Patrick Harvie, a Member of Scottish Parliament who represents the Green Party, called out Scotland's First Minister John Swinney over a congratulatory letter he wrote to Donald Trump after Trump became the U.S. president-elect.
During a session of Parliament, Harvie called out Swinney directly over the deferential letter Swinney sent to Trump.
"The First Minister offered congratulations to the convicted felon, Donald Trump on his reelection."
Harvie went on:
"Writing offiially on behalf of the Scottish government, he wrote that he is 'sure' Scotland's cultural and social ties will 'flourish' during the presidency of a misogynist, a climate denier, a fraudster, a conspiracy monger, a racist, a far-right politician who tried to overturn an election result both covertly and by inciting violence."
"Words fail me. What social and cultural ties does the First Minister really think will benefit from a relationship with such a man?"
You can watch Harvie's takedown in the video below.
Swinney responded:
"I have a duty as First Minister of Scotland to engage with other governments and to represent the people of Scotland in that process and as part of that duty I wrote the letter in question that Mr. Harvie cites. I think there are deep social, cultural, and economic ties between Scotland and the United States of America."
"I think they're important. They're important for employment in our economy, they're important for the cultural expression of our country, and for the way in which we are able to pursue those objectives."
"While there are very clearly, because of what I've said before the presidential election, very big, real differences in expression and in priority, and in way of life between me and Donald Trump, I cannot deny the existence of links between Scotland and the United States."
But it was Harvie's epic call-out that had people online cheering.
Scottish attitudes toward Trump have been largely negative.
Last year, The Scotsman, Scotland's national newspaper, mocked Trump in a scathing editorial after he bizarrely called Scotland "home" as he arrived in the country to open a new golf course situated at his resort close to Aberdeen.
The paper's staff said that "while the populist Trump does not appear to be a fan of the ideals expressed in the phrase ‘mi casa, su casa’, he seems to be in favour of what could be described as ‘mama casa, mi casa’, which some might think a bit rich coming from a US president infamous for separating children from their migrant parents."
Jane Rosenberg
Jane Rosenberg
