'You amazing man' - Trump lauds Salmond, but is he a friend First Minister could do without?

Published on Wednesday 23 January 2008 21:18

MOST politicians would swell with pride to hear themselves being lauded to the skies by someone as famous and influential as Donald Trump.

But yesterday Alex Salmond could have been forgiven for cursing the American entrepreneur as he praised the First Minister as an "amazing man".

In politics, as in comedy, timing is everything. Mr Salmond was just finishing his preparations to face an exacting Holyrood committee when the interview with Mr Trump was broadcast on BBC Radio Scotland at 8:15am yesterday.

Mr Salmond was determined to put across the message that he did everything "by the book" in his dealings with Mr Trump's planned Aberdeenshire golf development and that there was nothing improper in his relations with Mr Trump or his organisation.

Then, just 15 minutes before his evidence session, Mr Trump declared publicly that Mr Salmond was "an amazing man", and a credit to his country.

It was the sort of endorsement that Mr Salmond could really have done without.

As David McLetchie, a Tory MSP and member of the committee that questioned Mr Salmond yesterday, said: "With friends like that, who needs enemies?"

He added: "When Mr Salmond was about to face a grilling by a Scottish Parliament committee about his perceived closeness to Donald Trump, the last thing he needed was for Trump to indulge in an Salmond ego-massaging exercise."

Mr Trump is planning a 1 billion golf and housing development on the Menie Estate in Aberdeenshire, in Mr Salmond's constituency of Gordon.

The development was agreed, then refused by committees at Aberdeenshire Council, a confusing situation that prompted John Swinney, the finance secretary, to "call in" the development, giving the Scottish Government the final say on the proposed project.

Mr Salmond's role has been under intense scrutiny since it emerged that he had arranged a meeting between the developers and the Scottish Government's chief planner, which took place the day before Mr Swinney's decision to call in the development.

However, the First Minister has insisted – and did so again yesterday – that he has always acted as a constituency MSP, not a government minister, in his dealings with the Trump organisation.

Yesterday, Mr Trump had the opportunity to explain his side of the story.

Speaking on BBC Scotland, the property tycoon said: "I hardly know Alex Salmond, but what I do know is that he is an amazing man. He is a person that believes strongly in Scotland and wants economic development in Scotland. But Alex Salmond and I have virtually never even talked about this job."

Asked if he had been given any assurances by Mr Salmond or any advisers that the project would be delivered, Mr Trump said: "Absolutely not – we never even discussed that.

"All we talked about was Scotland – and what he wants is good for Scotland."

And Mr Trump added: "It's inconceivable – but it's possible that Alex Salmond won't want the project."

Mr Salmond then faced the local government and communities committee for the second time in a week to explain his role in the development and he was adamant that he had followed the rules to the letter.

The First Minister said he had arranged the meeting between the Trump organisation and the chief planner because that was his role as a constituency MSP.

"I was acting in a way that I had confirmed that I was able to and could do," he said, adding: "I would hope that any MSP under these circumstances would take similar action."

EYES TURN TO NORTHERN IRELAND SITES

DONALD Trump is sending his top adviser to Northern Ireland to look at potential sites for his dream 1 billion golf course.

George Sorial, Mr Trump's managing director for international development, will today visit four locations identified as possible venues for the complex, originally planned for Aberdeenshire. It is understood he will also attend a dinner hosted by Ian Paisley jnr, the son of the Stormont First Minister.

One of the sites is believed to be at Runkerry, near Bushmills in County Antrim.

Ian Paisley snr met Mr Trump in New York in December and the two discussed the possibility of building the course in Northern Ireland.