Director of the Scottish Countryside Alliance.
Scotland
Joined July 2012
- Tweets4.6K
- Following603
- Followers1.3K
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Jake Swindells - Scottish Countryside Alliance retweeted
The family farm tax continues to put too many farmers through unnecessary stress and anxiety. Scrapping it in its entirety would be the right thing to do. It will signal that this government wants to begin repairing the relationship between Westminster and rural people. The countryside is ready for a rural reset. The Budget will tell us whether the government is ready too.
express.co.uk/news/politics/…
Reintroducing Jamie Culpan as our Shooting Representative for our Wildlife and Land Management Committee. We look forward to working with Jamie over the coming months.
youtube.com/watch?v=SrQ8hCbi…
Jake Swindells - Scottish Countryside Alliance retweeted
The countryside is ready for a rural reset. The Budget will tell us whether the government is ready too. Unlock the countryside’s potential.
🔴Revisit the hated family farm tax
🔴Review SFI
🔴Alleviate pressure on rural businesses
🔴Extend 20% business rate bill cuts to rural restaurants and hotels
🔴Reduce VAT for hospitality sector
🔴No holiday lets tax
🔴Maintain fuel duty
🔴Reduce VAT on domestic heating oil
🔴Reform horseracing betting levy
🔴Reconsider decision to reclassify double cab pickup trucks- the country’s favourite work horse
This week, we reintroduce our Gamekeeping Representative on the Wildlife and Land Management Committee. Garry Dickson has nearly 40 years in gamekeeping, both in the field and laterally as a lecturer at Borders College.
youtube.com/watch?v=qYx4qhkP…
📣 Celebrating 20 years of the Countryside Alliance Awards! The countryside has changed in many ways, but what has remained constant is the importance of the people at the heart of rural communities.
Nominations now open: research.net/r/CAAWeb27
#RuralOscars
📢 This year, the Countryside Alliance Awards celebrates its 20th anniversary, marking two decades of recognising the people, businesses and communities that make rural Britain such a special place to live, work and visit.
Nominate now ⤵️
#RuralOscars
countryside-alliance.org/new…
Jake Swindells - Scottish Countryside Alliance retweeted
Ministers and advisors should spend more time talking to farmers and rural experts.
Jake Swindells - Scottish Countryside Alliance retweeted
Great discussion with Jeremy Clarkson and Charlie Ireland on stage at #cpc26.
Ministers and those who advise them should prioritise spending more time listening to experts like Charlie.
His knowledge is second to none.
Jake Swindells - Scottish Countryside Alliance retweeted
This is the right call. It is vital that critical decisions about the future of rural communities are taken by elected Ministers, not bureaucrats. Returning the important functions of these quangos to direct government control could go a long way to ending the accountability gap and cutting red tape for the custodians of our countryside.
Jake Swindells - Scottish Countryside Alliance retweeted
So rammed, I can’t get into my own event! Fantastic turnout to celebrate our countryside and rural way of life! 🚜#cpc26 @CAupdates
🗞️ Have you signed up to our monthly Heather Routes newsletter? Keep up to date with all our news and views by following the link below and filling out a short form.
👀 Watch this space for a number of important announcements coming soon!
countryside-alliance.org/sig…
Jake Swindells - Scottish Countryside Alliance retweeted
The hated family farm tax is a hangover from the last government that’s causing misery. Ditch it. Only then can the government begin resetting its relationship with the countryside.
📣Introducing our estates representative for the SCA Wildlife and Land Management Committee. We're looking forward to working with all our highly experienced representatives on various projects and campaigns in the months ahead.
The Scottish Government opened a call for evidence on 1 September 2026 to gather views on a proposal to implement a price cap on up to 50 “essential” food items.
Read more ⤵️
countryside-alliance.org/new…
Jake Swindells - Scottish Countryside Alliance retweeted
The reality of culture war policies in action. Shameful stuff. Bin the family farm tax. Rural reset now.
A poll of 700 farmers found many were avoiding spending on new machinery and leaving buildings to rot from fear of exceeding the tax threshold thetimes.com/uk/environment/…
Jake Swindells - Scottish Countryside Alliance retweeted
Spot on: “as a starter” we need to ditch the awful family farm tax, once and for all.
The idea this issue had gone away was fantasy.
If the government wants to show it’s serious about a rural reset, abolishing this blatant wrong would be a welcome start.newsandstar.co.uk/news/26596…
Jake Swindells - Scottish Countryside Alliance retweeted
📍Next stop: Birmingham for Conservative Party Conference.
We look forward to welcoming attendees to our upcoming panel discussion taking place on Monday 5 October 2026 (secure zone- pass required)
Speakers: @CA_TimB @VictoriaAtkins @Katie_Lam_MP and @AJNewbury94
Jake Swindells - Scottish Countryside Alliance retweeted
Our upcoming panel at Conservative Party conference on Monday 5 October 2026 (secure zone- pass required)
Speakers: @CA_TimB @VictoriaAtkins @Katie_Lam_MP and @AJNewbury94
The Firearms (Amendment) Rules 2026 announced by the Home Office yesterday add new conditions to firearm and shotgun certificates in England, Scotland and Wales that come into force with immediate effect.
Read more ⤵️
countryside-alliance.org/new…
Jake Swindells - Scottish Countryside Alliance retweeted
No rural, no countryside, no farms, no nature, no environment. I suppose it confirms where we are in the PM’s pecking order, but one in four postcodes is rural. labour.org.uk/updates/storie…