Scottish Leader To Face Committee On Trump Links

Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond is to be questioned by his fellow MSPs over his handling of the Donald Trump golf resort affair.

Next week's session will be at a meeting of the local government committee and the Scottish Finance Secretary, John Swinney will also be questioned by the committee on 16 January.

The powerful committee decided to investigate the Scottish Government's decision to "call in" the US tycoon's application for the £1bn resort north of Aberdeen.

That came after an Aberdeenshire Council committee initially rejected the plans which include two golf courses, a hotel and housing.

Mr Salmond has since defended his role in the affair, insisting he acted properly.

He angrily rejected suggestions by Lib Dem leader Nicol Stephen that there was a "smell of sleaze" hanging over the handling of the application.

Aberdeenshire Council Chief Executive Alan Campbell and Scottish Government chief planner Jim McKinnon are likely to be called to the same meeting.

This is the latest development in the Trump saga, which late last year saw an urgency injected when the question of location suddenly become a competitive situation.

Northern Ireland's First Minister, Ian Paisley made a point of holding his own talks with the developer, Billionaire tycoon Donald Trump in the USA.

He said these were aimed at securing the controversial Trump Links development for the Province, as an alternative to the troubled Aberdeenshire location, followed the rejected planning bid.

NI Assembly First Minister Ian Paisley had a 25-minute meeting in New York with Mr Trump and told him that Northern Ireland would welcome the £1 billion golf resort to County Antrim.

He said, "We had a good exchange together and I told him he would be encouraged if he came because we are looking for people to invest and also for anything which is going to help tourism."

See: Scottish Executive To Consider Trump Golf Links

(BMcC)