There are growing calls for property tycoon Donald Trump to be stripped of his title as a business ambassador for Scotland following his outspoken opposition to the country's renewable energy plans.
The US billionaire is at the centre of a storm as he tries to block plans for an
offshore wind farm on the horizon of his luxury links golf resort in Aberdeenshire.
Questions have now been raised in the Scottish Parliament as pressure mounts on First Minister Alex Salmond to step in and strip Trump of his role with the prestigious
GlobalScot network of business ambassadors.
And an online petition has now been launched calling on Scottish Enterprise to sever Trump's links with the network.
The petition adds: "By his conduct at the Scottish Parliament... Donald Trump has shown himself to be unworthy of an organisation whose purpose is to promote a positive image of Scotland, foster good relations in the global business community and encourage inward
investment."
The GlobalScot programme is managed by Scottish Enterprise and endorsed by Scotland's First Minister. It was launched in 2001 to provide new and expanding Scottish businesses with a stepping stone into export markets throughout the world.
Ironically, organisers of the scheme say it is a priority to find new members in the
renewable energy sector, including offshore wind, marine energy and bio-energy in regions including the USA and Asia Pacific.
A motion tabled in the Scottish Parliament by Green Party MSP Patrick Harvie said "that Mr Trump's stated intentions are entirely at odds with the interests of Scotland, and calls on the Scottish Government to revoke Mr Trump's membership of the GlobalScot network with immediate effect".
And today Mr Harvie told fellow MSPs: "This Parliament has committed itself to fighting the climate change Mr Trump refuses to believe in, and achieving the low carbon energy supply Mr Trump doesn’t care about.
"Can we now rely on the Scottish Government, and the First Minister, to treat the wind farm proposal with the seriousness it deserves, defend it vigorously in the courts if it comes to that, and to make it clear to Mr Trump where he can get off?
"Kicking him out of the prestigious GlobalScot network would be a good start."
But after First Minister Alex Salmond dodged the thorny issue, Harvie told
ClickGreen: "It wasn't a surprise that the First Minister stuck up for renewables. But it was a shame he failed to recognise the continued threat from Trump to our renewables potential and the way he is tarnishing Scotland's reputation.
"This was a perfect opportunity for Mr Salmond to take a proper stand against a rich American windbag but he ducked it."
Trump accepted a personal invite in April 2006 to become a business ambassador for Scotland as part of the GlobalScot initiative.
At the time, he said: ""As an international businessman I've enjoyed success over the years and I like to think that part of my achievement can be attributed to my Scottish roots.
"Being immensely proud of my Scottish background and recognising that this is a country with world class strengths and opportunity, I recently announced my new $500 million golf and leisure development in Aberdeenshire.
"I am also very pleased to have been asked to join the GlobalScot network. For a long time I've been aware that Scottish people are fiercely proud of Scotland and that they like to help their fellow countrymen."
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