to make it profitable.

[@bluesageful]

Too right! As I type this, there are trees falling left and right, making way for more 'McMansions'. My family has lived in this rural community for generations. It's not rural anymore. People keep coming from EVERYWHERE to buy houses in these subdivisions...I live in the Southern U.S. And this land was once mostly 'Reserves' because it was beautiful. Now those Reserves have been sold and it's a NIGHTMARE.

[@doghouseriley4732]

The reason people leave Scotland in droves is that there is no work. In the past Westminster was blamed, strangely now with the SNP in control, nothing has changed.

[@BobBurnsOB]

I won't address issues of equality, but I am perturbed by foreign ownership which undermines sovereignty and culture.

[@samoday2992]

Agree . Many countries will not allow foreign ownership of land . We should do the same .

[@nathanielpea5819]

Das rayciss

[@robertking7506]

@@samoday2992 At least, not allow foreign ownership of vast amounts of land.

[@PissedoffAmerican1159]

As an American, i feel the same.

[@phil-zz5hk]

what is our culture ?. celt , roman , viking , saxon , norman . we have been conquered that many times . even the english language is a mishmash of god knows how many languages . even our royal family is german .

[@StellaAsh]

I wish they'd plant a few more trees.

[@briancaldwell283]

Stella, signicant forested areas were used for ship building up to the 19th century.

[@davidholgate5472]

There’s some parts of the Caledonia forests left you should go visit and there’s plenty of re wilding going on 👍🏻

[@strontiumstargazer5096]

Why hasn’t this programme mentioned the top bbc executive who owns a massive estate in Scotland - The Men Who Own Scotland - I guess this lets them off the hook from mentioning the female head of Children’s bbc Scotland.

[@wordgirl8100]

I'm loving that the lack of deveopment is actually preserving the charm of the countrysides of the UK.

[@mentalcompassno1]

If men like John still had the big tracks, I would not worry. The land is a treasure to him and it is safe for tomorrow

[@adrianred236]

Did you go to make tea or something when the part about Christopher Moran was played?

[@raydavison4288]

The 420 men who own so much seem to be preserving the land. What would be the result of a redistribution? Would it open the land to development?

[@sodalitia]

Yea. They slash and burn forest and keep sheep or deer in high numbers to keep the land in "agricultural condition". The reason Scotland is a wet desert is thos 420 men who make sure nothing wild grows on barren hills they own. So that the subsidies for doing nothing, payed from working class taxes, can flow and fill their pockets.

[@kamilpotato3764]

@@sodalitia Scotland is pretty... on postcards. It's green desert. Like rest of Uk parcelled with barbed wire fences

[@LeeGee]

Another perspective is, why was my family cleared off the Highlands?

[@mookrage]

Those who want redistribution just want to trade places. Life isnt fair. People should have better things to do than look enviously over others peoples fences

[@p.b.4885]

@@mookrage 🤣🤣🤣

[@oliveroliver2834]

The politics of jealousy and envy. I smell the SNP lurking somewhere in the midst

[@vigouroso]

Geez, stop your whining! 432 people who own half of Scotland’s president private land. Who owns the other half of the private land? 432 people is a lot of people. This video is really slanted toward the government owning all the land. Pfft.

[@sweetpeasandyarrowaranchdi8327]

Being a landowner takes a lot of money and a lot of hard work. Be careful what you wish for....

[@p.b.4885]

🤣🤣🤣

[@ArcanisUrriah]

Many many jobs are 'a lot of hard work', many much harder, but funnily enough, don't have the same rewards.

[@toddjohnson9782]

My ancestors were clearance from the western highlands,but in america,we own a farm,not huge but right size for a hundred head of cattle!but were poverty stricken in scotland,it worked out!

[@robertspencer5219]

The politician at 5:00 minutes in should be removed from Parliament. What an embarrassment.

[@victoriacaine7040]

Why do these busy bodies care who owns the land? Spend your time doing something useful.

[@rumac7489]

the amount of subsidy paid to keep land prices artificially high doesn't help.

[@weekendwet1]

EU regulations

[@larryglowacki5312]

Want land , buy it with a group of investors. Stop crying like a baby

[@benc640]

Eh? How would you ‘subsidise’ land prices? The price, like most other things, is surely determined by the market.

[@hemiedwards217]

@@benc640 lol. These aristorcratic landownders earn many times your families' yearly income from government subsidies.

