The Scottish and UK governments are locked in a dispute over who ought to foot the £26m invoice for Donald Trump and JD Vance’s latest visits to Scotland.
The US president spent 4 days visiting his golf programs in Ayrshire and Aberdeenshire in July, whereas the vice chairman spent round 4 days in Ayrshire the next month.
In a letter to Chief Secretary to the Treasury James Murray, Scotland’s Finance Secretary Shona Robison mentioned the visits imposed “substantial operational and financial burdens on Scottish public services, particularly Police Scotland”.
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Mr Trump opened a brand new golf course in Aberdeenshire in July. Pic: PA
Ms Robison mentioned the estimated extra price of policing the presidential go to alone was round £20m, reflecting peak every day deployments of greater than 4,000 officers, whereas the associated fee for the vice chairman’s journey was round £6m.
In line with provisional figures revealed by the Scottish authorities afterward Wednesday, the 2 visits price round £24.5m – with Police Scotland’s invoice totalling round £24.1m.
The SNP MSP mentioned whereas each events have been framed as non-public visits, they have been “diplomatically significant”.
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Safety surrounding Trump Turnberry golf resort in July. Pic: PA
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Specialist rifle officers looking out at Trump Turnberry. Pic: PA
The UK authorities mentioned the visits have been non-public and “not official UK government business”, and that the Scottish authorities is “responsible for policing costs”.
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Mr Trump having fun with a spherical of golf at Trump Turnberry throughout his go to. Pic: AP
Mr Trump’s journey got here forward of his UK state go to in September.
Throughout his time in Scotland, the president loved a number of rounds of golf, opened a brand new golf course, and met with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, First Minister John Swinney, and EU Fee President Ursula von der Leyen.
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First Minister John Swinney at Trump Worldwide Golf Hyperlinks. Pic: PA
Ms Robison identified the UK authorities reimbursed the price of Mr Trump’s go to to Scotland in 2018.
Referring to the visits this summer season, she wrote: “It is important to note that these visits were not initiated by the Scottish government, nor were they part of devolved policy initiatives.
“While I recognise this was not an official go to initiated by the UK authorities, any go to by a sitting president and vice chairman will all the time represent a high-profile occasion.
“There is clear previous precedent, where the UK government has supported policing costs for visits to devolved nations by foreign dignitaries, including for the costs of the president’s visit in 2018.
“Though the London factor of the 2018 go to was for official engagements, the Scotland factor was not.”
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Police on Balmedie Seashore forward of Mr Trump’s go to to Aberdeenshire. Pic: PA
Ms Robison warned that failing to reimburse the prices would “not only strain devolved budgets but also set a troubling precedent for future high-profile visits”.
The letter was despatched final week.
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Scotland’s public finance minister Ivan McKee mentioned the UK authorities ought to reimburse the total prices.
He added: “The visits were part of UK government international relations, with the prime minister formally meeting the president in two locations in Scotland during his visit.
“It’s fully unacceptable to anticipate the Scottish authorities to foot the invoice for what have been clearly not non-public visits, because the UK authorities is claiming.”
A UK authorities spokesperson mentioned: “These were private visits by the president and vice president to Scotland, not official UK government business.
“The Scottish authorities are chargeable for policing prices in Scotland as per agreed devolved funding preparations.”
It’s understood Mr Trump’s go to in 2018 adopted a UK authorities invitation, and Precept 10 of the Assertion of Funding Coverage due to this fact utilized.
