Alex Salmond says lessons learned from Trump and Murdoch dealings

By SCOTT MACNAB
Published on 30/04/2012 13:40

ALEX SALMOND today said he has learned a lesson in dealing with the rich and powerful after the row surrounding his link with Rupert Murdoch and Donald Trump.

First Minister says he “doesn’t care” what Trump thinks after the US developer claimed he was betrayed by Salmond over his golf course in the North-east.

But the SNP leader says he should have been more forceful in making it clear his dealings with powerful figures are about securing jobs for Scotland.

It comes amid opposition claims that he supported Mr Murdoch’s bid to takeover BSkyB to gain favourable press coverage for the SNP.

But Mr Salmond insisted today: “There was no quid pro quo.”

He added: “What there was, was the issue of jobs and employment in Scotland.

“Their argument was in terms of a consolidation of the ownership of BSkyB, that would mean an expansion of activities and that Scotland would be well placed to benefit.”

BSkyB employs 6,400 people in Glasgow, Uddingston, Livingston and Dunfermline.

Mr Salmond told BBC Scotland’s Call Kaye show today that the firm was “good employer” in Scotland.

“I would like to see more jobs in Scotland and that means more BSkyB jobs. There were 2000 jobs, which were under very substantial threat, but which are now being maintained and slightly expended in terms of contracting.”

He added: “The job of the First Minister is jobs and getting as many as we possibly can for Scotland. That’s one of the vital things a First Minister does.

“The lesson learned is that I’ll maybe advocate that even more forcibly and I look forward to my chance at the Leveson inquiry to spell that out in considerable detail.”

Mr Salmond has been branded an “undercover lobbyist” for Rupert Murdoch after emails emerged at the Leveson inquiry into press ethics which revealed that he was ready to lobby under fire UK culture secretary Jeremy Hunt in support of the media mogul’s takeover of BSkyB.

Trump is furious about proposals to build a windfarm adjacent to his golf resort in the North-east after claiming both Salmond and his predecessor Lord McConnell assured him this would not be built.

“I’ve fallen out with Donlad Trump because he doesn’t seem to understand that offshore renewable energy will bring 28,000 jobs to Scotland over the next 10 years,” Mr Salmond added.

“If you keep your eye on the jobs and investment, then you’re doing the job for Scotland. I wouldn’t be doing the job for Scotland if I said I would like to see 28,000 jobs, but Donald Trump says `boo’ to me so I will now change my mind about renewable energy in Scotland.

“The reason for the argument with Donald Trump is that I think offshore renewable energy is one of the key issues in the re-industrialisation of this country. I don’t care what Donald Trump says.”