7 hours Ago By Tom Wood
It’s already been dubbed the state visit from hell but, with the second visit by US President Donald Trump now definitely happening, Scotland is ideally suited to play a central role. But before we discuss the reasons, let’s first remind ourselves what we are talking about. A state visit follows an invitation from our head of state, the King, to the head of state of the visiting country.
So, the invitation is not to Trump the man , but the great office he holds. It is an important distinction some will try to ignore, but which is nonetheless relevant. International diplomacy is a long game, there will be other presidents and other kings, but old alliances endure, and we should remember that especially as we commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.
Accordingly, as a nation, we should set aside petty politics and extend a hand of friendship to one of our strongest allies, and remember that to insult the democratically elected leader of a great country is seen by many as an insult to the country itself. Son of a Scots woman The three-day format was established over a century ago and has changed little since. A formal welcome with attendant pageantry, usually a public procession, a banquet or two, and a trip to a place of particular interest to the visitor before fond farewells.
It’s a tried-and-tested formula which planners in the Lord Chamberlain’s Office have honed to perfection. And if Trump is to visit anywhere in the UK, Scotland is most appropriate. He is, after all, the son of a Scots woman with substantial business interests in Scotland.
A visit to the King at Balmoral has been mooted and this would be welcomed by planners and police. READ MORE: Scottish airport told to expect US President Donald Trump to fly in Remote and with a perimeter that can be secured, the Balmoral Estate is familiar ground for planners. Inaccessible to large groups of protesters, the landscape and the great Highland midgie also offer considerable deterrence.
It is also close to Trump’s golf resort at Menie in Aberdeenshire. As a second, slightly less desirable option, there is the King’s property, Dumfries House, near Cumnock in Ayrshire. Slightly more difficult to protect than Balmoral and closer to population centres, it is still reasonably remote, and close to Trump Turnberry.
Police Scotland’s expertise Where the usual public pageantry would be held is a more thorny question. Windsor Castle would be easier than central London, but would still require a massive security operation. But if Scotland is to play a part in a state visit, then we can be sure that Police Scotland has the expertise to carry it off.
Next to London, Police Scotland and its predecessor forces have more experience of policing large events than any other force. Whether it’s previous state visits to Edinburgh, the G8 summit at Gleneagles, or the recent COP26 climate summit, which brought dozens of world leaders to Glasgow, Police Scotland has the experience to take on the job. The best planning starts a long way out, and you can be sure that preparations will already be underway.
A police commander will already have been chosen , and the lights in the events planning offices will be burning late. Tom Wood is a writer and former police major events commander.
