Salmond asked for advice on Trump

Two ministers in Theresa May’s government asked Alex Salmond for advice about how to approach Donald Trump, but failed to heed his warning to “sup with a long spoon”, the former first minister has said.

Mrsalmondalsoclaimedthe Prime Minister would have “no influence” in talks with the European Union because she had tied herself to a president believed to be hostile towards Europe while supporting Vladimir Putin’s Russia.

The unidentified ministers are understood to have approached the former SNP leader before Christmas independently.

As first minister, Mr Salmond had a roller-coaster relationship with the new US president, which began warmly as the property tycoon invested millions of dollars in golf resorts in Scotland.

But it ended with Mr Trump calling Mr Salmond “Mad Alex” and accusing him of “ruining Scotland” in a dispute over a planned offshore 0 Alex Salmond: PM has ‘rushed into relationship’ wind farm facing his estate in Aberdeenshire.

Describing the approach, Mr Salmond said: “I advised them two things: under no circumstances rush into a relationship, and don’t do it under terms of disadvantage.

“That is what [Mrs May] did – she went rushing into the relationship under terms of disadvantage and it’s already unravelling.”

Dozens of MPS have signed a motion calling for Mr Trump not to be invited to address both houses of parliament on a state visit planned for later this year, in protest at his controversial refugee and travel ban.