Union Leader Faces Calls to Quit Amid Multi-House Controversy; Minister Reveals Ownership of Five Properties

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The leading union official at the heart of a 'second homes' hypocrisy scandal is under pressure to step down following revelations that she owns aproperty portfolio valued at £1 million.

The Mail on Sunday has uncovered that Roz Foyer – who has consistently criticized the possession of secondary residences – owns a total of five homes along with a piece of land valued at £100,000.

In a stark intensification of the hypocrisy controversy surrounding the General Secretary of the Scottish Trades Union, Congress (STUC), The Mail on Sunday has uncovered an additional two properties in her collection.

They consist of an apartment Edinburgh , a row house in Glasgow And an unutilized piece of land that she purchased merely three months prior.

This follows our revelation that Ms Foyer, who earns up to £100,000 annually, owns a Spanish apartment rented out at £1,000 per week, along with a vacation cottage on Jura, besides her four-bedroom house located in the pleasant outskirts of northwest Glasgow.

This comes even though Ms Foyer has openly attributed the worsening of the housing and cost-of-living crises to second-homeowners.

Currently, facing significant criticism that labels her as a 'champagne socialist' and 'a sangria-sipping one too,' she encounters increasing pressure urging for her resignation.

Scottish Conservative Party leader Russell Findlay has challenged her ability to remain in office. He stated, "The foremost figure within Scotland's labor movement seems to be influenced more by Donald Trump thanJimmy Reid."

'Secretly amassing a £1 million real estate empire while condemning the alleged vice of owning multiple homes is absurdly hypocritical.'

Another instance of Scotland's hypocritical socialist elite dictating how we should act—yet behaving entirely differently themselves.

The way Roz Foyer believes she can keep serving as the so-called advocate for workers remains puzzling, and one would guess her peers might have some comments on this matter.

It comes after Mr Findlay joked on Friday that she clearly shared his party’s values of working hard and reaping the rewards – and invited her to defect to his party.

Ms Foyer was the first woman appointed to the top trade union job in Scotland and represents 500,000 workers.

She has repeatedly spoken out about the impact second homes have on communities amid Scotland’s ‘housing emergency’.

In July 2023, she called for a 300 per cent council tax premium on second and empty homes to tackle homelessness.

Several months afterward, she stated: "Scotland is grappling with both a housing crisis and a cost-of-living crisis, which together impose an intolerable burden on individuals who work."

‘Second homes and short-term lets can have significantly negative impacts on communities, exacerbating these crises as well as undermining the local economy.’

And in February 2024 she highlighted the number of empty properties and second homes in the Highlands, saying workers there faced ‘an acute housing crisis’.

However, an investigation by The Mail on Sunday last week uncovered that Ms Foyer possesses a home on the Isle of Jura together with her spouse, another trade union official named Simon Macfarlane, which has an estimated value of approximately £150,000.

This follows after Holyrood learned last month about the increasing number of vacation properties which were complicating matters for public-sector employees in Scotland—the individuals Ms. Foyer says she represents.

Ms. Foyer and Mr. Macfarlane, who serves as a regional manager for the Unison union, reportedly divide much of their time between work and being with their two daughters at their home in Glasgow. The property was purchased by the family in 2015 for £280,111.

Nevertheless, yesterday, the Scottish Daily Mail disclosed that Ms Foyer owns a vacation property in Spain valued at approximately £125,000.

Situated in the quaint harbour town of Puerto de Mazarrón in Murcia, the three-bedroomed apartment boasts a private balcony with panoramic views over the Mediterranean Sea and access to two communal pools.

While they are not using the flat, Ms Foyer rents it out. A week’s stay from June 18 to June 25 this year would cost around £920.

Now, The Mail on Sunday can reveal Ms Foyer owns a further TWO properties.

Official records show the trade union boss bought a terraced new-build in Glasgow in 2016 for £145,000.

Moreover, she has a 'spacious' and 'brightly decorated' two-bedroom apartment in Edinburgh, purchased last year for £240,000.

The property pamphlets describe the apartment as being in an 'ideal' and 'lively' spot with access to amenities such as a private swimming pool, fitness center, and sauna for residents. They also mention enjoying a scenic vista of trees overlooking a communal courtyard garden from a leafy perspective. Additionally, the brochure highlights secure parking available exclusively for residents within a gated area.

According to The Mail on Sunday, these properties are being used by intimate acquaintances and relatives.

Nevertheless, indicating that the union official might be aiming to broaden her real estate portfolio, Ms. Foyer bought a piece of land in Glasgow for £100,000 in February.

Last night, Ms. Foyer stood up for her five properties, stating: "I am proud that the STUC has advocated for and achieved a twofold increase in council taxes on secondary residences, and we continue to be dedicated to pushing for a fair property tax."

'I can gaze into the mirror confident that I am vigorously advocating for an equitable portion of resources from society.'

'Daily battles for more equitable taxes and the redistribution of wealth across the nation attract their share of criticism.'

As a woman hailing from a working-class background, I refuse to feel embarrassed about rightfully possessing property that my family and I, along with countless other families throughout Scotland, have diligently worked for.

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