Big Eck 1 Flippin' Eck 0

First Minister Alex Salmond has told US businessman Donald Trump he is determined to ensure Scotland reaps the benefits of offshore wind.

His comments came in the wake of a series of attacks by the entrepreneur on the SNP's green energy drive.

From the BBC News website

Entrepreneur is a word oft-used to describe Donald Trump. There are other words used, particularly by some in the north-east of Scotland, to describe him but I can't repeat them here as I may fall foul of obscenity laws..

Mr Trump said recently Scotland was committing "financial suicide" by wanting to create a "wind farm landscape" which would kill off tourism. What's behind this rather far-fetched view is his vehement opposition to a wind farm being built off the coast of Aberdeenshire - and clearly visible from his all new, all dancing luxury golf course which he is just about to complete on the Menie Estate, just north of Aberdeen. His view that a wind farm will kill off tourism i.e. a possible threat to the numbers of big businessmen who will play at his golf course is yet another insult to those who opposed Trump's building of the course in the first place. Trump's plans to build a luxury hotel to accompany the course meant bulldozing the homes of some local residents. His view appears to be 'to hell with them, pay them big bucks, just do whatever it takes to get them out of there so I can have my own way.

One local man - Michael Forbes - has stood up to Trump from day one and refuses to budge from what has been his family home for decades. Trump's plans for his hotel have been thwarted thus far and his on-going and very public battle with Mr Forbes has seen Trump describe him as 'the village idiot'. Whatever your view on Mr Forbes, one can't but help admire him for standing up to Trump and just not letting him get his own way.

Now Trump has taken on Scotland's First Minister. Last month, he said that Alex Salmond would become known as 'Mad Alex' over his plans for the wind farms. Dignified as always, Big Eck has responded to Trump's diatribe thus:

"It is my belief that Scotland's great cities and ports are ideally placed to become a key hub for the rapidly growing multi-billion pound offshore renewables industry.

"Our waters are estimated to have as much as a quarter of Europe's potential offshore wind energy, and we are perfectly positioned to develop the technology that will power this renewables revolution.

I am determined that communities across Scotland will benefit directly from offshore wind, which is forecast to generate about £30bn of investment and lead to the creation of up to 28,000 Scottish jobs."

If Trump and his many hangers-on have difficulty understanding this, let me spell it out in direct Scots terms. The message from Alex Salmond and Michael Forbes, a hero of his time, is:

'Dinnae think ye can come here and dictate to our nation. Margaret Thatcher tried it 30 years ago - and her legacy is that Scotland is heading towards independence. So - get it right up ye, son.'

The (not so great) Election Debate

Tonight there will be a television first for the UK. The three leaders of the main political parties in the UK will take part in a debate, live on television, answering questions in front of an invited audience. This practice is commonplace in other countries such as the United States (so, inevitably, it had to happen here eventually) This will be the first of three such televised debates; tonight it's being shown on ITV (so expect plenty of advertisements and a sponsor's message) with the other two being shown in the coming weeks on Sky Television and the BBC.

The theme of tonight's debate is 'domestic issues'. As the media works itself into a frenzy, many Scots will smile wryly at tonight's debate. Domestic issues include health, education and policing. These three examples are now devolved to the Scottish Government - currently led by the Scottish National Party. So can the nation expect to see SNP leader Alex Salmond take the floor with messrs Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg? Not a chance...

It's another example of how Scotland is treated with disdain by Westminster. Yes, it may be interesting to hear the Prime Minister's views on health and how he plans to improve falling education standards. But it doesn't matter one iota to people living in Scotland because Pa Broon has no say in the matter north of the border.

I've little doubt tonight's programme will be little more than a charade. So much so I'm surprised Lionel Blair isn't taking part (he used to present Give Us A Clue on television in the 1980s, younger readers) Compo, Foggy and Clegg will read from a prepared script and will do what politicians do best - avoid giving a straight answer. Count how many times the phrase 'we've made our position absolutely clear' and 'the fact of the matter is' will be heard tonight.

Meanwhile, those who really care about Scotland will be conspicuous by their absence. The elected Scots government (not invited) And the people of Scotland (not considered)

Here's to independence - I can't wait...