Andy Wightman

Writer & Researcher. Author of Who Owns Scotland & The Poor Had No Lawyers. Former MSP 2016-2021

[Andy Wightman @andywightman]

MAY 2026 UPDATE Who Owns Scotland now published with a total of 5000 landholdings (76.95% rural Scotland). All records updated & 19 new ones including an estate sale that I will highlight in a blog. New subscriptions welcome - they start at £6. https://t.co/ew7SnpDRTX

[Andy Wightman @andywightman]

The Finance Committee is a mandatory Committee with functions as set out in Standing Orders.

[Andy Wightman @andywightman]

Tomorrow (Thursday 4 June 2026), Parliament is being invited to vote on a motion to establish committees with both the Convenor and Deputy Convenor of the *FINANCE* Committee to be from the SNP ........

[Andy Wightman @andywightman]

@StevenW24515280 Well indeed ....

[Andy Wightman @andywightman]

BLOG - Scotland’s landownership transparency laws require disclosure of beneficial interests of offshore entities. They are however effectively voluntary since Police & Crown Office decline 2 take action to enforce the criminal sanctions for non-compliance https://t.co/LfXROPELEq

[Jamie McIntyre @_JamieMcIntyre]

Colin Beattie must be in with a shout, surely.

[Andy Wightman @andywightman]

@alexmassie Except rather sheepishly, their relevant representatitives on the Burea seem to have missed it. Always awkward asking parties to vote against a bureau motion when their own business manager has already OK's it!

[Andy Wightman @andywightman]

@alexmassie I think it'sa consequence of way positions are allocated. D'Hondt is used 1st for convenors then 2nd for deputes. If appplied strictly, then both processes can deliver the same party. Should be a Standing Order change to prevent it. Will opposition MSPs vote against the motion?

[Andy Wightman @andywightman]

BLOG - Scotland’s landownership transparency laws require disclosure of beneficial interests of offshore entities. They are however effectively voluntary since Police & Crown Office decline 2 take action to enforce the criminal sanctions for non-compliance https://t.co/LfXROPELEq

[Scottish Information Commissioner @FOIScotland]

Breaking: Scottish Government found in contempt over FOI practice.
Read more at: https://t.co/t9C3wuUeix

[Andy Wightman @andywightman]

John Swinney the politician is very keen on ring fencing funds payable to others (eg local government). Here is what he said to Local Govt Committee 2 Nov 2021. he knows exactly what rign fencing is and it is not "just spend it on your general objectives."

[Andy Wightman @andywightman]

@57FK66 details all here https://t.co/dZilucaQYr

[Andy Wightman @andywightman]

MAY 2026 UPDATE Who Owns Scotland now published with a total of 5000 landholdings (76.95% rural Scotland). All records updated & 19 new ones including an estate sale that I will highlight in a blog. New subscriptions welcome - they start at £6. https://t.co/ew7SnpDRTX

[Andy Wightman @andywightman]

@LucyHunterB @boswelltoday No! Other reasons which I wont go into publicly but happy to chat offline.

[Andy Wightman @andywightman]

@oldtownrez @boswelltoday Not my legislation. I voted against it.

[Andy Wightman @andywightman]

@IvorGCampbell @kmckenna63 @boswelltoday Yes, indeed.

[Andy Wightman @andywightman]

MAY 2026 UPDATE Who Owns Scotland now published with a total of 5000 landholdings (76.95% rural Scotland). All records updated & 19 new ones including an estate sale that I will highlight in a blog. New subscriptions welcome - they start at £6. https://t.co/ew7SnpDRTX

[Andy Wightman @andywightman]

@DavidReid01 The false expenses were not worked around. He authorised these himself. Nothing to work around. The door of the safe was wide open.

[Andy Wightman @andywightman]

I have never encountered a CEO working in public or third secotor who can draw up to £30,000 directly for their own expenses without any checks or authorisation. Maybe such a situation exists but threshold is usually much, much lower.

[Andy Wightman @andywightman]

John Swinney - “The systems were robust but they were circumvented” at 08:43 https://t.co/9bEWYU8FWQ except in court this morning it was agreed that they were not otherwise how could PM sign off his own expenses? It was that process that enabled the false expense claims.

[@GinaDavidson @ginadavidsonlbc]

John Swinney taking reporters questions the wake of more info in the Peter Murrell embezzlement case around the checks and balances that did or did not exist in the SNP
I asked him what he would say now to Murrell if he was in front of him.

[Andy Wightman @andywightman]

@SakotraScenario There are maps of such boundaries - best to look at National Library of Scotland digital maps online

[Andy Wightman @andywightman]

@DavidReid01 Yes but he was enabled to undertake such transfers without checks and it seems nobody checked receipts for many other items