SNP dismisses Donald Trump threat over Menie wind farm

The US tycoon told he would be happy to air his grievances at Holyrood over proposals for 11 wind turbines off the coast of the Menie estate. But the SNP’s Stuart Hosie said he would "probably doubt" legal action would have any traction.

He added: "I have been told by our attorneys, our lawyers, that we can bring a very large lawsuit and probably win the lawsuit based on the harm that these horrible things will do to Scotland.

Mr Trump has previously called the wind turbines "ugly monstrosities" and "horrendous machines", and has decided to bankroll an anti-wind farm campaign "to save Scotland".

But Mr Hosie, the SNP’s deputy Westminster leader, told the same programme he doubted any legal challenge by Mr Trump would be successful.

He added: "There is no decision made on the deployment of the wind farm on the Menie estate. That decision will be taken in due course and I’m sure it will be taken absolutely properly.

"I think the key thing to remember here is that this wind energy facility is a test facility. It’s 11 wind turbines, and I think it’s about three and a half kilometres off the coast. It’s not a full-scale wind turbine array. It will be a speck in the ocean somewhere miles away."

Mr Hosie called Mr Trump "a very colourful character", adding: "If Donald Trump isn’t happy I’m sure he will do whatever he feels is necessary, but so long as the planning process here is done absolutely scrupulously, as it will be, I’m not sure where Mr Trump will go with it."

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