Campaigners demand more rights for tenant farmers

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-34778483

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Campaigners have gathered at Holyrood to demand the Scottish government does more to protect the rights of tenant farmers.

Among them was Andrew Stoddart, who faces eviction and losing his livelihood after more than 20 years farming land in East Lothian.

He believed 2003 legislation would give him security of tenure.

A ruling at the Supreme Court three year ago ruled the law defective. Now his landlord wants the land back.

On 28 November he and his family are due to leave their home.

The Colstoun Trust owns Colstoun Mains Farm, near Haddington in East Lothian, where Mr Stoddart is the tenant.

Andrew Stoddart said: "We have done massive amounts of drainage, 20km of fencing, the road to come here was put in by me because when I came here this was just a field, there was nothing here whatsoever.

"The farm had no modern buildings.

"Farming is a long term business, you're planning five and 10 years ahead and if you only have a 10-year lease, you can't make any sort of decent plans. It is a hopeless way to run any business but to run farms this way is useless."

Compensation

Francis Ogilvy, factor of the Colstoun Estate, said: "We have offered Mr Stoddart the opportunity to remain living in the house at Colstoun Mains after 28 November on the assumption that they do not have alternative accommodation.

"We have also made two offers of compensation to Mr Stoddart, the second of which was a payment to account for future waygoing claims and linked with the Scottish government making a contribution also. We await the Scottish government's response.

"Negotiation with Mr Stoddart's advisors on the matter of compensation for improvements is taking place.

"These matters should be dealt with through constructive face-to-face dialogue. It is very regrettable that this matter has become a political football being kicked around in the media.

"Colstoun Mains is not 'Mr Stoddart's farm'. He rented the farm for fixed period of time in the full knowledge that the lease would terminate.

"It is a great shame that he was given false hope of staying on indefinitely by defective legislation but he has known for years now that the tenancy would end and since March this year he agreed that it would be on 28 November 2015.

"The farm tenancy will cease on that date but we repeat there is no question of him and his family being made homeless."

The Scottish Tenant Farmers Association has issued the following statement on behalf of Mr Stoddart.

It reads: "Only one proposal for compensation has been made by the trust and that required immediate removal from the farm and an unacceptably low offer of compensation.

"Mr Stoddart has not yet received a formal offer of an interim payment to account for future waygoing claims and it is understood, through informal channels, that this offer is conditional on the farm being vacated on 28 November.

"The offer to remain in the farmhouse comes as news to Mr Stoddart."