UNION leaders and politicians have formed a campaign to organise protests against Donald Trump if the US president comes to Scotland during his planned UK visit this year.
Scotland United Against Trump announced its creation after Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard invited all of Holyrood’s leaders to join him in a cross-party alliance.
Only Scottish Green Patrick Harvie turned up, while Scottish LibDem Willie Rennie said Labour hadn’t sent him an invite.
However representatives from the Muslim Council of Scotland, the Scotland against Trump Group, the Campaign for Socialism, Stand Up to Racism, and Unite Scotland did attend the Glasgow event.
Unison, the CWU and the GMB also supported the effort.
Mr Leonard said: “There is a lot of anger at the prospect of Donald Trump coming to Scotland and a strong desire to show that he is not welcome here.
“I am appalled at the prospect of President Trump coming to this country on a state visit. He should not be given the ‘red carpet’ treatment.”
Unite Scottish Secretary Pat Rafferty said: “This is early stages as we don’t know if President Trump will visit the UK and, if he does, whether he will reach Scotland in his travels.
"We are confident we can build an opposition coalition to Donald Trump so that he’ll know that should his feet touch the ground here he’ll know he isn’t welcome.”
A Scottish Tory spokesman said: “Scottish Labour under Richard Leonard has become amateur hour. Mr Leonard might be better clearing out his own stable rather than dreaming up daft stunts like this.”
A Scottish LibDem spokesperson said: “It doesn’t say a lot for Labour's organisational skills that they tried to hold a meeting to organise anti-Trump protests and forgot to send out the invites."
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