[@hemiedwards217]

@@weekendwet1 you think its gonna change with Brexit? lol.

[@brianlopez8855]

The country where Feudalism lives on. Playground of the world's Elite. Unlike England and Wales through the eighteenth, nineteenth and twentienth centuries virtually none of the huge estates in Scotland have been broken up for commercial farming and commercial development. They also cleared out much of the population in the Highland clearances.

[@alanbrody3223]

I can't even own a fucking house...

[@ClarksonsinUSA]

That sounds like you made bad choices,or lack a work ethic..

[@alanbrody3223]

ClarksonsinUSA Could be :\

[@ClarksonsinUSA]

Its never to late,to make a change...

[@alanbrody3223]

ClarksonsinUSA I only need a million dollar :\

[@ClarksonsinUSA]

Move....

[@SkepticCat-pz1zz]

The stench of communism is prevalent all over the U.K. make sure when you take away private land that you include the disproportionately abundant land holdings of the useless monarchy. I suppose once this beautiful land falls to the hands of developers they will destroy it with millions of counsel houses filled with freeloading Muslims.

[@Jubilo1]

Biased stereotypes-rich =bad unless you're a celebrity.

[@strontiumstargazer5096]

Or head of bbc Scotland children’s television - she owns a massive highland estate.

[@apresmidi9534]

= bad unless you share that money with me....embrace the millenials agenda

[@chronicawareness9986]

im poor and even it makes me mad when people wanna tax rich, "its not fair" blah blah... life isnt fair get a better job, buy stocks, invest....

[@chronicawareness9986]

@Pa. D I know some people Inherited wealth but that's not an issue.

[@jamesfinch2235]

@@chronicawareness9986 if it's so easy for poor people to just get a better job or invest, why are you still poor?

[@smacwhinnie]

Most of it’s uninhabitable, thats why

[@anneg5720]

We used to have a family farm until the granny passed away and her debts where so high the family lost all the land. 🤷‍♀️

[@bradley7240]

That’s the massive problem in Britain, the poor own nothing, the middle class own sometimes, but get hit by death tax they lose 40% of it. And the Rich have no much money and connections they can avoid these systems and keep property and money in the family forever

[@anneg5720]

@@bradley7240 I agree it is a huge problem, however the sad fact is if all this land was already in poor hands they would have probs lost it all and it would have already have been developed on no doubt, it's like a catch 22.

[@benjamincunningham1289]

Yeah communism let’s take it all give it to the scum

[@smallfeet4581]

@Truth Seeker a lot of land was given by kings of scotland ,

[@smallfeet4581]

@Truth Seeker david 1st gave lands to french nobles like wallace bruce stewart de moray etc , some for helping matidas brother in the english barons wars , yes there were a lot of terrible times of fighting but you needed kings /castles etc , never knew when you could be invaded ,

[@johncitizen3227]

Since when has life been fair?

[@williamborwick9106]

how much of that land was payment for selling out scotland?

[@michelleallan2766]

william borwick probably most of it sadly

[@Coupal1]

Most of the land has been owned by families for hundreds of years. When did they sell out Scotland?

[@paulashe7460]

Descended from German Anglo Saxon robber barons.

[@terrywilliams3925]

william borwick

[@nifflofair6685]

@@Coupal1 ....The Clearances.

[@birchtree5794]

But that is what keeps Scotland so outrageously beautiful...

[@jeffbrunswick5511]

I think you'll find that many parts of the world are beautiful if you prevent the human population from breeding like rats.

[@tropicalstrings]

If you want old rights you have old dutys. If you inherits 5 castles without maintainance either you sell it ore use your money to recover it. It looks very well maintained. You want the state to do it? Be carefull, they sell it to the highest bidder which will be China or Saudi Arabia even African leaders. You want the situation to be south Africa? Zimbabwe.? Go ahead.

[@smacwhinnie]

Interesting juxtaposition between Craufurd, the hereditary landowner not afraid to get his hands dirty and class warrior MP Davidson in a blazer and club tie. A career politician who has probably never done a real days work in his life. Make sure taxation is fair, fine, but his nasty characterizations and generalizations about landowners is just not necessary nor very civil. Also Ironic is that Davidson is an avid shooter and is shoulder deep in the public trough with his 2 homes expensed to the taxpayers. This whole land owning issue is just a distraction from real issues and failures of government where the people are being screwed far worse. That some guy owns a bunch of acreage in the middle of nowhere is neither here nor there for the average Scots life.

