YOU PAY TRUMP SUM
President gets taxpayer cash for golf He gains in public £100,000 payout
Donald Trump will cash in on a taxpayer- funded tourism event held at one of his golf resorts.
SNP ministers have been branded hypocrites because the controversia l US President will benefit from the event.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon stripped Trump of his status as a business ambassador for Scotland in 2015, describing his behaviour as “obnoxious and offensive”.
But now his Trump Turnber r y complex in Ayrshire will be paid from the public purse for hosting next month’s Scottish Golf
Tourism Week (SGTW), which aims to advertise our courses to visitors from around the globe.
The event is run by Glasgow events management company PSP Media.
The firm are receiving £100,000 from VisitScotland and Scottish Enterprise.
It is not clear how much will go to Trump Turnberry, where basic rooms start at £ 360 a night.
Culture secretary Fiona Hyslop is also helping promote SGTW – though Trump’s name has been dropped from the official marketing material.
The latest revelation comes only weeks after it emerged that Trump Turnberry received a £ 110,000 rates rebate from the Scott ish Government.
Labour MSP Colin Smyth said: “This is rank hypocrisy from the SNP.
“When he was First Minister, Alex Sa lmond welcomed Trump to Scotland with open arms, only for Nicola Sturgeon to give h im the c ol d shoulder after his abhorrent views became publ ic . Now she seems to have changed her mind yet again.”
SGTW runs from October 23 to 27 and links the nation’s suppliers with tour operators.
More than 200 delegates are expected.
Green Party MSP Patrick Harvie said: “At some point, ministers are going to have to take a stand against this increasingly dangerous and unhinged president.”
Scot t ish Tor y culture spookeswoman Rachael Hamilton said: “To pretend that this won’t benefit Donald Trump by not mentioning him is ridiculous.”
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “SGTW 2017 is organised and publicised by PSP Media.
“The decision on the host venue was made by the organisers.”
A Trump Turn berry spokesman said: “We would never comment on a commercial agreement that is in place with any of our clients.” Scottish Enterprise said: “We’re working with partners to support SGTW and our support includes a financial contribution.
It’s up to a maximum of £50,000.
“Our contribution wouldn’t go directly to the venue, it would go to the event organisers.” VisitScotland said their support for the event included funding of up to £50,000, depending on external sponsorship and added: “The funding goes to PSP Media to support the staging of the event.”
PSP Medi a fa i led to comment.