It’s not unusual for Green Party politicians to advocate higher taxes for landlords but an initiative in Scotland has taken an unexpected twist.

The politicians say new taxes should be levied on landlords of short lets and owners of holiday homes in order to protect the Gaelic language. 

Ross Greer, a Member of the Scottish Parliament, says he intends to force a vote on the issue in the parliament in the autumn. 

He says: “Gaelic is an essential part of Scottish culture and national identity, but it is on the verge of extinction as a living language. We need to take bold action immediately, or the decline will be impossible to reverse. The Languages Act is a good starting point, but we know that one of the biggest threats to the language is the housing crisis in areas like Skye.

“Young Gaelic speakers are being forced out of the last communities where it is still the spoken language because holiday homes and Airbnb-style short term lets have driven up house prices to levels they cannot hope to compete with. As a result, they are forced to move to areas where they cannot use Gaelic in their everyday interactions. This is one of the biggest threats to Gaelic’s continued existence. 

“My proposals would make it harder for wealthier people to buy up second homes and short-term lets in Gaelic-speaking communities and in turn make it easier for locals, especially first-time buyers, to secure their own home.

“Changes to council tax already delivered by Scottish Green MSPs reduced the number of second and holiday homes across Scotland by 2,500 last year, freeing up more properties for people who need a home to live in. We can build on this success with further targeted actions and ensure that our Gaelic-speaking communities can thrive rather than be treated purely as holiday parks for tourists and the super-rich.”

The Greens claim that average house prices in Skye are £60,000 higher than the Scottish national average and claim that almost 60% of local properties are either holiday homes or short term lets. 

A statement from the party says: “This is forcing many young people off the island and putting Gaelic’s survival as a community language at risk. Lack of available housing is commonly cited as a key reason why Gaelic is now on the edge of extinction in its historic communities … The Scottish Languages Act allows for communities where Gaelic is widely spoken to be designated as ‘Areas of Linguistic Significance’.”