Talking Politics: Are tech bros backing Trump to avoid JAIL? Plus the impact of Carney's win
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Scotsman
5 days ago
- Scotsman
Carney shows our leaders how to handle Trump - Alex Cole-Hamilton
US President Donald Trump greets Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney as he arrives at the White House in Washington, DC, on May 6 As Donald Trump descends on Scotland this week, there will be an understandable clamour for politicians to boycott opportunities to meet him and for the citizenry to protest against him. I understand that impulse, I travelled across the Atlantic in October to help Kamala Harris try to defeat him. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... But here's the deal: like him or loathe him, Scotland and the UK export billions of pounds worth of good to the US and without American arms, the prospects for Ukraine look grim. Donald Trump holds plenty of cards right now and it's just not serious politics to think that shutting him out in the cold and refusing to speak to him will do any good whatsoever. To my mind, our political leaders should look to the approach taken by new Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney as to how we deal with President Trump. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Days after the Scottish Parliament broke up for the summer, I took my family to visit my sister in Vancouver. She has a house on the water, a ferry ride away from the city and, bathed in the sunshine of the Pacific North West, we swam in the sea, went paddleboarding every day and watched on as black bears devoured the cherry trees in her garden. It was a terrific break, but one thing I noticed about my visit this time was the proliferation of Canadian flags. They're everywhere. There was a time when the Canadian flag had been a symbol for the alt-right political wing of Canadian politics. During Covid times, truck drivers and anti-vaxxers would descend on Ottawa to protest against the Liberal government. Well now the maple-leaf has been reclaimed by the normal people of Canada and is proudly displayed on cars and shops in defiance of the belligerence of their southern neighbour. American products have been stripped from Canadian supermarket shelves and companies are both quick and proud to demonstrate their Canadian heritage. In large part it's a response to the trade hostility and the tariffs imposed on them by Trump, but a more sinister apprehension also lies beneath the surface of Canadian sentiment. Readers will be aware of the provocative talk by Trump of his desire to make Canada the 51st state of the US. Well in Canada, I was surprised at just how seriously people had taken this. Some people there really thought that there was a solid chance of American military invasion and had started making plans, gathering emergency supplies and even starting to think about what a resistance movement would look like. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Canada's new Liberal Prime Minister, Mark Carney offers the rest of the right-thinking leaders of the world a masterclass in how to handle the Orange One. Against all this, he calmly dismantled the lunacy of Trump's assertions and he did so on camera and in the White House. When Trump started with the 51st state schtick, Carney calmly said 'As you know from real estate, there are some places that are never for sale. We're sitting in one right now, Buckingham Palace that you visited, as well. And having met with the owners of Canada over the course of the campaign the last several months, it's not for sale, it won't be for sale, ever.' It was an elegant piece of diplomacy. One which both the Prime Minister and the First Minister would do well to well to emulate. And we should not forgot that the Scotland has cards to play too. Trump has ancestral and business ties to Scotland. He admires our Royal family. Britain and America have long shared vital intelligence. As distasteful as it may be, we need to keep Trump on side, for Ukraine, for our trade prospects, but we need not and should never kowtow to him.
South Wales Argus
5 days ago
- South Wales Argus
Welsh Secretary heads to US and Canada to boost trade
The countries are among the most significant markets for Welsh exports. Goods and services worth more than £2 billion from Wales go to US and Canada each year, supports more than 50,000 Welsh jobs. The visit follows the signing of the UK's economic prosperity deal with the US in May. Car manufacturer Aston Martin, which has a base in St Athan in the Vale of Glamorgan employing more than 600 people, resumed exporting to the US following the trade deal. As part of the trip Ms Stevens will visit Aston Martin's new showroom in New York. Also during the visit the Welsh Secretary will raise awareness of this December's Investment Summit in Wales, encouraging North American business leaders and investors to participate in the event. She will also meet Canadian businesses with an interest in Wales at a roundtable event in Toronto and attend a business breakfast with investors in sport real estate in the UK in New York. Ms Stevens said: 'There are strong and important economic and cultural ties between Wales and North America and it is fantastic to be able to promote these and help strengthen them further. 'I want to build on this progress and while I am in the USA and Canada I will be discussing further opportunities for investment in Wales with companies like Aston Martin. 'My message is very clear – Wales is open for business.' Deputy trade commissioner for North America, Alan Gogbashian, said: 'From sports economy firms to the automotive industry, Wales plays a key role in the UK economy, and has strong trade and investment ties with Canada and the United States. 'It's fantastic to host the Secretary of State for Wales in New York and Toronto to engage with current transatlantic businesses including Aston Martin, and to connect with potential investors ahead of the Investment Summit in Wales later this year.'
Business News Wales
5 days ago
- Business News Wales
Welsh Secretary Heads to US and Canada to Boost Trade and Investment
Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens is travelling to the United States and Canada on a mission to boost trade and investment in Wales. The two countries are among the most significant markets for Welsh exports, with goods and services worth over £2 billion destined for the US and Canada each year. Trade and investment between Wales and North America supports over 50,000 Welsh jobs. The visit follows the signing of the UK's economic prosperity deal with the US in May. Car manufacturer Aston Martin, which has a base in St Athan in the Vale of Glamorgan employing at least 600 people, resumed exports to the United States following the successful trade deal. The Welsh Secretary will visit the new Aston Martin showroom in New York City and meet executives. Jo Stevens' visit to North America comes after the UK Government's publication of its Industrial Strategy and aims to highlight Wales as a key destination for inward investment into the UK. During the visit the Welsh Secretary will raise awareness of this December's Investment Summit in Wales, encouraging North American business leaders and investors to participate in the event. Driving investment into Wales is the Welsh Secretary's primary goal, with high profile business facing events and roundtable meetings with industry leaders and investors in Toronto and New York. Her programme includes: Hosting a reception for business at Aston Martin's new showroom in New York City Meeting key Canadian businesses with an interest in Wales – including from manufacturing and other sectors – at a roundtable meeting in Toronto. A business breakfast with investors in sport real estate in the UK in New York. Speaking ahead of the visit, Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens said: 'There are strong and important economic and cultural ties between Wales and North America and it is fantastic to be able to promote these and help strengthen them further. 'The UK Government has made economic growth our key mission and our new trade deal with the United States delivers fantastic benefits for our key businesses like Aston Martin and for working people across Wales. 'I want to build on this progress and while I am in the USA and Canada I will be discussing further opportunities for investment in Wales with companies like Aston Martin. 'My message is very clear – Wales is open for business.' Deputy Trade Commissioner for North America Alan Gogbashian said: 'From sports economy firms to the automotive industry, Wales plays a key role in the UK economy, and has strong trade and investment ties with Canada and the United States. 'It's fantastic to host the Secretary of State for Wales in New York and Toronto this week to engage with current transatlantic businesses including Aston Martin, and to connect with potential investors ahead of the Investment Summit in Wales later this year.' The Welsh Secretary's itinerary also includes a reception in Toronto with business and cultural groups with interests in Wales and meetings with individual investors in Wales like Vale Mining.