[@Velobike]

It's not the middle of nowhere. It is a depopulated area. Genocide.

[@Velobike]

Your ignorance is only exceeded by your ability to resemble an arse.

[@tidefanyankee2428]

Ah yes, and name calling and insults are the epitome of polite discourse and debate.

[@epicyclo6323]

I have no intention of being polite to someone rubbishing my home land. An arse is a arse.

Mixed up your sockpuppets there.

[@vitalchance1032]

That land looks so fertile, green, and glorious.

[@Baddog-ib5mf]

you were shown the good bits on purpose , there are huge areas that are rocky and barren and forget the midges

[@michellearmstrong7903]

Only fit for sheep

[@marykatherinegoode2773]

It looked better with actual trees and forests.

[@phil-zz5hk]

offer paul wheelhouse 50000 acres and see him refuse .

[@shanewalker9564]

this didn't work in south Africa

[@MissouriCrookedBarnHomestead]

If someone can own the land, have the money to maintain it, then no one else has the right to take that away from them due to "fairness". Envy and jealousy are powerful emotions that sometimes dictate rationality. It seems that people really need to understand what freedom means, not just the nostalgia of it.

[@fiachramaccana280]

Sure. However what if just one person owned all the land? The problem with your argument is that it makes no allowance for the social consequences of narrow ownership of land. The key is in your sentence " money to maintain". What does maintain mean? I also disagree with the envy and jealousy argument. The main reason for dissatisfaction is the gradual exodus of people from these lands. The emptying out of the countryside. The loss of community. There are several reasons for that but narrow ownership and poor maintenance are big ones. In Ireland we have no large landowners and the country is a lot better for it. And we will never allow large land ownership to develop. We had enough problems with landlords in the past.

[@MissouriCrookedBarnHomestead]

@@fiachramaccana280 that is a very socialist way of looking at things. I believe in freedom. If someone has the money, the time, and can maintain it, which means keep it from turning into uninhabitable land that benefits others, nature, and future generations, then more power to them. The land is available to be purchased and they purchase it, then good enough and fair. Envy is exactly what is represented here. Just because someone doesn't have the money to purchase it themselves and keep it up, doesn't give the right for that person to say no one else can. What has happened to the Irish and Scots sense of freedom!

[@fiachramaccana280]

@@MissouriCrookedBarnHomestead well I am a Christain Socialist so no surprise there. I am also a self made entreprenuer so I assure I am not jealous or envious. However my point is for the welfare of society as a whole.

[@MissouriCrookedBarnHomestead]

@@fiachramaccana280 That is not the way the world works unless it is a socialist paradise Fiachra, nor should it. If I buy land, and btw, I'm a self made entrepreneur as well, I have every right to do with that land what I see fit and to what I can afford giving the rights and laws of Freedom of wherever it is that I choose to purchase. Zoning regulations require property to be maintained, that means taking into consideration all of the known laws and ordinances of local and federal governments in regards to property ownership. But, I always research thoroughly before buying property. Telling someone that they cannot own more than an allotted amount of property is going right back to the land being separated by big government when they have no right to do such other than to make themselves profit and achieve a goal set forth and propagated by them. Do you enjoy being forced to comply with something that you do not see as right or will you just follow along with it because someone has decided that they want what you have?

[@fiachramaccana280]

@@MissouriCrookedBarnHomestead what nonsense. nobody is talking about a socialist paradise. Simply talking about the ills of unfettered capitalism. We all live in a hybrid economy which mixes socialism and capitalism. The mix varies by country. That is the consequence of the unfettered capitalism of the 19th century. Unregulated freedom leads to a world of anarchy and exploitation.

[@nathanclark3575]

Mackenzie has it right. Fair shouldn't be part of the discussion. Fair is relative. And to just say "It's not fair!" and claim they should sell or give it away to others is ridiculous. communism isn't the right answer. the government should stay out of these private owners business. the government is who gave these families the land back in the day anyway. I say "No take backs, no erasies." thats totally miffed the welsh make money one the land that guy owns in scotland. i do like the scottish lawyer's fair perspective that the laws also need to be reformed. love the victory story of communities buying their own land rights.. people should have the right to come together and do that as well. both are great options, but nobody should be forced into it.

