DESPITE much clamouring, Tory warnings over the Scottish government’s rent freeze have proven to be a load of hot air.
Minister for tenants’ rights Patrick Harvie told a committee on Tuesday that early data does not show any drop in the number of private rental properties despite the rent freeze.
In fact, he said, early administrative figures showed a small increase in private rented accommodation.
This must have come as quite a surprise to Tory MSP Murdo Fraser. Ahead of the freeze coming in, the Scots Tory was slinging all kinds of insults about.
Raising my concerns @ScotParl today about the proposed rent freeze from the SNP/Green @scotgov, and the unintended consequences pic.twitter.com/omIy5iMtUr
— Murdo Fraser (@murdo_fraser) September 7, 2022
"The consequence of this legislation will be to reduce still further the availability of properties in the private rented sector," Fraser said in his Scotsman column.
"It seems simply unbelievable that we have a Scottish Government and a minister so arrogant and stupid that they cannot see what the outcomes of their actions will be. But this is Patrick Harvie, a man frequently blinded by his own virtue signalling that could take anyone’s eye out at any moment."
How arrogant.
But it wasn't only Fraser. His fellow Tory MSP-cum-Twitter troll Stephen Kerr said in October that landlords were "already selling up", blaming the Scottish rent freeze.
In September, he wrote: "Nicola Sturgeon must be aware that if she makes it more difficult to rent out property, the reaction of landlords will be to sell – meaning fewer properties for rent."
Well, it's far from the first time that Fraser and Kerr have been left with egg on their face.
