I do not live in Scotland.
But, please, read these two blogs: –
Awful News on The Farm at the back of beyond
21st Century Clearances on Salt and Caramel
The first is written by a fellow MN blogger who lives on a tenant farm in Scotland. Thanks to the meadeval Scottish land tenancy laws, she is about to lose everything due to a negligent landlord. Her roof has, literally, fallen in, she has no clean water, no heat. Her husband’s family has been on the land since the 1800s and their house is about to be declared unsafe and they will be forced to move. She has very little legal recourse.
The second is also written by a MN blogger. She has some more details about the plight of the farmer and some ideas on how to help.
I am feeling fairly helpless. I often do in these situations. I am not a citizen of the UK so feel I can’t really write my MP/MLA as I am not actually represented by them.
If you are a citizen of the UK, please Tweet, using #21stcenturyclearances as your hashtag. Even if you’re not, let’s get the word out. Let’s get the world watching.
Let’s get this powerful internet tool working. My farmer friend has made the decision to go public, even if it’s too late to help her and her family.
Let’s see what we can do to help her.
Thanks for your post, Tee. I am living abroad and am writing to my MP and MEP, so don’t let that stop you.
Getting the word out about the plight of tenant farmers, not just GentleOtter, but all tenant farmers, is so important. Thanks for helping us do that.
This is great – so many people are getting involved. I’m going to run this story on my blog tomorrow, I hadn’t even thought of discussing it on my blog (blonde moment!).
MN have highlighted Gentle Otter’s blog as well on the blogging home page which is great too.