He said: "The 'Shucksmith report' that is causing such a stir is only a report. After the debacle of the last crofting reform bill, we asked for a full inquiry and we got it.

"The report lays out some recommendations to achieve what participants in the Inquiry stated they wanted for crofting. However, there is a long way to go down the road to reform and crofters must stand together to ensure that they get what is best for the greater good of crofting."

Mr Donaldson pointed out: "The SCF is gathering the views of its members and will lobby for them to be taken into account in forming legislation. Remember we asked Shucksmith for a 'vision statement' and he has given us one based on what he heard in the Inquiry. We need to go back to that and to defend 'a future for crofting - in the hands of crofters - delivering wider benefits for their communities'.

"Where there is concern over that we should work through those concerns and not spend time on the knee jerk reaction of the NIMBY's and self interested few."