HIS intervention came too late to class him as Better Together’s secret weapon, but Donald Trump did his best Alistair Darling impression yesterday, declaring that the referendum campaign had been a “bad period for Scotland”.

Trump, who hopes to be nominated as the Republican presidential candidate for 2016, also said the prospect of a second referendum was “ridiculous”.

“They went through it and it was turmoil and bedlam for so long,” he blustered. “I would say that the winning team should be extremely upset if that is even thought about. I had heard it would be 50 years before it could happen again. It was a very bad period for Scotland, it was very divisive.

I thought staying together would be a better thing but it’s not up to me and I didn’t want to make my thoughts clear on the matter because I felt it wasn’t up to me, but the people made the right decision.”

Trump also insisted his presence would not detract from the British Women’s Open as he touched down at Turnberry, declaring that: “The world wants me to be here.”

Critics had claimed he would overshadow the world’s top female golfers as they compete at one of his Scottish resorts.

The British Women’s Open is the first major event to be staged at Turnberry in South Ayrshire since the tycoon added it to his global empire.

Arriving by private helicopter, he said: “We’re going to have an amazing day and a half at Turnberry, and we’re going to watch the greatest women golfers in the world. I love Turnberry, we’ve done a lot of work here and we have the women’s British Open here, and it’s going to be a really exciting weekend.”

Wearing a red campaign hat, the 69-year-old, who hopes to win the Republican nomination, added: “I think it’s going to be great, everyone has asked me to be here, the Tour has asked me to be here and the world has asked me to be here, and I have a big stake in this land, it’s spectacular here.”

The tournament declined to comment on Trump’s presence yesterday, but earlier this month the PGA of America announced its Grand Slam of Golf would no longer be held at Trump National in Los Angeles following a string of controversial statements by the businessman.

They include claims that Mexican immigrants to America are “rapists” and Trump has attracted further attention over claims that he called a female lawyer “disgusting” for requesting a break in a meeting to enable her to pump breast milk. He has also been forced to distance himself from comments made by his lawyer Michael Cohen claiming that marital rape is not illegal.

Yesterday Emma Ritch, executive director for Scottish feminist organisation Engender, said she felt for the professionals: “Women’s sporting events get little enough focus and attention.

“It’s a real shame to have this prestigious women’s golf tournament obscured by the frenzy surrounding Donald Trump’s rancid views on immigration.”

However, Trump, whose mother was from Lewis, shrugged off criticism and, when asked if he will win the presidential race, answered: “I do expect to”.

He added: “I’m number one with Hispanics, I know you’re surprised to hear that, but I said if I get the nomination I will win with the Hispanics. Illegal immigration is a huge subject in the United States and I brought it to the fore, and everyone is thanking me for it.”

When asked what relationships he would have with the UK and Scottish governments as leader of the US, he said: “If anything, it would get better. My mother was born in Scotland. I think we would be very close.

“I think I’d get along very well with Vladimir Putin, I just think so. People say ‘what do you mean?’ I think I’d get along well with him. He hates Obama and Obama hates him, we have unbelievably bad relationships.”

Still Game comic Greg Hemphill tweeted: “First David Cameron now Donald Trump decries a second referendum. It’s almost as if we’re being goaded into having one with asshole bait.”