Donald Trump is ‘dangerous extremist’, says Scottish Green MSP Patrick Harvie

Moves by state-owned Prestwick airport to forge business links with US Presidential hopeful Donald Trump have been questioned by Green MSP Patrick Harvie.

Trump, who owns a golf resort next to the airport, was branded “arrogant” and “a bully” by the Scottish greens co-convener.

Last week Trump announced the airport will be the Scottish base for all Trump Aviation Operations, including Mr Trump's private aircraft.

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"We are going to make this really successful. You are going to get a lot of business," he said.

Prestwick was rescued by the Scottish Government last year, and is run by an arms-length body. It still runs at a loss.

At today’s First Minister’s Questions, Harvie said: “For many years it has been clear, to anybody who cared to take an interest, that Donald Trump is an arrogant and racist bully.

“When Nicola Sturgeon rightly took the decision to kick him out of the globalscot network, I thought that the Scottish Government had come to regret having ever courted his business. However, it appears that Prestwick airport, which is publicly owned by the Scottish Government, is now pursuing an official partnership - a strategic alliance - with the Trump Organization.

“Does the First Minister agree that the owner, most especially a Government that exists to serve the public interest, of any business must ensure that that business cuts ties with such a dangerous extremist?”

The First Minister said the airport is operated on a commercial basis and therefore government cannot intervene under EU rules.

“Although I would probably use more diplomatic language, I suspect that my views on Donald Trump are not materially different from Patrick Harvie’s,” she said.