First Minister Alex Salmond has broken his silence over Donald Trump halting further investment in Scotland – and urged the businessman to keep spending on his golf resort in the north-east.
Mr Salmond spoke out after Mr Trump pledged to put all his “investment and energy” in a new course in Ireland after he lost his Court of Session bid to stop offshore wind turbines being built in sight of his resort at the Menie estate.
Mr Salmond was in Aberdeen yesterday to allay fears over currency arrangements in an independent Scotland.
During a speech at the Marcliffe Hotel, he praised the influx of investment to Scotland as “surging to new highs” with unemployment rates lower than in the rest of the UK.
When pressed on Mr Trump’s claims that he intends to discontinue investment in the north-east, in a move that could jeopardise up to £1billion of spending and 4,000 jobs, Mr Salmond told the Press and Journal he wanted the tycoon to stay true to his vision for the north-east.
Mr Salmond said: “I would like Mr Trump to invest as he said he was going to do but I can’t make him do that.
“Equally you can’t say you will turn down another investment or not consider another planning application properly. I am delighted that the position of the government has been upheld in the court.”
Mr Salmond added: “I supported the golf course development because I thought it was good for the north-east of Scotland.
“But people have to accept that other organisations also have the right to put in planning applications for development, and that all these planning applications have to be treated on their merit.
“I would obviously want people to invest but you can’t have the price of investment being a veto over other people’s investment. You can’t do that.”
Mr Trump has now scrapped plans for a second course at Menie and is ready to sell parcels of land from the estate, where 1,500 new homes have outline planning permission.
Trump International earlier confirmed that no more money would be invested in the Menie estate, other than to keep the existing course operating.
Mr Trump, who was not available for comment yesterday, has claimed the first minister has sent out a message of “do not invest in Scotland”.