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| Alex Salmond brands Trump 'loser' after judges reject windfarm appeal | |
| (33 minutes later) | |
| Donald Trump, the leading Republican candidate for the US presidency, has been defeated in his campaign to prevent an offshore windfarm being built within sight of his golf course in Scotland. | Donald Trump, the leading Republican candidate for the US presidency, has been defeated in his campaign to prevent an offshore windfarm being built within sight of his golf course in Scotland. |
| In a unanimous decision, fives justices on the supreme court at Westminster rejected his appeal against planning permission for the turbines that was granted by Scottish ministers. | |
| Despite losing at every earlier stage in the Scottish courts, the billionaire property developer had funded a fresh challenge to prevent the windfarm being built within sight of his Menie golf resort in Aberdeenshire. | Despite losing at every earlier stage in the Scottish courts, the billionaire property developer had funded a fresh challenge to prevent the windfarm being built within sight of his Menie golf resort in Aberdeenshire. |
| Related: Who – if anybody – is advising Donald Trump? | Related: Who – if anybody – is advising Donald Trump? |
| The former Scottish first minister, Alex Salmond, branded Trump “three times a loser” while the windfarm industry greeted the ruling as a boost for renewable energy. | The former Scottish first minister, Alex Salmond, branded Trump “three times a loser” while the windfarm industry greeted the ruling as a boost for renewable energy. |
| Salmond said: “These proceedings have been dragged out for years through three successive court judgments by Donald Trump as he tried to stop an offshore Aberdeen wind turbine demonstrator by means of legal action. In doing so he has at best postponed, and at worst jeopardised, a vital £200m boost for the economy of the north-east of Scotland ... a vital development at a time of rock-bottom oil prices.” | Salmond said: “These proceedings have been dragged out for years through three successive court judgments by Donald Trump as he tried to stop an offshore Aberdeen wind turbine demonstrator by means of legal action. In doing so he has at best postponed, and at worst jeopardised, a vital £200m boost for the economy of the north-east of Scotland ... a vital development at a time of rock-bottom oil prices.” |
| The Trump Organization, however, threatened to appeal to European courts against the verdict. In a pointed and personal response to Salmond, the organisation said in statement: “Does anyone care what this man thinks? He’s a has-been and totally irrelevant. The fact that he doesn’t even know what’s going on in his own constituency says it all ... He should go back to doing what he does best: unveiling pompous portraits of himself that pander to his already overinflated ego.” | The Trump Organization, however, threatened to appeal to European courts against the verdict. In a pointed and personal response to Salmond, the organisation said in statement: “Does anyone care what this man thinks? He’s a has-been and totally irrelevant. The fact that he doesn’t even know what’s going on in his own constituency says it all ... He should go back to doing what he does best: unveiling pompous portraits of himself that pander to his already overinflated ego.” |
| Trump, 69, whose mother was Scottish, did not appear in person at the supreme court in Westminster for any of the hearings. His lawyers had appealed on two grounds that Scottish ministers had no power under the 1989 act to grant consent to the windfarm application and that there was a problem with the design application. | Trump, 69, whose mother was Scottish, did not appear in person at the supreme court in Westminster for any of the hearings. His lawyers had appealed on two grounds that Scottish ministers had no power under the 1989 act to grant consent to the windfarm application and that there was a problem with the design application. |
| The judges said: “It is clear that the consent contains a mechanism enabling the Scottish ministers to use both the construction method statement and the design statement to regulate the design of the windfarm in the interests of environmental protection, and to require compliance with those statements.” | The judges said: “It is clear that the consent contains a mechanism enabling the Scottish ministers to use both the construction method statement and the design statement to regulate the design of the windfarm in the interests of environmental protection, and to require compliance with those statements.” |
| Related: Donald Trump, radicalised London salutes your honesty | Zoe Williams | Related: Donald Trump, radicalised London salutes your honesty | Zoe Williams |
| The Menie estate was purchased by Trump in 2006 and transformed into a golf resort on protected coastal dunes north of Aberdeen. | The Menie estate was purchased by Trump in 2006 and transformed into a golf resort on protected coastal dunes north of Aberdeen. |
| In 2011, Aberdeen Offshore Wind Farm Ltd applied for consent under the Electricity Act 1989 to construct an electricity generating station and offshore wind turbines off Aberdeenshire. | In 2011, Aberdeen Offshore Wind Farm Ltd applied for consent under the Electricity Act 1989 to construct an electricity generating station and offshore wind turbines off Aberdeenshire. |
| Permission was granted by the Scottish government in 2013 for 11 turbines, which Trump says will be a “monstrous” blight on the coastal landscape. The turbines will be about two miles from the course. | Permission was granted by the Scottish government in 2013 for 11 turbines, which Trump says will be a “monstrous” blight on the coastal landscape. The turbines will be about two miles from the course. |
