The UK government has confirmed that it will cover the security costs of Donald Trump’s expected trip to Scotland next week.
Liz Truss, chief secretary to the Treasury, said yesterday that the UK would provide local police with “ring-fenced funding” of up to £5m if the US president travels to Scotland for a one-day visit.
The move is an attempt by Westminster to “appease Scottish anger” at Trump’s official visit to the UK on June 13, according to the Financial Times.
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After meeting the Queen and Theresa May on Friday, the president is widely expected to travel north to visit one of the two golf courses he owns in Scotland on Saturday or Sunday.
The Treasury’s announcement comes after Scotland’s justice secretary, Humza Yousaf, wrote to Sajid Javid, calling on the Home Secretary to commit to reimbursing costs associated with providing security for any visit by Trump.
Yousaf praised the “U-turn” from the government. “This is a welcome decision, given that President Trump is coming to the UK on the invitation of the UK Government,” he said. “However, we should not have had to force this decision - and there should never have been an assumption that the Scottish Government would pick up the tab.”
Police Scotland estimates that Trump’s visit will cost around £5m and require more than 5,000 officers, according to STV. Interim Chief Constable Iain Livingstone said many officers would have rest days cancelled as a result.
Demonstrations are expected in cities across the UK, with tens of thousands of people expected to descend on central London to protest against the president’s trip.
Riot vans, helicopters, mounted officers, search dogs, public order units and protest removal units will join counterterrorism and specialist protection officers to guarantee Trump’s safety, The Times reports.
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