The UK government has pledged to cover up to £5m in extra policing costs if President Trump visits Scotland to go golfing later this month.
Liz Truss, the Treasury secretary, wrote to the Scottish government’s new justice secretary, Humza Yousaf, to confirm that any policing costs directly associated with Trump’s visit on 13 July would be paid by the Treasury.
Ministers in Edinburgh were alarmed last week when Iain Livingstone, the interim chief constable of Police Scotland, estimated the force could need up to 5,000 officers at a potential cost of £5m to properly police his visit.
Livingstone said rest days had been cancelled and shifts had been rearranged to ensure enough officers were available to provide up to 24 hours of cover, including the policing of mass protests scheduled for Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Yousaf complained it was “completely unacceptable” for Scottish taxpayers to foot the bill for an official visit organised by the UK government.
Truss said that although policing in Scotland was devolved and therefore a Scottish government responsibility, she would provide ringfenced funding of up to £5m “should a visit from the president be confirmed”.
I have confirmed that should President Trump visit Scotland, we would provide funding to the Scottish Government to cover the policing costs incurred 👇👇 pic.twitter.com/UsAn0QSvca
— Liz Truss (@trussliz) July 3, 2018
Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minister, tweeted it was a victory for Yousaf:
Big result for new @scotgov Justice Secretary @HumzaYousaf - standing up for Scotland’s police. https://t.co/bkg3P21jGj
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) July 3, 2018
Exact details of Trump’s itinerary remain unconfirmed but it is widely believed the president will visit his luxury golf resort at Turnberry in Ayrshire after seeing Theresa May, the prime minister, at her country retreat at Chequers and the Queen at Windsor castle.
Trump is thought to be planning a round of golf with an unnamed celebrity, said to be Prince Andrew, and could also visit his smaller golf course at Menie north of Aberdeen.
Although Yousaf had insisted the policing costs for Trump’s visit should fall on the UK Treasury, Scottish government tourism agencies and the publicly owned Prestwick airport have invested heavily in promoting both Trump’s courses, particularly Turnberry, to increase visitor spending in Scotland and passenger traffic at Prestwick, which has lost £50m under public ownership.
Maurice Golden, the Scottish Conservative chief whip, said: “No doubt the Scottish National party will be delighted at yet another example of the union dividend. Even though policing is devolved to Holyrood, it’s welcome that the UK government is willing to cover the costs of any potential visit from the US president.”
