Skip to main content

'No red carpet for Trump - except for me'

Nicola Sturgeon tells Theresa May not to fawn on US President – but admits she may meet him herself

NICOLA STURGEON called on Theresa May yesterday to wind back the “red carpet treatment” for Donald Trump but admitted she may meet the US president herself.

The First Minister said she was “glad that the president appeared to U-turn” on his policy of separating migrant children from their parents, but she stressed that “we've all got to be careful not to just assume that the situation now is OK.”

At First Minister’s Questions, she had been asked by SNP MSP Ruth Maguire whether the president’s forthcoming visit to Britain was appropriate amid the outrage over migrant family separations.

Mr Trump is expected to include a visit to Scotland on his itinerary during a likely visit on July 13.

Ms Sturgeon said: “I don’t think it's appropriate at this time for the red carpet to be rolled out. Meetings are perhaps one thing, but red carpet treatment is another.

“I will continue to raise my voice against instances like this and of course it's not just in America this week that we've seen reasons to be concerned.”

Large demonstrations against the visit, backed by figures across the Scottish political spectrum, are planned for Glasgow and Edinburgh next month.

Asked afterwards if Ms Sturgeon would meet Mr Trump if he came to Scotland, her spokesman said: “There’s no proposal for meeting the First Minister.”

He said Ms Sturgeon was “on the record” as having said previously that she would be prepared to meet Mr Trump, but this was “something we can keep under review in light of present circumstances.”

Ms Sturgeon also faced calls from Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard for a review of care home closures, after an 87-year-old former resident died following her “forced transition” into new accommodation.

After the Bield company withdrew from the care homes business, Alzheimer’s patient Christina Wilson was moved from a “very sheltered flat” to a nearby nursing home.

Mr Leonard said Ms Wilson’s granddaughter had described how the elderly woman stopped eating, broke her shoulder and faced a “significant deterioration in her dementia.”

Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson and Lib Dem chief Willie Rennie used their slots to highlight deficiencies in school exams, which had been flagged by Mr Leonard the week before.

OWNED BY OUR READERS

We're a reader-owned co-operative, which means you can become part of the paper too by buying shares in the People’s Press Printing Society.

 

 

Become a supporter

Fighting fund

You've Raised:£ 13,288
We need:£ 4,712
3 Days remaining
Donate today