DONALD Trump “knows where I stand” on the issue of Scottish independence, John Swinney has said ahead of a meeting with the US president.
The First Minister, speaking to The National in Falkirk, said he would be raising tariffs on whisky and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza when he meets with Trump.
Swinney has reportedly accepted a dinner invitation from the US president in Aberdeenshire on Monday, before scheduled official talks taking place the next day.
Asked what he will be discussing with Trump, and if that includes the issue of Scottish independence, Swinney said: “I've got a job to do as First Minister to protect and promote the interests of Scotland, and I want to use this opportunity of meeting with President Trump to take forward some of the domestic and international concerns of the people of Scotland.
“Domestic issues, obviously, the trade and tariffs issues affecting Scotch whisky are uppermost in my mind.
“On the international situation, the humanitarian crisis, tragedy, in Gaza is central to my concerns.
“I want to encourage President Trump to apply pressure on the Israeli government to deliver a ceasefire, to enable the humanitarian aid to be delivered on the ground, and President Trump is strongly, if not uniquely, positioned to deliver that pressure to the Israeli government.”
The FM added: “And on the question of independence, President Trump knows where I stand on these questions, and I want to make sure the people of Scotland make their views clear at the election in May.”
It comes as Swinney is expected to make the case for a tariff exemption on Scotch whisky, currently taxed at 10% for import to the US.
“Tariffs are very important for the Scottish economy and obviously scotch whisky is a unique product," he told the BBC on Monday morning.
“It can only be produced in Scotland. It’s not a product that can be produced in any other part of the world.
"So there’s a uniqueness about that, which I think means there is a case for it to be taken out of the tariffs arrangement that is now in place.”
Swinney also said the final cost of the policing of Trump’s private visit to Scotland has yet to be worked out.
