Meeting of the Parliament 18 February 2026 [Draft]
I am sorry, Mr Greer, but I have only four minutes, due to the Greens’ scheduling of the debate.
Where is the attack on Russia and on the evil Putin regime, which is sponsoring terrorism and has unleashed a horrific war on the innocent civilians of Ukraine that is approaching its fourth anniversary? Where is the Greens’ criticism of the terrorist state of Iran, which is oppressing its own people, murdering civilians who simply want to support democracy and free speech, and supporting terrorism in the middle east and elsewhere? Where is the concern for the victims of conflicts in countries such as Sudan and Myanmar, where hundreds of thousands of innocents have died?
I fully understand that there are concerns about aspects of Donald Trump’s presidency but, in comparison with what is happening elsewhere in the world, those pale into insignificance. The student-union obsessives of the Green Party are hitting the wrong target. When it comes to the situation with Venezuela, let us never forget that the Russians are importing Venezuelan oil in order to break sanctions. We should have no sympathy for sanction-breakers, in any circumstance.
The motion mentions Prestwick airport and its use by US military flights. Thank goodness that the US military is using Prestwick, and paying handsomely for that benefit. It means that the airport, which is in public hands, is at last now showing some profitability and benefitting the Scottish taxpayer. Banning US military flights would achieve nothing if those flights simply divert elsewhere, but it would cost the Scottish taxpayer millions of pounds.