U.K. court deals Donald Trump a blow with wind farm ruling
LONDON -- Britain's Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled unanimously against tycoon and U.S. presidential contender Donald Trump in his pitched battle to stop an offshore wind farm near his upscale Scottish golf resort.
Trump claims the 11-turbine project, approved by the Scottish government in 2013, will spoil the view from his golf course near Aberdeen in eastern Scotland. He has vowed to stop further development of the resort if the wind farm goes ahead.
Two Scottish courts had previously ruled against Trump, who had claimed the Scottish ministers had no power to authorize the wind farm.
The Trump Organization said the verdict is "extremely unfortunate" for all residents of the Aberdeen area and will "completely destroy the bucolic Aberdeen Bay and cast a terrible shadow upon the future of tourism for the area."
The organization said it will continue to fight the proposed wind farm "on every possible front."
Scottish Energy Minister Fergus Ewing said the Supreme Court ruling will make it possible to "test and demonstrate new technologies" to reduce energy costs, and help Aberdeeon develop renewable offshore energy sources.
The decision comes amid a storm of criticism in Britain over Trump's campaign comments about Muslims. The Scottish government has revoked Trump's status as an unpaid business ambassador with its GlobalScot network, and Robert Gordon University revoked his honorary degree.
A record number of Britons last week "signed" an electronic petition calling for Parliament ban Trump from entering the United Kingdom after he called for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States.
Prime Minister David Cameron told the House of Commons that Trump's comments about Muslims are "divisive, stupid and wrong," but he opposed banning Trump from coming to Britain.
"If he came to visit our country, I think he'd unite us all against him," Cameron said.