The Scottish Government has rebuffed a Scottish Greens initiative to halt US military utilization of Scotland’s state-owned airfields, with External Affairs Secretary Angus Robertson contending the proposal is unfeasible under delegated authorities and portraying Prestwick’s function as offering supervised aviation services rather than accommodating an American base.
The discussion, instigated by a resolution from Scottish Greens co-leader Gillian Mackay, centered on Glasgow Prestwick Airport and Highlands and Islands Airports Limited sites. Mackay asserted that Prestwick has become“a significant unofficial armed forces hub”for the US Air Force and implored government officials to“expel the United States Air Force from Prestwick and obstruct its transit and refuelling through our state-owned airfields across the Highlands and Islands”.
She referenced statistics indicating US military aircraft touched down at Prestwick 565 times between 1 April 2025 and 12 February 2026, with flights appearing“on most days”and sometimes numerous instances each day, including an asserted maximum of 15 arrivals on a single day in May 2025.
Mackay connected these trends to broader occurrences and purported operations, informing MSPs that arrivals climbed by 76 per cent in January amidst an event concerning the confiscation of a tanker in Scottish waters, and that operations last summer aligned with US military strikes during hostilities between Israel and Iran. She contended that ongoing entry hazarded rendering Scotland“complicit in the present and prospective deeds of a foreign Government”and stated Prestwick’s economic health became progressively reliant on defense patronage rather than traveler expansion, asserting traveler figures were at late-1990s levels and“less than half what they were when the airport was brought under state control”.
Stepping in on behalf of the Liberal Democrats, Alex Cole-Hamilton questioned Mackay regarding her allusions to naval interceptions, inquiring if she acknowledged that capturing vessels in Russia’s clandestine armada is“essential for maintaining restrictions and aiding the combatants of Ukraine”. Mackay responded that implementing penalties was significant but contended that“when ships enter our waters, our legislation takes precedence”, further stating that the extraction of individuals from Scottish waters was, in her estimation,“in contravention of what the Court of Session said should happen”.
Robertson replied by affirming the Scottish Government’s endorsement of the rules-based order, penalties imposed on Russia, and unity with Ukraine, but dismissed the Greens’ portrayal of Prestwick as an American base. He informed the chamber:“the US Air Force does not possess an installation at Glasgow Prestwick airport, has not operated one since 1966 and employs no individuals housed at the airport.”He added that Prestwick“does not dictate the strategy, endpoint or objective of any aircraft utilizing its amenities there”and instead“furnishes supervised aviation services in line with UK law, international aviation standards and long-standing agreements between allied nations.”
While recognizing divergences with US stances, including on Greenland, Robertson contended that the Scottish Government would persist in advocating for“Scotland’s priorities and Scotland’s principles”while preserving connections, characterizing the US as“our confederate”and observing“the ties of camaraderie between the people of Scotland and the US are profound.”He also endeavored to redirect the constitutional focus of the discussion, declaring that“foreign affairs, defence, national security and air transport policy powers are all reserved to the United Kingdom Parliament and the UK Government.”He said the Green proposal“appears to invite us to consider undertaking actions contrary to the Scotland Act 1998”.
Rather than endorsing the Greens’ demand for expulsion and refusal of entry, Robertson submitted an SNP alteration that eliminates the insistence on prohibiting US military aircraft and substitutes it with a declaration that the Parliament“upholds Scots law, international law and the rules-based order”,“regards the destiny of Greenland as an issue pertinent to the people of Greenland and Denmark”, and is“resolute in its unity with and backing of Ukraine”, while also endorsing penalties and measures targeting Russia’s shadow fleet.
The Conservatives criticized the Greens’ suggestion as financially detrimental and tactically imprudent, with Murdo Fraser rejecting it as similar to a student politics motion and contending that US utilization of Prestwick underpins the sustainability of the state-owned airfield. Fraser said:“Thank goodness that the US military is employing Prestwick, and remunerating generously for that advantage.”He asserted that hindering those transits would merely reroute aircraft to other locations while resulting in Scottish citizens incurring forfeited income. Conservative MSPs also emphasized employment around the airport, with Brian Whittle pointing to an engineering cluster providing jobs for thousands and anticipating additional employment expansion, and contending the emphasis ought to be on competencies and vocational training.
Scottish Labour adopted an analogous stance in dismissing the Greens’ motion while stressing more heavily legal compliance and alliance commitments. Labour’s Neil Bibby said:“any country’s utilization of Scottish and UK infrastructure must be carried out in accordance with national and global legislation.”He argued that prohibiting US military use of Scottish airports would send an“irresponsible”message about collective defence at a time of heightened instability, and applauded the British Administration’s pledge for military expenditure, characterizing Prestwick as part of a defence-linked employment base. Bibby also contended that US military use of Prestwick is well-entrenched, saying that the airport has aided NATO-affiliated clients for decades and that US aircraft have utilized it since the Second World War.
Cole-Hamilton, representing the Liberal Democrats, reprimanded the Greens for merging dissent against a particular American head of state with Scotland’s enduring safety priorities. He said:“we do not mistake our aversion to one political figure with the long-term security interests of our country.”While expressing apprehension regarding the Trump Administration’s strategy towards partnerships, he contended that NATO continues to be fundamental for European security and Ukraine’s protection, and cautioned that ejecting US personnel would risk signalling division.