Scottish Labour are leading calls for a ‘Covid debt amnesty’ - your views

Covid debt amnesty

Scottish Labour are leading calls for a ‘Covid debt amnesty’ which would free families hit by financial hardship during the pandemic from years of debt repayments.

Nicky Minto

There are self-employed people that have had no help at all from the government since this started. You should be helping these people out first along with the people made redundant due to the pandemic.

Jacqueline Gaughan Keddie

I shielded for five months and got behind with my council tax. They took me to court in September and threatened the bailiffs. I’m struggling to pay the debt company £200 a month to stop them coming to my home ...... Edinburgh Council.

William Dickson

What about council tenants getting help with their rent?

Steven Grieve

There shouldn't be any debt issues. The government both north and south of the border have failed each and every person in the UK. They have a duty of care to everyone. They imposed the restrictions so they should be paying for every lost penny. We are supposed to be one of the richest nations in the world yet we are suffering worse than poorer countries because our government have failed us all.

Allan Squair

But how would we fix all the potholes, get extra bike lanes, get the trams finished or more student flats built? I have a better idea – sack Edinburgh Council, job done.

Lisa Cairns

How about commercial rents? So many successful businesses have been forced to close and no government intervention. The grants are not enough to cover Edinburgh rents and the majority of landlords are still expecting full rent. This is what’s killing the businesses.

Gillian Cleland

So what about small businesses/sole traders who received absolutely no help and have still been asked to pay full rent, rates and insurance on business premises while having virtually no income? While I understand everyone has struggled, those employed by someone else have at least been paid 80% if furloughed as well as mortgage, loan and credit card payments being suspended or reduced.

Kieran Sylvester

There are still 3 million in the UK who have had no help #theforgotten.

Richard Carr

Write the debt off. Give people a break. Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.

Kevin Home

Councils will increase there council tax in April I hear, but they should be freezing them instead.

Jamie Gordon

It’s the least they could do for people who are struggling during this time. After all, they say they want to help people and have the funds to do it, but let's see if they do.

Kathy Aliberti

But they will have to be paid for eventually. By whom?

Pamela Cook

It doesn’t seem fair for those who have paid and have perhaps had to sacrifice something else to do so.

Leigh Lyall

That would be lovely but too good to be true! We'd still end up having to pay them another way or at some other stage!

Calzboi Jame's Boydon

Just send the bill to China. Or sanction them until they pay.

Michael Gordon

Instead of Labour making traps for Nicola Sturgeon as she does for Westminster, why not pick her up on all her lies over the years?

Store opening

Aldi is set to open a new store at Edinburgh's Hermiston Gait

Jock Burns

Everything is closing down and somehow this company manage to open up all over the place. What's the connection with Brexit?

Joanne Sherratt

They really need to change the traffic system if they’re going to add new shops, instead of having to get out the Hermiston Gait roundabout way. The one way system makes no sense.

Ser Glynn

Plenty of empty shops, so a welcome addition for both jobs and shopping, though not always cheaper than Tesco and not as much variety.

Tracey Smith

It would be great to have one at Straiton.

Lesley Findlay

And Craigleith!

Catriona Maidens

Aldi and Home Bargains... with a coffee on the way out. We’ll never leave!

Marianne Morton

Can we get one at Straiton please?