John Swinney: Ties between Scotland and US will endure if we bring people together

Business ties between Scotland and the US will endure if “we bring people together”, First Minister John Swinney has said.

Speaking at a reception for business leaders hosted by the Scottish Chambers of Commerce as he visited New York for Tartan Week, Swinney addressed the trade upheaval announced by President Donald Trump this week.

All UK exports, the president said, will be slapped with a minimum 10% tariff upon entering the US – with 25% on cars.

The decision has sent the markets tumbling and raised the spectre of an international trade war, but the First Minister sought to bolster ties with US companies, making clear that his administration was determined to continue business relationships despite the turbulence.

“The conversations I have been having in New York with businesses that have invested in Scotland, are looking to invest in Scotland, or those that are considering investing, are all part of ensuring no matter what is going on politically or economically, the long and enduring links to the United States continue,” he said.

“Those links will only endure if we bring people together, whether it’s investors investing in Scotland, or Scottish companies coming out to the United States and promoting to a much larger market than exists at home in Scotland.

“As we navigate our way through turbulent times, let me reassure you the focus of the Scottish Government is about encouraging that culture of investment, of international development, of trade connections, company to company, with a crucial role for government to enable and to support those developments.”

Investors he has met, the First Minister said, have spoken of the strength of Scotland’s universities, the talent of the people and the “strength of the enterprise and economic development support” on offer.

He added: “That’s exactly what should be the norm in all these relationships and I look forward to using the next few days that I’m here in New York to foster and to encourage further business development from Scotland and to ensure as a consequence we can strengthen the economic links between Scotland and the United States.”

Swinney spoke ahead of marching in the Tartan Day parade on Saturday, alongside grand marshal and actor Alan Cumming, Scottish Secretary Ian Murray, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar and Holyrood Deputy Presiding Officer Annabelle Ewing.

The annual gathering – which celebrates Scotland’s culture and links with the US – has become ever more important due to the recent volatility, but it emerged this week the First Minister had not sought meetings with US officials, fearing he may derail UK Government efforts to secure a deal.

In his visit thus far, Murray has met with private equity firm BlackRock, as well as the owners of games developer Rockstar and visited the 9/11 memorial at Ground Zero.

While Sarwar attended a reception with UK Ambassador to the US Lord Mandelson alongside the Scottish Secretary and met with the bosses of Bloomberg’s Washington DC bureau.