SNP must U-turn on newspaper rates relief

Donald Cameron MSP

Highlands and Islands MSP Donald Cameron has called on SNP Finance Secretary Kate Forbes to perform a U-turn and reverse her decision to scrap business rates relief for the newspaper industry at the end of next month.

The Scottish Conservative MSP said: “I've been very impressed at how our local journalists have kept going during the pandemic and kept their readership up-to-date with what is going on locally.

“They are doing a great job and deserve to be supported. Like community radio, they are hugely important as a source of news for locals.

“I find it extraordinary that Kate Forbes can seriously be contemplating a situation which would leave Scotland as the only country in Europe not providing Covid-related support to newspaper publishers.

“We have already lost some well-established newspapers in the region recently, and a wrong-headed decision like this will put more at risk.”

You may also be interested in

Donald Cameron

Donald Cameron MSP

Scottish Conservative and Unionist MSP for Highlands and Islands Region
Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture

Originally from Achnacarry in Lochaber, Donald was educated at the University of Oxford before going on to work at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington DC – a think-tank specialising in international relations.

Cameron seeks answers on ‘unbelievable’ whisky tax plans

A Highlands and Islands MSP has sought answers from SNP chiefs on “unbelievable” proposals for a new whisky tax.

It has been reported that senior representatives within the party want to impose a fresh levy on the whisky industry to raise funds for the public purse.