Donald Trump promises £10m to fight wind farm construction in Britain

Fresh from a dispute with environmentalists over his golf resort on the Aberdeenshire coast, the billionaire Donald Trump has revealed plans to hand £10m to anti-wind farm campaigners.

The American property tycoon has become vociferous in his opposition to wind farms since plans were revealed for 11 turbines to be built off the coast from his £750 million complex of holiday homes, hotels and golf courses.

In a letter to the first minister Alex Salmond, Mr Trump blasted the "horrendous machines", and claimed he could win a "very large lawsuit" if he were to challenge their construction.

Susan Crosthwaite, a spokeswoman for Communities Against Turbines Scotland (CATS), said the money could be a game-changer in the battle against wind farms, and repudiated suggestions that Mr Trump's new-found opposition could be self-interested. "I think he genuinely cares about Scotland," she said. "We don't agree with everything Donald Trump stands for, but we do agree on this issue.

Willie Rennie MSP, leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, criticised Mr Trump's "hysterical" response to plans to build turbines in sight of his resort.

"We have very ambitious targets for renewable energy. Rather than stopping us he should be helping us," he said.