[@michaelgormley5989]

"Life is not fair", let's steal theirs!!!

[@markroberts4575]

Who made these people owners of land,who are these people,seems there is not a lot of integrity to these "landlords ".absolutely vile . thieving greedy bastards,get them out.Nobody should have the right to own this much land no matter the price.NO amount of money should be able to buy any of it.I just hear a lot of English voices.

[@nerjadude]

Mark Roberts agree !!!

[@rabbc007]

I don't care who owns the land....I walk wherever I want

[@dickhamilton3517]

there are plenty of english and overseas landowners who simply do not know, or refuse to understand, that Scotland recognises no law of trespass, and will point a shotgun at you if you try, and if you insist, might blow your head off.

[@dickhamilton3517]

and you'd go to prison for life if you did, because he is not breaking any law.

[@Jie67]

@@dickhamilton3517 where in Scotland are these land owners?

[@dickhamilton3517]

all over, and all sizes of holdings, and not here at all - big absentee and corporate landlords. There are parts of the highlands where most of the residents are not scottish. e.g. in a band from the trossachs north to the great glen, there was a big influx of southern english people in the late 80s and 90s. Also north of Inverness and along the coast east from Nairn and north of Aberdeen. I don't have a problem with resident home owners from wherever (they are doing a lot of good for the local economy, keeping the place alive) as long as they understand the law regarding walkers and trespass. It's the big guys and their gillies that decline to observe it, blocking off tracks and putting up gates and No Entry signs.

[@morganolfursson2560]

I own about 18000 acres in Iceland , it has been in my family for centuries . My grand father was a horse breeder, my father inherited the land and the horses and , and i inherited it when i turned 30 and i'm a veterinarian , i kept the horses and turned the rest of the land into an animal sanctuary . Needless to say shooting is forbidden on this land where i also breed wolves and arctic foxes , along with deer, sheep, reindeer, etc... and of course the horses . I hired highly trained activists and gave them carte blanche to shoot . If anybody trespasses on the property the person will be escorted out , but if anybody trespasses in order to hunt, this person is as good as dead , and trust me , between the ravines, the Geysers , the gigantic waterfalls lakes and rivers, the glaciers, the volcanoes and the wolves and foxes , nobody will even find a bone . There are only 350 000 people in a country that is 30,000 km2 larger than Scotland and 80% of the population lives in Reykjavik , and because of our nature which is quite violent , people go missing all the time . I don't care about the law, you shoot my animals, you're dead, and i really need half a reason to shoot a hunter . The warning signs are everywhere around the property in 5 languages , if you choose to ignore them, that's at your own risk . You are welcome to walk on my land as long as all you do is walk .

[@davie8906]

Scottish liberation is imminent and vital for Scotland. occupying Scotland is vital for englistan's existance

[@andrew4363]

Saor Alba, liberation will come.

[@ce1834]

Never 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 🇬🇧

[@gardinermulford9072]

"Redistribute the wealth," the shout of Karl Marx!

[@count7340]

Translate: Gimme, gimme, gimme!

[@PeopleMakePictures]

Can I have some of my neighbor's garden? It's not fair that he has more than me. I want equity and I want fairness..... the Socialists are coming for your land.

[@MANDREW33]

Some people have bigger homes than others. Some will say that is unfair too.

[@jebbo-c1l]

theres a difference between having a larger house than your neighbor, and owning 50000 acres lol

[@davidfarley1902]

In Yehua's eyes he doesn't own jack squat. God owns the breath we breath.

[@pug2322]

You enter this world with nothing and you leave with nothing, what you have in that time gap is life itself, just find happiness and love and don’t fall for greed.

[@strontiumstargazer5096]

The head of Bbc children’s television Scotland owns a massive highland estate - I can’t remember her name sorry. Owning such land brings in massive EC and tax payer subsidies and minimises inheritance tax.

[@Cuernavacachica02]

By “some kind of reform” does he mean that the state will take the property from those in whose name the title sits? What’s fair about that?

[@jebbo-c1l]

the state breaks up monopolies all the time

[@KungfooJoey]

you need to give your heads a bang. a cancer victims treatment in US will cost 'min' £200,000 in the UK you get that treatment for free! so who pays? our taxes? maybe but where do our jobs come from? who creates them? most of them actually not needed anyway. Dont mess with rich leave them alone I say.

