George Lyon says current plans do not go far enough

The Liberal Democrat MSP said that without this right, the bill will not tackle the land problems on Gigha.

He said: "I certainly believe it doesn't go far enough and it won't solve the problems, such as we find here in Gigha.

"Gigha is a microcosm of everything that is wrong with the land legislation currently in Scotland.

"If we are going to tackle this and give communities and individuals the power that they need to try and shape their own destiny and to generate economic activity in much of rural Scotland then we have to introduce this right."

Mr Lyon added: "I think it would liberate economically much of rural Scotland which has suffered and is in decline at the moment."

But Deputy First Minister Jim Wallace, who is drafting the bill, said that the individual right to buy would be counterproductive.

Jim Wallace dismissed George Lyon's stance

He said: "If it meant that landlords were then withdrawing land from the opportunities for tenants to take over land and farm it, then that would be less opportunity for young people who want to pursue farming as a career, who want to settle in the rural areas with their families.

"We felt that it would, in fact, be counterproductive to the idea of trying to encourage people to stay in the countryside."

The current landlord, who is selling because of ill health, said he will accept a community bid - but only if it is competitive.

Residents do not want to be at the whim of a new landlord, but are also concerned about the costs and complications of a buy-out.