Quote:
Originally Posted by LondonRoad
You don't see that potentially owning a large chunk of Scotland could sway how you feel about the outcome of an independence referendum? (even if you don't actually have a vote yourself)
If you were in that position and the editor of a national newspaper, and you were influencing your readers in an editorial, do you think that you might mention in passing that you have that interest.... even if it didn't influence your recommendation.
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I think that's rather tenuous.
I have no idea of the size of this 'estate'. I can't find any information about it at all and a search for Benshie comes up with nothing. I find it weird that there can be an estate of his size without a single mention on Google other than Murray's post. This place is so illusive that with 30 minutes Murray's blog was the first hit. For all we know it could simple mean 'his estate' rather than 'an estate'.
Leaving that aside I am not sure the extent to which it matters anymore than an editor advocating for lower inheritance taxes has to declare an interest that they may, in future, be paying inheritance tax does. I would say he already had an interest in being a citizen of the United Kingdom. The Scotsman declared for No as well and presumably their editor has interests in Scotland too. Ditto Sunday Herald.
I don't like the idea that anyone who advocates a side in the vote needs to declare their respective interests on either side of the border.
Unless there is something special or different in this case, i.e he would stand to lose the land in a Yes vote, I don't think he needed to declare it.