[@GaryMcKinnonUFO]

Fair has nothing to do with it, historical events lead to this land ownership.

[@PaulDiPlacido]

Yes, but the system can be altered. Look at the case of Eigg, allow for more community buy-outs. Beyond that, the government can impose policies that at the very least make massive landownership owners more responsible for the land they caretake for. The biggest problem with land sellouts is that land isn't sold for nearly as much as it's worth in terms of it's environmental value. This has to be factored in, especially moving forward and I don't mean for forestry commission/timber industry bs but actual natural forest and wildland which can be achieved in due time and care. More examples have to be taken from countries with sustainable resources and natural wild tourism and I'm sure in time Scotland can achieve a much better landscape than the landscape it currently sustains.

[@GaryMcKinnonUFO]

@@PaulDiPlacido Thanks for that, good points.

[@CauliflowerEars1]

8 years on and nothing has changed. The sporting estates are only viable.because of govt subsidies. Hello!?

[@stefant6258]

Owners for 80 years, custodians that keep Scotland as it is beautiful.

[@sodalitia]

Green barren desert. Unless the flow of subsidies money is the beauty you talk about.

[@jeffbrunswick5511]

'keep Scotland as it is'....a play park for the English aristocracy to carry out their blood sports?

[@emilyrobinson2152]

If SNP get their way, the land will disappear to nameless people who probably will not look after it plus remember a lot of the uplands are only suitable for grazing or rearing grouse

[@ezandman6804]

When you are in a musicband and you wear a tshirt from your own band on stage it's considered pretty lame.

[@lolotaeja3911]

Not to mention but what I heard of his music was pure shite.

[@sarahwithanhyouheathen3210]

Mick Jagger can pull it off but idk if anyone else can lol

[@kevinbell3700]

Johnny Lynch is a superb name with an edgy, yet subtle hint of a Catholic rock n roll protest. An architect I worked for was Wille Long. Named after his father no doubt.

[@no-one-knows321]

If the land was a gift 500 yrs ago by the government (king) Why can't current king (government), give it to others as they wish. They didn't buy it.

[@sodalitia]

They give it. To their friends and family.

[@mi4johns]

BBC Socialism Presents: The Karl Marx guide to wealth redistribution

[@michaelbeardmore3653]

CARNT WAIT FOR THE DAY THE BUCKINGHAM MOB GET THEIR JUST DESERTS AS WELL..ITS TIME TO MOVE ON,THE STAUS QUO IS TOTALLY OBSOLETE,ITS DISGUSTING. THEY ARE ALL FABULOUSLY WEATHY YET STILL BLEED THE COMMON MAN OF HIS HARD EARNED WAGES.

[@genemoore8047]

Somebody wants what others have,Iwas wondering if that is not being greedy could be wrong.Work save and buy'Nobody is taking any land anywhere..Put yourself in there place.

[@alancollins7390]

As a Scot it’s disgusting that foreigners who half my country we should all back independence now

[@uvbntangoed100]

The fact these people own these estates etc. is why It remains so beautiful

[@markandcathynickerson1287]

Wealth acquired criminally or by extortion is not sacrosanct. The aristocracy was and is a criminal organization.

[@cman3264]

That was a really interesting show.

[@VintageMovieChannel]

it s only unfair until those complain make it themselves, then they are no longer socialists, but suddenly become capitalists themselves...

[@patrickeh696]

How EXACTLY is it NOT fair that you DON'T own what you DON'T own?

[@samuelthornton9179]

People have one family that owns the ground they house is on, that not fair

[@frankharrington8528]

Lovely Scottish accent.

[@disobeytoday4685]

Because we should be allowed to murder the landowners and take it as our own. That's what they did to acquire the land. That's fairness.

[@veronica9938]

I'm sorry but if you have the money to afford to own the land then it's your land no one has any say over it. Whether you inherit or buy it. It's Your Land and as long as you can afford to pay the taxes on it every year you get to keep it.. and no one should have a say over what you do with it... If you paid for it or buy it then it's yours. If you decide to sell it fine and it's your land you can sell it for whatever you want and if someone's willing to pay for it then fine it's your land bottom line no one should have a say what you do with it.

[@stevearno100]

if you broke the land blocks all up and gave them away too the many ...how much would go to big business , who would then put pressure on the government via tax revues to start developing the land at least having in sole ownerships ..keeps the land pure

[@carausiuscaesar5672]

Blimey my dad lived in a tenement in Glasgow sharing a wc with scores of others.