| George Sorial, executive vice-president of the Trump Organization in New York, said: “This is an extremely unfortunate verdict for the residents of Aberdeen and anyone who cares about Scotland’s economic future. The European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre (EOWDC) will completely destroy the bucolic Aberdeen Bay and cast a terrible shadow upon the future of tourism for the area. | George Sorial, executive vice-president of the Trump Organization in New York, said: “This is an extremely unfortunate verdict for the residents of Aberdeen and anyone who cares about Scotland’s economic future. The European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre (EOWDC) will completely destroy the bucolic Aberdeen Bay and cast a terrible shadow upon the future of tourism for the area. |
| “History will judge those involved unfavourably and the outcome demonstrates the foolish, small-minded and parochial mentality which dominates the current Scottish government’s dangerous experiment with wind energy. | |
| “With oil prices plummeting ... the EOWDC will never be built and comments that suggest otherwise are nothing more than delusional posturing. We will evaluate the court’s decision and continue to fight this proposal on every possible front.” | “With oil prices plummeting ... the EOWDC will never be built and comments that suggest otherwise are nothing more than delusional posturing. We will evaluate the court’s decision and continue to fight this proposal on every possible front.” |
| But Scotland’s SNP energy minister, Fergus Ewing, said: “I am pleased that the supreme court has unanimously found in our favour. The proposed EOWDC is an important project for Aberdeen and north-east Scotland. Aberdeen is already of global importance for hydrocarbons and this wind deployment centre cements its role in renewable offshore development, further positioning Aberdeen as the energy capital of Europe and a world energy centre.” | But Scotland’s SNP energy minister, Fergus Ewing, said: “I am pleased that the supreme court has unanimously found in our favour. The proposed EOWDC is an important project for Aberdeen and north-east Scotland. Aberdeen is already of global importance for hydrocarbons and this wind deployment centre cements its role in renewable offshore development, further positioning Aberdeen as the energy capital of Europe and a world energy centre.” |
| Patrick Harvie, economy spokesperson for the Scottish Greens and MSP for Glasgow, said: “This crucial project has been delayed for too long by one rich climate change denier. This is the latest rejection for an irrational bully whose brand is increasingly toxic.” | Patrick Harvie, economy spokesperson for the Scottish Greens and MSP for Glasgow, said: “This crucial project has been delayed for too long by one rich climate change denier. This is the latest rejection for an irrational bully whose brand is increasingly toxic.” |
| Salmond also said of Trump: His behaviour and comments are unlikely to attract the votes of many Mexican Americans or Muslim Americans. Given his treatment of Scotland, Scots Americans are likely to join the ever-growing list of people alienated by Trump.” | |
| WWF Scotland’s director, Lang Banks, said: “This result is great news for Scotland and for all those interested in tackling climate change and creating jobs. Having failed in his attempt to undermine Scotland’s renewables ambitions, it’s now time for Mr Trump to move on. | |
| “Once up and running, this test facility will be ideally placed to help test the technologies needed to harness Scotland’s huge offshore renewables potential, ensuring learning by industry, and playing an important role in helping to drive down costs. We hope developing this important scheme can now quickly progress. | “Once up and running, this test facility will be ideally placed to help test the technologies needed to harness Scotland’s huge offshore renewables potential, ensuring learning by industry, and playing an important role in helping to drive down costs. We hope developing this important scheme can now quickly progress. |
| Related: Wind farm study finds 'no direct evidence' they affect health | Related: Wind farm study finds 'no direct evidence' they affect health |
| Gary McGovern, energy and planning partner at the law firm Pinsent Masons, said: “Donald Trump will be hoping he has more success at the US ballot box than he does in the courts. Today’s decision is long overdue but is still a welcome shot in the arm for offshore wind and the wider UK renewables industry. In pursuing a weak argument described previously in the court of session as ‘fallacious’, this case has perpetuated a lingering doubt over longstanding legal principles, and that has been to the detriment of the whole energy industry. | Gary McGovern, energy and planning partner at the law firm Pinsent Masons, said: “Donald Trump will be hoping he has more success at the US ballot box than he does in the courts. Today’s decision is long overdue but is still a welcome shot in the arm for offshore wind and the wider UK renewables industry. In pursuing a weak argument described previously in the court of session as ‘fallacious’, this case has perpetuated a lingering doubt over longstanding legal principles, and that has been to the detriment of the whole energy industry. |
| “Developers will therefore breathe a sigh of relief and it is hoped that this and other projects affected can now gather pace, without the threat of costly legal challenges and delays on similarly dubious grounds hanging over them.” | “Developers will therefore breathe a sigh of relief and it is hoped that this and other projects affected can now gather pace, without the threat of costly legal challenges and delays on similarly dubious grounds hanging over them.” |
| Andy Paine, project director for Aberdeen Offshore Wind Farm Ltd, the company behind the project, said: “This is another significant step forward for the EOWDC. It affirms the scheme’s potential to position Scotland, and particularly the north-east, as a centre of innovative offshore wind power. The project partners remain committed to seeing the EOWDC come to fruition and delivering long-term economic benefits to the region.” |