Meeting of the Parliament 18 February 2026 [Draft]
I do not dispute the point that Sharon Dowey makes about jobs, but there is no security for those jobs in basing them—and others in the local economy—on servicing the military of a foreign state, given its unpredictable nature and, in particular, the unpredictable nature of Mr Trump.
The airport even publicly advertises itself with a glossy website offering
“a dedicated and discreet military base”
and
“the perfect location for crew rest, fuel stop and training of any size of aircraft at any time—day or night.”
That pitch is accompanied by photos of US Air Force planes. Is this really what the Scottish Government had in mind when it brought the airport into public ownership—hiring out our land, our facilities and our workforce to a foreign military to use at its will, with no questions asked?
The Scottish public are the ultimate owners of Prestwick airport. It should be run for their benefit, not for the benefit of an unstable and volatile United States or a President who has armed genocide, inflicted coups and threatened his neighbours. The Scottish Greens share the Government’s aspiration for Scotland to be an independent country, and a big part of that is having the ability to play our full role on the international stage as a good global citizen and a champion for peace and stability around the world.