US Presidential hopeful Donald Trump has been branded an “arrogant, racist bully” by an MSP today.
Patrick Harvie, Green MSP for Glasgow, urged the Scottish Government not to allow any deal between the billionaire businessman, who owns Turnberry golf course in Ayrshire, and the state owned Prestwick Airport.
Mr Harvie said: “It’s been clear for many years to anyone who took an interest that Donald Trump was an arrogant racist bully and I had thought that when Nicola Sturgeon took the right decision to kick him out him out of the Global Scot network the Scottish Government had come to regret ever having courted his business.”

Glasgow Times:
He said Trump, who has won three of the first four US republican primaries in the race to be the party’s candidate for the White House, was a “dangerous extremist” and as such he said the Scottish Government and Prestwick Airport should “cut ties” with him.
Nicola Sturgeon said her views on Trump were “probably not much different” however she said she would choose “more diplomatic language”.
Mr Harvie, a long standing critic of the US businessman, was referring to reports that Prestwick Airport and the Trump Organisation had talks about working together for mutual benefit. What he called a “strategic alliance”.
He later said Scotland’s state owned businesses should not be adding to Mr Trump’s vast wealth as it would outweigh the statements condemning his “racist and abusive rhetoric” and reduce them to mere “symbolic gestures”.
Ms Sturgeon said while Prestwick Airport was state owned the Scottish Government, under EU rules could not interfere in commercial discussions.
She also said there was no contractual agreement between Prestwick Airport and the Trump Organisation including Trump Turnberry.
On the Green leader’s description of Donald Trump, Ms Sturgeon, said: “I would probably use more diplomatic language but I suspect my views and Patrick Harvie’s on Donald Trump are not that materially different.”
However she said Prestwick Airport management had to be allowed to explore commercial opportunities free from government interference.

Glasgow Times:
She said: “The Scottish Government has had no discussions on the relationship between Prestwick Airport and the Trump Organisation.
“The senior management team at the airport are responsible for developing business opportunities and we expect them to work closely with local businesses to explore all avenues.
“In terms of the operation of Glasgow Prestwick airport, European state aid rules require that airport to be operated on a wholly commercial basis at arms length from the Scottish Government.”