Donald Trump: First Minister risks being known as 'Mad Alex'

US tycoon Donald Trump has launched his latest attack on the First Minister, who he says risks becoming known as "Mad Alex - the man who destroyed Scotland".

Mr Trump is fighting proposals for an offshore windfarm he argues will spoil his golf development on the coast of Aberdeenshire.

He is expected to air his views on the subject at an appearance before a Holyrood committee probing the Scottish Government's green energy targets.

In the latest letter to Alex Salmond, Mr Trump said the drive to build more wind turbines will ruin the environment and end any chance of Scotland becoming independent.

He asks: "Do you want to be known for centuries to come as 'Mad Alex - the man who destroyed Scotland?'

"Remember what I said - if you pursue this craziness Scotland will go broke and forever lose whatever chance you currently have of making Scotland independent.

"A bankrupt Scotland will always be reliant on others."

He calls on Mr Salmond to "be smart" and abandon wind power, adding: "History has shown that the world's greatest leaders were the ones that were able to change their minds through knowledge. Be one of them!"

A planning application for an 11-turbine wind farm off Aberdeen Bay was submitted to Marine Scotland last summer and a decision is expected to be made later this year.

Mr Trump has halted work on his resort near Balmedie, north of Aberdeen, until the decision is made by the Scottish Government.

The government said it has a "responsibility to ensure that Scotland seizes the opportunity to create tens of thousands of new jobs" through green energy developments.

A spokesman said: "An application for consent for the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre has been submitted to Marine Scotland and we are currently considering the views of consultees, interested parties and the public.

"Scotland has massive green energy potential - with a quarter of Europe's tidal and offshore wind potential and a tenth of its wave power - and we have a responsibility to ensure that Scotland seizes the opportunity to create tens of thousands of new jobs and secure billions of pounds of investment.

"We welcome the widest possible debate on how developing our clean, green energy resources is bringing industry and jobs to communities across Scotland."

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