On Foregone Conclusions

Of course John Swinney will, after following the processes set out, approve the Trump plans for the mega-golf resort. This outcome will have absolutely nothing to do with Alex Salmond's constituency interests, though (mind you, perhaps Nigel Don, an SNP Regional MSP for the area involved would have made a better point of contact, and could have a 'local representative' hat but no 'Minister' hat to wear, unlike the FM himself, though Mark explains why the FM is not able to affect matters anyway). In fact, Alex Salmond could be the MSP for Dumfries and the outcome would be the same.

Why? Simple: John Swinney is the Finance Secretary, and Trump's proposals will guarantee a very large boost to the local economy. If I were the First Minister, and my Finance Secretary rejected any proposal that would do that, I would sack him on the spot, citing gross incompetence. Indeed, the probability of Swinney being stupid enough to throw the plans out is about 1 in 10 to the power of ten million, not just because of the financial aspect, but also because tourism is a function in his department as well, and rejection would make Jim Mather - the Minister responsible - a very unhappy chappie.

But would another Minister be in a position? How about the Communities Minister? No, he's also Minister for Sport, so he'd have to say yes - this is a golfing resort, after all.

The Environment Minister? He'd be duty bound to say no - owing to the environmental impact.

And why would any other Minister touch planning?

So, no Minister is really in a position to make an impartial decision. The Councillors themselves had to consider both the economic and the environmental impact of the plans, which probably explains why the vote was tied, and it came down to a casting vote in favour of the status quo.

But consider this: surely the local environment would be one of the selling points of a resort in Aberdeenshire? Surely, therefore, a man with the business sense of Donald Trump would want to make the resort fit into that environment rather than spoil it? On that basis, you'd think it was an open and shut case, but then, I don't live in Aberdeenshire, and the proposals obviously had planners uneasy enough that they rejected the application, even on a casting vote.

Having said that, there is one compelling reason why, unless the Finance Secretary were involved, I would personally take a decision to reject Trump's plans. It's not financial, or environmental, but it has to do with this Venn diagram based on my own personal experience (OK, it's based mostly on various male relatives and teachers at school, but still) - with a margin of error considered of course:

Now, I'm not saying that every golfer is a complete and utter twat - otherwise the 'golfer' circle would be completely within the other one - and there must be exceptions even if I have yet to discover one. But there is a enough of a link for me to be uneasy about anything that attracts golfers. Invite the golfers, and you have to face an influx of complete and utter twats to Aberdeenshire. No one should have that on their conscience.