Driving growth, investment and opportunity in Scotland’s rural economy took centre stage as senior political figures from across the spectrum clashed at a major pre-election debate hosted by Scottish Land & Estates .
The Rural Debate, held at The Pavilion at Ingliston before an audience of 75 rural business leaders and stakeholders, brought together representatives from the six main political parties to set out competing visions for the future of Scotland’s countryside .
While clear divisions emerged across a wide policy agenda, there was also a notable degree of consensus on one point: the next parliament must deliver more for rural Scotland.
The discussion ranged widely across energy, tourism, farming, forestry, land reform, housing and transport, with each panellist seeking to position their party as the most credible champion of rural communities.
Opening the debate, the SNP’s Jim Fairlie stressed the importance of strengthening Scotland’s food and drink sector and supporting those at its core. “It’s going to be my clear vision that Scotland’s food and drink sector has to be at the heart of the economy,” he said, adding: “What I want to see is a much better collaboration between government and business and the working countryside.”
Fairlie also defended the Scottish Government ’s record, insisting: “Never allow yourself to believe that we don’t care about rural Scotland – it means so much to our economy, our people and our culture.”
However, his position was challenged by Scottish Conservative MSP Rachael Hamilton, who warned that increasing costs and regulation were holding businesses back. “There has been so much red tape and bureaucracy thrown at the sector – we need to unleash it to create business success,” she said.
Scottish Labour’s spokesperson for the economy, Daniel Johnson, sought to reframe the debate, arguing that rural Scotland should not be treated in isolation. “We must stop thinking of the rural economy as separate – it is central to Scotland’s overall economic strategy,” he said. “The trick to economic growth in Scotland is making our urban, rural and coastal economies work together.”
Johnson called for a more coordinated approach to economic development, stating: “We really need a genuine, joined up industrial strategy that links food and drink, agriculture, energy and manufacturing.” He added that regulation should be constructive rather than restrictive: “Regulation should not be about stopping things happening; it should be about enabling business to grow.”
From the Scottish Liberal Democrats, Willie Rennie emphasised the importance of partnership between government and rural businesses. “You’re often seen as the enemy, and you’re not – we need a genuine partnership with rural businesses, ” he told the audience. He also pointed to the need for practical improvements in infrastructure, saying: “We need to properly understand what’s needed in terms of infrastructure, broadband, housing and taxation to let rural areas thrive.”
Energy policy emerged as a central theme, with competing views on how best to harness Scotland’s natural resources while ensuring local communities benefit. Fairlie argued that renewables would be key to future prosperity, saying: “Energy is what’s going to drive the economy and the wealth of this country.”
Yet Rennie warned that communities hosting major developments were not seeing sufficient returns. “People see their energy bills going through the roof while they look out on wind farms and pylons; there has to be a direct benefit for those communities,” he said.
Reform UK’s leader in Scotland, Malcolm Offord, took a markedly different stance, focusing on what he described as an excessive regulatory burden. “We’re over licensed, over regulated and over taxed – that is strangling the rural economy,” he argued. He went further, calling for a fundamental shift in approach: “You need politicians to get out of the way, give you a break on regulation and licensing, give you a tax break, and trust you to grow the rural economy.”
Offord also linked high energy costs to economic stagnation, warning: “There’s no economy in the world that can grow with expensive energy – we have to get our energy prices down.”
Scottish Greens candidate Mags Hall, meanwhile, focused on communities and public services, arguing that economic growth must go hand in hand with social investment. “From the Scottish Greens’ perspective, the rural economy is all about people and the communities they live in,” she said. She called for action on housing and services, adding: “We want to build truly affordable homes in rural communities, including social housing.”
Hall also advocated a shift in policymaking priorities: “We need a rural first approach to public services – policies should be designed to work for rural communities first, then adapted for towns and cities.”
On land reform, divisions were particularly pronounced. Offord dismissed current proposals outright, claiming: “ Land reform as proposed is just a nonsense,” while Hall argued that public benefit must be central to land use, stating: “We always link land reform with the public interest – we invest in land management because we expect public benefit to come back.”
Johnson struck a more cautious tone, suggesting reform must be handled carefully. “Land reform needs to be taken forward sensibly – you should enable people to buy the land they work on, but in a way that’s usable,” he said.
Despite the disagreements, there were recurring themes of shared concern, particularly around stability and long-term planning. Rennie stressed the need for certainty in agricultural funding, warning: “Our food and farming industry needs long term, solid, reliable and predictable support, not funds that can be raided at the next crisis.”
Closing the event, Scottish Land & Estates chief executive Sarah-Jane Laing underlined the importance of continued dialogue between policymakers and rural stakeholders. She said the debate had highlighted both ‘no shortage of ideas’ and ‘a pressing need for greater clarity, consistency and genuine partnership’.
She concluded: “Rural Scotland is not a niche political topic – it is fundamental to the country’s economic success.
“However, too often, rural businesses feel policy is being done to them rather than with them. That has to change.”
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