[@bobrobertson9547]

Morran. “I love Scotland ... so I bought it”

[@andrew4363]

“I love Scotland, so I took it away from the Scots”

[@jonathanphillips2388]

I want the presenters job....give it to me!!!

[@kurtsteiner9455]

ITS FOOOKING COLD

[@mightymite3958]

Why do they not sound Scottish ? Are they even scotts? Amyone who isnt a Scott should lose the tittles to land

[@mrclarkson3812]

If they the UK Government were to do a even split of everything in Scotland,in 10 years 90% of the people who had it before would have it again! Talents and choices..

[@lolotaeja3911]

Exactly

[@roilevi7381]

Scotland need to bring back wolves bear and linxs.

[@nathanielpea5819]

The concept of "crime" was introduced as a tool in the clearance of the Highlands. Before that you either broke the law or you didn't. By introducing "crimes" that it was impossible for smallholders to avoid both the Highlands of Scotland were cleared and a ready slave force created for the Australian colonies. Funny how the BBC have continuously ignored that aspect. Makes you wonder.

[@wolftune777]

THE PRISON SHIP LIES WAITING IN THE BAY/ IRISH WINDOW SIZE TAX/ WHICH CRIMES DO YOU SEE AS HISTORY REPEATS THE CYCLE OF IGNORANCE ???

[@leethstarwatcher]

I don't care who owns it, so long as the conservation of the land and wildlife is carefully managed. That would be the requirement and responsibility of anyone, including the government or crown, that own it.

[@CJ-ji1pq]

That presenter is absolutely pathetic!! "It's not fair" boo hoo hoo. Get over it!

[@MrTheGollach]

Your comment is pathetic. What are you trying to say? David Miller is a very competent reporter.

[@billyandrew]

Let's make it abundantly clear...they do *not* own the land! They may think they do, but *all* land in the UK belongs to the Crown, regardless of how much individuals may have paid in the mistaken belief it belongs to them. They have merely rented it and the Crown, at any point, can demand the respective govt evicts the individual. That is why, for example, if oil, diamonds or gold are discovered on what you believe to be your land it automatically becomes Crown property. The Crown, in fact, is the biggest landowner on the planet with properties extending far beyond UK shores.

[@andrew4363]

All the land in the uk does not belong to the crown, that’s fucking insane and absolutely untrue. If it did it’d be an easy problem to solve, independence would be the solution (like for a lot of Scotland’s problems)

[@noneoftheabove6425]

Has anyone noticed they all have limey accent's

[@senorgammon6161]

Not everyone from scotland sounds like Willie off the simpsons, and Who the fuck says limeys? Your obviously from nowhere near the uk, probably american.

[@lucasduncan1082]

None Of The Above Yep, sadly the English now own our country due to cowards from the 1700s who sold out to the English to pay their debts, and also due to cowards of the current day who are too scared to vote for our independence. We Scots are very quietly being ethnically cleansed in our own country ... it’s so sad. Not enough of us see what’s going on here.

[@weekendwet1]

They get that accent from posh schools. No posh school teaches a Wegian accent.

[@andrewyoung749]

@@lucasduncan1082 I dont think the snp are anyone to look to if youre worried about scots being ethnically cleansed. For starters that racist justice secretary you have. I see david hulme and other great Scottish thinkers are now in the firing line. Independence party sure hates Scotland...

[@vailydragon]

BBC - The left wing view. Nicely balanced one way.

[@andrew4363]

14:43 “Is it fair to expect a landowner to resolve a century of decline” Life’s not fair is it? See how ridiculous it sounds now?

[@jeffbrunswick5511]

Especially when that landowner caused the century of decline.

[@avidsledder]

As much as I don’t like the concentration of ownership, once we force the sale of these lands, then it will snowball and eventually the government will own it all and this is what the whole idea is about

[@firstname2lastname207]

They own a bit of paper the same way my dog pisses and lays claim to his daily walk, and he knows deep down I own him

[@CoxJoxSox]

Do a similar program on England, Oxford University owns quite a lot of land as does the Church of England and both are bullies.

[@geraldswain3259]

What really pisses me off is the huge amounts of so called agricultural subsidies payed out of taxpayers' money to these lice and their ilk ,yet this information is unavailable to the general taxpaying public.Any others business,you get no help at all.