Nicola Sturgeon rules out meeting Donald Trump at Turnberry

Donald Trump visits Turnberry in June last year. Picture: John Devlin

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Nicola Sturgeon says she does not plan to meet US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump when he visits Scotland to attend the official opening of Trump Turnberry.

The presumptive Republican nominee will attend the official reopening of his Trump Turnberry golf course in South Ayrshire on June 24, the day the result of the European Union referendum vote is expected.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “The First Minister does not plan to meet Donald Trump on this visit.”

Downing Street said no plans had been made to use the occasion for a first meeting between the billionaire tycoon and David Cameron. Relations between the pair have been frosty after the Prime Minister called Mr Trump’s call for a ban on Muslims entering the US “divisive, stupid and wrong”.

A Number 10 source said: “Candidates often come through the country. We are more than happy to meet him on that basis. There are no firm dates set up at the moment. There has been no formal contact.”

Mr Trump has seen off the competition in the Republican race but has yet to be formally crowned the official candidate.

When he last visited the resort in July last year, he said the ‘’special relationship’’ between the UK and the US would improve if he became president.

However his comments on the campaign trail about banning Muslims entering the US were met with outrage, provoking a UK parliamentary debate on whether he should be banned from entering the country. In Scotland First Minister Nicola Sturgeon revoked his status as a business ambassador and he was stripped of an honorary degree from Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen.

Trump Turnberry’s Ailsa golf course, which has played host to The Open Championship four times, has now reopened following a £200 million restoration.

Mr Trump said: “Very exciting that one of the great resorts of the world, Turnberry, will be opening today after a massive £200 million investment.”

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