We've sold off our Silver, we've sold off our Gold, we've sold off our manufacturing base, we've sold off our ports, now we are to sell off our forests.
Why don't they employ a good valuer, to value England as it stands, and sell the lot off to the highest bidder?
Perhaps the new owner would soon have a good clear out, to make their purchase a more valuable asset.
As I understand it the forests will have to remain or be replanted as forests. Doesn't much matter who owns it as we will still have the amenity of woodland.
AOG.........Forestry is subject to commercial logging and has been for years. It is sustainable. Where does it say that once sold off it will be turned in golf courses etc? As usual you are making assumptions based on ignorance.
It is of concern if they do sell off our forests. Landowners are known to protect their property even from the occasional rambler. Its a backward step and goes against the last Labour's idea of the freedom to roam. The country will fill up with Private Signs, Keep Out, No entry etc.
I was merely repeating the fears highlighted in the report, and if you had read the report thoroughly you also would have seen this, instead of making a complete fool of yourself.
/// The decision has prompted fears that large areas will be cleared to create holiday villages, golf courses and commercial logging operations.///
As usual you are talking about something you know nothing about.
I have dipped into some of your last posts, and it seems that it is you, not me who is all over the place, and having read some of your questions I find it is you who should get a life.
It is interesting to note however that you rarely encroach into the news section, except to criticise. So if I were you I should stick to what you know best, but if you must dip into the news section, get an Avatar first because you make the place look untidy.
Why are we so keen to sell off our assets ? Abbey National, Alliance & Leicester,etc - all profits now go to Spain instead of staying home, I have never understood the desire for foreign investment, it must mean more money leaving this country. It's like renting instead of buying, great in the short term but disastrous as long term policy. Still a government only has to last 5 years.
England built most of its wealth by exploitation of its Empire in one way or another. Forcing opium onto the Chinese to level up the balance of trade. Stealing oil from Iran for decades to fuel the growth.
Parasiting of the rest of the world for so long built a sense of privilege that continued on after the collapse of the Empire but nobody noticed. The illusion is now maintained by selling assets. Immigrants are relied on to do the work while everyone pretends they are the problem.
Britain has gone the way of the Romans, once a superpower, now an irrelevant anachronism.