Cameron Gillies

🌾Ideas to make Scotland better
🏉Captain of Holyrood Rugby
🪖 Part time soldier
🪗 Squeeze boxer

All views and political commentary my own

[Cameron Gillies @CG_Political]

Thoroughly enjoyed speaking to Arlene ahead of last night’s @BBCScotland Landward special on depopulation.

Vital this topic gets airtime and proud to be part of the solution by delivering evidence led, costed policies.

Good to see these appear in party election manifestos too!

[Cameron Gillies @CG_Political]

Great to see this issue being raised so consistently by MSPs across parties. @TimEagleMSP is right to call for a timeline for change.

What we need now though is ideas - an alternative rates regime based on a business’ ability to pay.

That’s what I’ll be setting out this summer.

[Tim Eagle MSP @TimEagleMSP]

During the election, so many businesses raised concerns about Non-Domestic Rates.

I raised the issue in Parliament today and called for a Ministerial Statement to lay out clear timelines for changes to the system.

[Cameron Gillies @CG_Political]

@FSB_Scotland @LiamKerrMSP What is the point in another review? We had the Barclay review in 2017 which led us to today’s mess.

How about we actually propose some viable alternatives rather than going round in circles. That’s what I’m doing. Better than pickling my head in a pointless, years long review.

[Cameron Gillies @CG_Political]

@L__Macfarlane @ScotNational What if we piloted the removal of CGT on bonds in Scotland?

I doubt they’re a particularly attractive investment just now, but give them a competitive advantage and ring fence the funds for capital projects, and they become a genuine investment in Scotland’s future.

[Cameron Gillies @CG_Political]

A poor take from @Living_Rent

It may surprise them to hear that convenors are decided by the cross-party parli bureau.

My views as a public affairs professional might not always align with cttee convenors, but throwing a hissy fit about it won’t help achieve your political aims

[The National @ScotNational]

The Tories and Reform being chosen to lead Holyrood’s social justice, housing and local government committee has been branded a 'joke'

[Matt Ridley @mattwridley]

There is only one species of bird or mammal found nowhere else but in the British Isles.

The Red Grouse.

It should be on the bank notes.

[Cameron Gillies @CG_Political]

I hope this can be the start of a wider conversation about the co-location of industry with energy.

We should follow successful examples of this in other countries that have been able to minimise transmission costs by placing consumers next to producers.

https://t.co/aC1rsXtQ6e

[Cameron Gillies @CG_Political]

How many more times will we hear politicians say we need ‘urgent action’ on business rates without having any ideas of their own?

We need to move the conversation on to solutions. That’s why @scotgov should take forward my proposals in today’s @pressjournal 👇

[Cameron Gillies @CG_Political]

@justinbowie1997 Being ‘not the Tories’ was enough for them to win in ‘24. Seemed foolproof that being ‘not the SNP’ would be enough for them to win in May.

In the end, being ‘not Labour’ was the formula this time round!

Not great that voters have more to vote against than vote for…

[The Scottish Farmer @scottishfarmer]

Scottish rural firms are facing tax hikes of up to 600 https://t.co/PMAP2WjwVX

[Cameron Gillies @CG_Political]

It's time to move the conversation on from diagnosing problems to fixing them.

Far too much time is spent in politics pointing out what's wrong with the country without offering a meaningful soution.

I want to begin to change that 👇
https://t.co/UAZWnnzYOF

[Cameron Gillies @CG_Political]

@HeavyMogger @Mr_Andrew_Fox @BenObeseJecty It is his job to hold the government to account and, to be fair, he is the most active MP in Parliament when it comes to doing so by some metrics…

[Cameron Gillies @CG_Political]

Possibly a bit late to the party on this, but shouldn’t it be the job of every Minister and civil servant to ‘deliver’?

In their defence, there’s not exactly a vast swathe of big ideas and policies coming forward for them to deliver on at the moment…

https://t.co/Jf6EZD1Gey

[Cameron Gillies @CG_Political]

There’s been vast amounts of talk about business rates reform and not enough discussion of what a new system will actually look like.

That’s why I’m pleased to be launching our plan for a fairer system soon.

[Scottish Land & Estates @ScotLandEstates]

As @ScotGovFM points out the need for #businessrates reform, SLE is taking action.

We will shortly be launching our plan for a new system which rewards growth, supports jobs and protects local businesses.
📹👇

[Cameron Gillies @CG_Political]

@AndyBurnhamGM @DailyMail Farmers and landowners have already forced one tax grab u-turn out of the Labour Government. When you realise their money is better spent on putting food on your plate and sustaining local communities than topping up civil service coffers, they will force another.

[Cameron Gillies @CG_Political]

Looking forward to participating in the consultation @StephenFlynnSNP committed @scotgov to undertaking. People who produce the food that goes on supermarket shelves already face extreme cost pressures and can’t afford to absorb the cost of government interference in the market.

[BBC Question Time @bbcquestiontime]

“There’s certainly space within those companies, given the sheer size and scale of them, to absorb a little bit of pain”

The SNP’s Stephen Flynn says legislation to cap prices on supermarket essentials is “the right thing to do” and supermarkets must “do their bit”

#bbcqt

[Cameron Gillies @CG_Political]

@chrisdeerin Maybe the lads could do something funky with their hair instead 👀

[Cameron Gillies @CG_Political]

I can understand (whilst not necessarily agreeing with) the dismissal of warnings from supermarket bosses about food price caps.

What I don’t get is ignoring economists like Andrew Bailey, who has no vested interest other than market stability.

https://t.co/KSti5fVkKq

[Cameron Gillies @CG_Political]

@JimFairlieLogie Congratulations Jim, looking forward to helping you deliver for rural Scotland in any way we can 💪

[Scottish Land & Estates @ScotLandEstates]

Dr Savouri continues: In Accepting Scotland’s undeniable comparative economic strengths within the UK’s economic ecosystem, one cannot ignore where it ranks below other parts.
#SLEConf26
#QuantmetriksResearch

[Cameron Gillies @CG_Political]

There’s £trillions of global investment looking for a home. Scotland can be that home with the opportunities that lie in energy, food & drink and tourism.

Phenomenal talk at @ScotLandEstates Conference from eminent economist and founder of Qunatmetriks Dr Savvas Savouri