JOHN Swinney was accused of risking a trade war by calling for Donald Trump’s UK visit to be cancelled.
The First Minister was warned his stance could lead to “devastating” retaliation on exports like whisky and salmon.
John Swinney was accused of risking a trade war by calling for Donald Trump’s UK visit to be cancelled[/caption]
A letter from the King that was last week given to the president in the White House by Sir Keir Starmer[/caption]
And he was urged by Tory MSP Murdo Fraser to stop “grandstanding on matters he has no control over”.
The party’s economy spokesman said: “Some of the rhetoric risks angering a President who could turn round and impose tariffs on Scotland’s most iconic products.
“That would have a devastating effect on sectors such as whisky, salmon and cashmere.”
But today senior Nats doubled down on their demand for a withdrawal of the invitation to the US leader for a state visit this year, including a potential stay at Balmoral.
It came in a letter from the King that was last week given to the president in the White House by Sir Keir Starmer.
But there has since been fury over the way Mr Trump and Vice President JD Vance spoke to Ukraine’s leader Volodymyr Zelensky in Washington DC.
SNP foreign affairs spokesman Stephen Gethins said: “It was an utterly grotesque way to treat the leader of a nation under siege. If the US is hostile to Ukraine, they should not be welcomed.”
But opposition parties urged Nats chiefs to “grow up”.
Scottish Labour’s external affairs spokesman Neil Bibby said: “This defining moment requires serious leadership, not childish attacks putting party politics ahead of peace.”
And Scots Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton called for “calm and measured diplomacy”.
The Scottish Government was contacted for comment.
