You've Been Trumped

[Zaune]

Review in the Guardian

Once upon a time a man with a golden fleece on his head named Donald Fart flew in his private aeroplane from America to Scot Land with a whole bunch of his cronies. And he decided he was going to squat down on the coast of Scot Land and do a massive shite. But the place he decided he was going to do it – on the east coast, or the west coast, Mr Fart wasn't sure which – turned out to be a site of special scientific interest, a unique habitat of dunes, one of the last of its kind. There was a sign in the sand that said, quite clearly, No Doing Massive Shites Here.

But the politicians – well some of them – saw only the private jet, and the fleet of Range Rovers with blacked-out windows, and the dollar signs. They were impressed, and they were dazzled by the golden fleece on Donald's head. So they pulled up that sign, and they smoothed over a patch of sand so Mr Fart could do his business. They pulled up clumps of rare special scientific interest grass to wipe him with afterwards; and I'm afraid they finished the job off with their tongues.

And a man called Anthony Baxter filmed it all with his camera, even though Mr Fart's heavies and the police tried to stop him. That's the story of You've Been Trumped (BBC2, Sunday). There's no happy ending, I'm afraid – unlike Local Hero, the film it bears an uncanny resemblance to. The golf course was made (Oh yes, sorry, minor detail, it's actually a massive golf complex, not a massive shite, but what's the difference?). The hotel complex is on hold while Donald Trump (another correction, but over here that means fart) waits to see if an offshore windfarm he says will spoil the view wins approval. He'll probably get that stopped. He'll probably get the wind stopped too.

It it extraordinary that Trump's monstrosity ever got the green light – given that planning was denied by the council on the grounds that it was unsustainable and messed with an SSSI (the decision was overturned in the Scottish government). "We've had tremendous support from environmental groups," says Trump. Of course you have – for a project that involves messing with an ancient ecosystem to build a leisure complex that will mainly be used by people who will get there by flying across the Atlantic. The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency, Scottish Natural Heritage, World Wildlife Fund, the RSPB aren't among those groups; they all vigorously opposed it.

It's not just the sand and the birds Trump interferes with, it's the people who live there and have always lived there – Michael, Molly, Susan, Finlay, David. They are bullied and intimidated, their water and power cut off. And their houses surrounded by huge mounds of sand – he's putting them in one of his bloody golf bunkers. Oh, and the benefits to the local economy are dubious too, according to this chap at the LSE.

Baxter asked for – and was refused – interviews with the Scottish government, with the Grampian police (who detained him), with Trump himself. Trump did find time to tweet him: "Your documentary has died many deaths," he wrote. "You have, in my opinion, zero talent."

Wrong, sir. Perhaps it meanders a little at times, and it is clear that Baxter's sympathies lie with David rather than Goliath (or, put another way, with right rather than wrong). But I thought it was an extraordinary film. Engrossing, brave, and because so many people come out of it dripping in shame, shocking and depressing too.

You can watch it on BBC iPlayer here. I haven't worked up the nerve to do so yet.

[weemadando]

I saw some previews for this a while ago. Turns out exceedingly large quantities of money means you can get whatever you want.

[mr friendly guy]

When can I expect the human rights activist to protest about whats happened to the local residents with their power and water cut off and their houses surrounded by huge mounds of sand.