US tycoon Donald Trump has been stripped of an honorary degree from Aberdeen’s Robert Gordon University and his status as a Scottish business ambassador because of his call to bar Muslims from entering America.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon stripped Donald Trump of his status as a business ambassador for Scotland on Wednesday afternoon after a public outcry over his comments.
Then, just a few hours later, Robert Gordon University stripped Mr Trump of the honorary degree he was awarded in 2010.
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “Mr Trump’s recent remarks have shown that he is no longer fit to be a business ambassador for Scotland and the First Minister has decided his membership of the respected GlobalScot business network should be withdrawn with immediate effect.”
A spokesman for the university said: “In 2010, Robert Gordon University awarded an honorary DBA to Mr Donald Trump in recognition of his achievements as an entrepreneur and businessman.
“In the course of the current US election campaign, Mr Trump has made a number of statements that are wholly incompatible with the ethos and values of the university.
“The university has therefore decided to revoke its award of the honorary degree.”
Mr Trump had been a member of GlobalScot since being invited to join in 2006.
The network of business leaders, entrepreneurs and executives with a connection to Scotland was set up by Scottish Enterprise in 2001.
The issues was also raised by the SNP at Prime Minister’s Questions.
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Ms Sturgeon previously described Mr Trump’s comments as “obnoxious and offensive” and said they “do not represent the mainstream views of people across America.”
More than 70,000 people signed a petition calling for Mr Trump to be stripped of his honorary degree .
The online petition was set up by Suzanne Kelly, a freelance investigative journalist and satirist based in Aberdeen, on campaigning website 38 Degrees.
She said: “This is a great victory for people power. After 70,000 people signed the 38 Degrees petition, Robert Gordon University quickly realised that honouring Donald Trump was completely out of step with the feelings of the UK public.
“Honours like this legitimise hate speech. Britain has just sent a clear message to Donald Trump – we won’t stand by your hateful views.”