Election / Trump interrupts Shetland SNP campaign meeting
A MEETING between local SNP candidate Hannah Mary Goodlad and first minister John Swinney after a day of campaigning in Shetland was somewhat unexpectedly interrupted when US president Donald Trump called on Monday afternoon.
Trump was on the phone to invite Swinney to attend a state banquet as part of the King and Queen’s state visit to the US next week.
However, Swinney “politely declined” the invitation, citing campaigning duties for next month’s Scottish Parliament election.
Goodlad has now confirmed to Shetland News that the conversation with the US president took place at her home in Scalloway.
The election candidate said she and Swinney were enjoying a cup of coffee in her living room talking about the final weeks of the election campaign when the call from the White House came.
She described it as “surreal” knowing that the US president was ‘virtually’ in her home.
Goodlad added: “Proof, if it were needed, that in Shetland you should always expect the unexpected.
“And a good reminder that even from Shetland, we’re never far from the global stage.”
The royal visit to the US will take place from 27 to 30 April.
The full list of confirmed Shetland candidates for the election on 7 May, in alphabetical order, are as follows: Alex Armitage (Greens), Douglas Barnett (Conservatives), Vic Currie (Reform UK), John Erskine (Labour), Hannah Mary Goodlad (SNP), Emma Macdonald (Liberal Democrats), Brian Nugent (Alliance to Liberate Scotland), Peter Tait (independent).
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