Starmer arrives at Turnberry for Trump talks on commerce and Gaza

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has arrived at Turnberry for talks with US President Donald Trump on Gaza and commerce.

The 2 will maintain a gathering at Trump’s golf resort in South Ayrshire on the third full day of the US president’s personal go to to Scotland.

The 2 leaders will then journey collectively to Aberdeen for an additional personal engagement. Trump will use the go to to open a second course at his Menie resort.

In the meantime, First Minister John Swinney has mentioned he’ll use his assembly with the president to make the case for reducing tariffs on Scotch whisky.

Swinney is anticipated to affix Trump and Starmer for dinner on Monday night.

Talking on BBC Breakfast, the primary minister mentioned he would press the president to exempt Scotch whisky from US commerce tariffs.

He mentioned the individuality of whisky distilled in Scotland justified the exemption from the ten% tariff utilized on UK exports into the US.

He mentioned tariffs have been presently costing the native whisky trade £4m every week.

Swinney mentioned: “Tariffs are essential for the Scottish economic system and clearly Scotch whisky is a singular product.

“It could solely be produced in Scotland. It is not a product that may be produced in another a part of the world. So there is a uniqueness about that, which I believe means there’s a case for it to be taken out of the tariffs association that’s now in place.

“Clearly the commerce take care of the USA supplies a level of stability for financial connections with the USA, however the utility of tariffs is rising the prices for the Scotch whisky trade.”

Swinney additionally mentioned he’ll search to make sure President Trump is aware of the “energy of feeling” in Scotland over the humanitarian state of affairs in Gaza once they meet.

President Trump arrived in Scotland on Friday night, with Air Power One touching down at Glasgow Prestwick Airport earlier than his entourage travelled to close by Turnberry.

He has since spent two days at Turnberry, taking part in golf with mates and company in what has been billed as a non-public go to.

A high-level safety operation was ramped up over the weekend, however public protests have been restricted to a handful of people at Turnberry whereas the primary anti-Trump demonstrations in Aberdeen and Edinburgh on Saturday handed off largely peacefully.

The primary minister mentioned the ultimate price of the policing the go to has but to be labored out, however his authorities was “working very carefully” with Police Scotland, the Scottish Police Authority and the UK authorities.

He mentioned: “The safety preparations have gone nicely since President Trump arrived on Friday, and that is appropriately, as a result of we have an obligation to make it possible for when we now have main worldwide guests, once they come to Scotland, that they’re protected and in a position to go about their actions.

“It is also necessary that members of the general public who want to categorical their standpoint, who need to protest in regards to the go to or about different points, are in a position to go about their train of their democratic proper to protest. That is precisely what they have been in a position to do since Friday, and that is the best way it ought to be.”

Trump hosted a gathering with EU Fee president Ursula von der Leyen at Turnberry on Sunday, the place they agreed a brand new transatlantic commerce deal.

After shaking palms on the deal, Trump mentioned: “It should convey us nearer collectively… it is a partnership in a way.”

Von der Leyen additionally hailed it as a “enormous deal”, which got here after “powerful negotiations”.

The settlement units the US tariffs on items from the European Union at 15% throughout the board.

It had been going through a 30% levy on its exports to the US from 1 August.

President Trump will journey again to Washington on Tuesday and is because of return to the UK for an official state go to in September.