Time to park our fears over Trump and use trip to smooth relations with UK

Daily Record

3 days ago

Record View says Trump won't be President forever - so we must play a long-term game to secure a key international relationship.
Nobody should be surprised that President Trump's trip to Scotland will generate protests throughout the country.
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Now in his second term, Trump is a menace who has caused chaos at home and abroad. His inability to accept defeat to Joe Biden in 2020 undermined US democracy and his support for the January 6th insurrectionists was nauseating.
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He callously undermined President Zelensky on live TV and his fawning over Vladimir Putin is disgusting. The fact he is a convicted felon is another justification for Scots to take to the street. But we also have to separate the man from the office he holds.
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Scotland and the UK have strong ties with the US going back centuries. The UK and the US have fought wars together and share security intelligence in a way that keeps both countries safe.
Trump was elected by over 70 million Americans and we must respect that. Furthering our economic interests is another reason for Keir Starmer and John Swinney to meet Trump.
His tariffs are akin to a wrecking ball and if positive relations with Trump reduce the levies, so be it. Starmer seems to have the ear of the President and using leverage with him on Gaza and Ukraine would be sensible.
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Trump is a difficult man with a volatile temper who doesn't like being challenged. But the UK is adept at soft power and the five-day trip should be used to smooth relations with the UK, not aggravate them.
He won't be President forever so we must play a long-term game to secure a key international relationship.
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Sort out compo
The eye-watering sums paid out by Police Scotland in employment tribunal cases should give cause for concern at a time when it's strapped for cash and making savings.
The non-disclosure agreements signed by both parties just adds to the air of secrecy surrounding these claims. The robust nature of police work means there will always be staff grievances and complaints from the public.
However Scotland's opposition parties are right to raise concerns that monies paid in compensation mean less cash for frontline policing and crime fighting.
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While the Scottish Police Federation, which represents most of the claimants, says the force needs to act quicker when they come to it with complaints.
The Scottish government in turn insists it brought in new legislation to improve the complaints system. Politicians and police should get round the table and fix this once and for all.
We are sure the public would not complain about that.