Scottish Government warned to 'come clean' over £180k cash for Trump course contest
The Scottish Government has been accused of misleading the public over its decision to award £180,000 of taxpayers' cash to a golf competition on Donald Trump's course.
The funding, announced on the second day of the US President's visit to Scotland last month, was said to be for supporting 'delivery of this year's' Nexo Championship.
But the Sunday Mail can reveal the cash was actually spent on adverts including a giant VisitScotland sign, a 30-second online advert and some 'Scotland' billboards around the Trump International course in Aberdeen.
The funding had no bearing on whether the competition would go ahead as the event had been announced in May.
But Scottish Greens MSP Patrick Harvie said: 'The Scottish Government needs to come clean about what Scotland gets out of this public funding.
"If it's simply for advertising, they should not have claimed it was about the delivery of the event. And if it's about delivery of the event, they need to explain why a billionaire's event hosted at a billionaire's resort needs any public money at all.
"It appears this was simply done to curry favour with Donald Trump, and to massage his ego. Governments should not be treating him this way.'
Tourism body VisitScotland said it made the decision to spend £180,000 on advertising days after it was confirmed Trump was coming to Scotland.
The spending was publicly announced by the Scottish Government on July 26 – two days before Swinney was due to meet Trump for a luxury meal at his Menie golf course.
VisitScotland officials had decided they'd give the contest £180,000 in advertising money weeks earlier.
The tourism body said it held talks with tour organisers and agreed to spend the money between July 10 and 13.
On July 9, Police Scotland confirmed it was preparing for a possible visit from Trump later in the month.
Harvie said: " 'The Scottish Government absolutely should not be pandering to him or promoting him or his businesses.
'At heart it is a question of values. Donald Trump and his values should not be welcomed in Scotland, and the First Minister would be far better reflecting that than continuing to embarrass Scotland by cozying up to him.'
The Nexo Championship, previously called the Scottish Championship, is sponsored by Nexo – a cryptocurrency asset management firm which had £135million revenue last year.
The European tour which the Aberdeen contest is a part of is sponsored by DP World, which had a revenue of £15billion last year and is run by Dubai entrepreneur Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, worth about £7billion.
Swinney previously faced criticism for allowing public funds to be used on the contest given the wealth of its sponsors and its £2million prize pot.
He was also accused of using the money to buy a 'five minute meet-and-greet' with the US President during his Scots visit.
VisitScotland said DP World Tour made a 'proposal' for advertising 'and agreement in principle was discussed at the Genesis Scottish Open which took place 10-13 July.'
A spokeswoman said: 'Our investment is for a host nation brand profile opportunity. On-course branding and advertising across live broadcast to a global audience enables … a platform for promoting Scotland and the north east, with the intention of inspiring visits.'
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