"Grovelling" Trump letter by hard right group mocked by activists
Donald Trump will be met in Scotland with a level of protest “not seen since the Iraq War”.
Campaigners have vowed to hound the US president out of the country should he show up during his state visit to the UK this summer.
They made the pledge following the publication of a “grovelling” letter by prominent Conservative and hard right groups.
The missive, sent to Trump from the Norman Tebbit-led Bow Group, urges him to travel to Scotland as an alternative to London.
It is signed by, among others, Drew Liquerman, chairman of Republicans Overseas Scotland and Dr John Marc Stanley of ThinkScotland, a Tory think tank.
Also among the signatories is Simon Richards, chief executive of the ultra-right Freedom Association, which infamously backed the Apartheid regime in South Africa.
The letter states: “We note your most recent visit to the United Kingdom was to Scotland, which passed without incident. Your ancestral homeland of Scotland represents a powerful bond between you and Britain, and given the nature of the climate in London, it is a superior destination.
“As you know, the Royal Estate of Balmoral Castle sits in Scotland’s Cairngorms National Park, thus allowing you to make a full state visit as the guest of Her Majesty the Queen.
“Scotland also offers a variety of locations where you would be able to speak directly to ordinary British people and witness the true level of support that exists for you and the special relationship between the US and the UK.”
Scottish Green party co-convener Patrick Harvie said the letter will be an embarrassment for Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson because of its claim of “looking forward to the visit” of Trump who they say they “admire” because of his “transformative effect” on the United States.
He said: “If this group of Tories think coming to Scotland will avoid the level of opposition Trump would receive in London, they frankly misunderstand Scotland’s long history of opposing racism, sexism and bigotry.
“The Scottish Greens, joined by many others, will ensure that any Trump visit here is met with a level of protest not seen since the Iraq war. We will send a clear message that his pathetic brand of hatred is not welcome here.
“It’s no surprise to see the Freedom Association, which was a prominent opponent of the anti-apartheid movement, offer its support to a president who has put white supremacists closer to power than they have been for decades.
“This letter is sycophantic and grovelling, and its claim from prominent Conservative groups that many within the party support Trump’s leadership and admire and respect a man who has boasted about sexually assaulting women should be a major embarrassment to the Tories in Scotland.
“Ruth Davidson should immediately distance herself and her party from these apologists for the dangerous extremism of the Trump presidency.
“Meanwhile Greens and many others will prepare to take to the streets to protest the visit of this odious man.”
A member of the Scotland Against Trump campaign group said: “This letter is embarrassing. Let’s be clear – Trump and his odious politics are not wanted in Scotland. If he shows up we’ll be sure to let him know that.”
The Scottish Conservative Party has been approached for a comment.
