Ex-Scottish minister 'terrified' of Donald Trump presidency - but Scotland Office will work with US president

Former Scottish Government minister Lorna Slater says she is “terrified” of Donald Trump’s presidency and has warned nations around the world not to “sacrifice human rights on the altar” of the US president-elect.

The warning comes as Scotland Office minister Kirsty McNeill said imposing 20 per cent tariffs on US imports such as Scottish salmon and whisky was not in the interests of Scots or Americans.

Ms Slater, the Scottish Green co-leader, said Scotland should continue to have good relations with American businesses and individuals, but stressed people could not change their principles “because some rich guy got into the White House”.

US President-Elect Donald Trump. | Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

On the eve of Mr Trump’s inauguration in Washington DC, Ms McNeill said the UK government was looking forward to working with the soon-to-be American president in the best interests of Scotland.

Mr Trump’s inauguration as the 47th US president will take place on Monday in Washington DC. The inauguration will be held indoors for the first time since 1985 as temperatures are expected to plummet to “dangerous” levels.

Ms Slater, who herself is originally from Canada, told the BBC she was nervous about Mr Trump’s second stint in office.

She said: “I’m feeling pretty terrified for the future of planet Earth here.

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“Trump is a clear and present danger to the climate and Roe v Wade was repealed under his watch, so women’s healthcare and rights are at risk.

“The world order is already showing he might disrespect other sovereign nations’ boundaries, so I am nervous. But there is a difference between dealing with Trump and dealing with American businesses and people who we do have a lot in common with.

“Supporting Scottish businesses to have good relations is important, but that is different from supporting Trump and his self-aggrandising vision of where he sits in the world.”

Scottish Greens co-leader Lorna Slater

Ms Slater also reiterated her party’s criticism of First Minister John Swinney “sucking up to Trump” after he congratulated the incoming US president on his election victory back in November.

The Greens co-leader said: “Are we going to let a billionaire who doesn’t respect the rule of law, democracy or the peaceful transfer of power to be the person we admire and want his approval?

“Sticking to our morals and respect for human rights is the right thing to do and we don’t change our principles because some rich guy got into the White House. Human rights cannot be sacrificed on the altar of Donald Trump in the hope that it will not be our human rights, but someone else’s.”

Ms McNeill criticised Ms Slater’s “ideological games”, and insisted having good relations with Mr Trump would benefit Scotland. The Midlothian MP had publicly supported Mr Trump’s Democratic rival, outgoing vice-president Kamala Harris, during the election campaign.

Scotland Office minister Kirsty McNeill.

She said: “The American public made their choice and the UK government looks forward to working with Trump to advance the best interests of Scotland.”

However, Ms McNeill conceded “tariffs are not in the best interests of American consumers and certainly not Scottish interests”.

It is expected Mr Trump will introduce a 20 per cent tariff on all international imports, including Scottish salmon and whisky.

Ms McNeill said: “We have a very long-standing relationship with the US. They are our oldest and strongest ally, and we need to cooperate with who the American public has chosen on military, intelligence and trade - there is so much more in common and that is what we will focus on.

“The world is not as we wish it and we can’t design it as we want to have it. We have to work with it as it is.”

Ms Slater also commented on the potential tariffs, saying: “If he [Mr Trump] puts punitive tariffs on imports, the question is how far the world will go.

“Allowing Trump to dictate what the rest of the world does is not a future we want. Give him an inch and he will take a mile - if it’s salmon and whisky, what next? Will he be dictating military policy, political policy, funding far-right policies in the UK?

“Who knows what horrors are in the future if we let Donald Trump build that future.”