I'll use Trump's Scottish links in tariff talks - FM

The first minister has vowed to use Donald Trump's affinity for Scotland in a bid to avoid the prospect of tariffs being applied on imports to the US.

John Swinney said he had expressed the importance of trade between the countries, especially Scotch whisky, during a call he held with the US president-elect last month.

He said the issue of taxes was not directly discussed but said Trump spoke warmly about his Scottish roots and business links.

Trump, who will be inaugurated on 20 January, has repeatedly vowed to introduce tariffs on all imports to the US.

Swinney said he spoke to the president-elect a few weeks ago during a call instigated by Trump.

And the first minister, who publicly backed Kamala Harris before the US election, said the president-elect was open to further calls between the pair.

Swinney told BBC Scotland's The Sunday Show Trump wanted the call to "express his enthusiasm for Scotland".

He also said he was "very warm and positive" about the country where his mother was born in 1912.

Swinney said they did not specifically discuss tariffs, but he had expressed the importance that he attached to trade for the whisky industry.

He said: "I will use that as a basis of proceeding with negotiations in discussions with President Trump.

"What he also said in the call was if I ever needed a further conversation with him, he'd be very welcome to taking that forward."

During his campaign, Trump repeatedly promised to impose a blanket 20% tariff on all imports into the US, and a 60% tax on imports from China.

Analysis suggested that if he followed through with his plans, it could cost the UK £22bn.

The first minister said Trump also spoke of his love for Scotland during their call on 10 December.

Swinney said: "He's very positive about Scotland, he's enthused about Scotland, he talked very warmly about his mum's roots in Lewis.

"He talked about his pride in the business interests that he's taken forward at Turnberry and at Balmedie in the golf courses.

"So he's got an affinity and a warmth towards Scotland and if that means it helps us to avoid tariffs that might be damaging to legitimate and important, critical, economic interests in Scotland then don't be surprised if this first minister of Scotland uses that channel to try to secure that outcome."

Trump's mother, Mary Anne MacLeod, was born on Lewis in the Outer Hebrides and emigrated to the US when she was 18.

He is expected to visit Scotland this summer to mark the opening of his new golf course in Aberdeenshire at his Balmenie resort.

The president-elect also owns the Trump Turnberry golf resort in Ayrshire.

Swinney's decision to back Harris was described as an "insult" by his company, Trump International, given the Republican's candidate's business interests in Scotland.

His son, Eric, later described the decision as "nasty" but added Trump "is not going to lose any sleep" over the remarks.

Swinney also told the programme his government was working with the UK government to address the dangers social media presented to young people.

The first minister said: "We have got to be clear that we get the regulation about social media giants correct to protect people in our society."

He added that the Scottish government had limited powers to make changes to the law in this area.

But Swinney agreed with the father of Molly Russell - who took her own life at 14 after seeing harmful content online - that ministers had to do more to protect young people.

And he conceded his government could possibly take a different approach by treating it as a public health issue.

This strategy was used in 2018 when minimum unit pricing for alcohol was introduced in Scotland.

Also on the programme, Swinney was asked about comments Nicola Sturgeon made about her late predecessor, Alex Salmond.

Sturgeon said in an interview with the Financial Times newspaper that Salmond, who died in October, "would be really rough on people," adding that "many times [she] intervened to stop him."

Swinney told the Sunday Show: "I think it's pretty well documented that Alex could be quite brisk with people and sometimes we all witnessed that.

"And sometimes we all had to say look, that's not on. And that's the way it was."

Salmond's widow, Moira, later said recent comments about her husband had caused the family "great distress".

In a statement, released to the Press Association, Ms Salmond said: "Those attacking him must know that the law does not allow us, his family, to protect his reputation from being defamed now that he is gone.

"Attacks by the living on the dead will seem to many as deeply unfair.

"My wish, and sincere hope, is that these attacks will now stop."