Swinney's canny golf chat gets him out of the rough

JOHN Swinney's unlikely friendship with Donald Trump was forged over a dinner of langoustine and beef at the president's golf club in Balmedie and it could prove to be a lucrative get-together.

- PAUL HUTCHEON

The pair sat next to each other and the SNP leader used the opportunity to charm and flatter the leader of the free world.

They exchanged anecdotes about Sir Sean Connery and Swinney gently lobbied to exempt the whisky industry from crippling tariffs.

Keir Starmer had left the dinner early and Swinney ended up getting two hours of face time at the private event - more than the Prime Minister.

Swinney was then invited by Trump to a family breakfast the next morning that included his sons Don jnr and Eric, who is in charge of the Scottish golf businesses.

At one point, Swinney showed Trump a picture of his own teenage son Matthew playing golf in Tiree, to which the president replied by saying the First Minister's boy had a “beautiful” swing.

Later in the day Trump, never a man to pay false compliments, gushed about Swinney ahead of opening his third course in Scotland.

He described Swinney as a “really special guy” and - to the surprise of the First Minister's advisers - even claimed he “loves golf”.

Swinney later joked: “I am aware of golf”.

Their bromance is remarkable given Trump's five-day trip could have been a disaster for Swinney.