The Scottish Greens have called on the Scottish Government to evict US military forces from Glasgow Prestwick Airport.
Scottish Greens co-leader Gillian Mackay MSP said the party will use a parliamentary debate on Wednesday to push for the US military to be barred from using Prestwick and other publicly-owned airports in Scotland, arguing that the scale of activity represents sustained routine use rather than occasional stop-offs. The Greens said their figures were compiled using Flightradar24 data and show activity on most days since 1 April 2025.
Mackay linked the issue directly to wider criticism of US President Donald Trump, accusing his administration of disregard for Scottish legal authority and international norms. “Donald Trump is no friend of Scotland. He has shown total contempt for our courts and for human rights around the world,” she said. She also referenced reports that the United States ignored a decision of the Court of Session and removed two individuals from Scottish waters in January, describing the incident as a breach of Scottish jurisdiction.
“We’ve now uncovered that the US military has landed at the Scottish Government’s Prestwick Airport more than 550 times, almost every single day, since the 1st April 2025,” Mackay added. “That is not just the occasional stop-off, that is sustained and routine military use of publicly-owned Scottish infrastructure.”
The Greens warned that continued access for US forces risks drawing Scotland into controversial foreign policy actions, with Mackay pointing to events including the reported US operation against Venezuela and heightened tensions surrounding Greenland. She argued that allowing the use of Prestwick could make Scotland complicit in actions that conflict with domestic and international law.
“Prestwick Airport is not a private military base. It is a publicly owned airport operated under the authority of the Scottish Government,” she said, adding: “It is simply unacceptable that a foreign military, which has shown a total disregard for Scottish and international law, is continuing to use our publicly-owned infrastructure.” Mackay said the Scottish Government must act immediately, calling for what she described as the eviction of US military operations from Prestwick and a halt to access at all Scottish Government-owned airports. “This is about ensuring no government, no matter how powerful, can disregard Scotland’s legal authority while enjoying unrestricted access to our public assets,” she said.
The Scottish Government said:
“Prestwick Airport operates on a commercial basis and at arms length from the Scottish Government. Operational decisions regarding the day-to-day running of the airport are a matter for its management.”
Labour MSP Paul Sweeney criticised the Greens’ proposal, warning it would undermine transatlantic defence links and damage Scotland’s economy. He argued Prestwick plays a strategic role in NATO cooperation and remains a key transit hub supporting wider Euro-Atlantic security efforts. “Prestwick Airport remains a strategic gateway for transatlantic defence links, supporting NATO’s vital work, including the new Atlantic Bastion programme, which is transforming how we protect our undersea cables, pipelines, and sea lanes from Russian aggression,” Sweeney said.
He claimed restricting access would weaken collective defence at a time of increasing threats from authoritarian states, and said the airport benefits from legitimate military transits.
“In a world where threats from authoritarian states are growing, closing off our closest ally’s access would weaken collective defence, hurt Scottish jobs reliant on the airport’s revenue from legitimate military transits, and signal division at a time when unity is crucial,” he said. Sweeney added that Scotland should focus on ensuring transparent and profitable use of the airport, rather than what he described as isolationist gestures, and argued the Greens should instead oppose any privatisation of Prestwick given its perceived strategic and economic value.
Additionally, Scottish Conservative MSP for South Scotland Sharon Dowey said: “Prestwick Airport is a huge asset to Ayrshire and to Scotland. We should be taking every opportunity to promote it and attract more investment into the area. Instead, the Scottish Greens are using it as a pawn to make a cheap political stunt.
We know the airport plays an important strategic role, supporting military operations and contributing to the security of the UK and our allies. Frankly, the Scottish Greens shouldn’t be meddling in matters they clearly know nothing about.”
Pathetic, the greens would have us fight adversaries with a limp stick of celery
Standby for the post:
WE NEED ‘GLASGOW PRESTWICK AIRPORT’ FOR NATIONAL SECURITY REASONS! 🇺🇸
followed by “Scotland is going to pay for it” 😀
Foreign relations and national security are the domain of Westminster. The Green’s language is aimed at pretending that Scotland in some sense exists as a sovereign entity for the purpose of international relations, which is nonsensical.
At this time of year, shouldn’t Gillian be concentrating her efforts on digging over the allotment?
Not just Greens but Scottish greens
Twice as useless
Not sure, English greens are now rapidly catching up with the crazy 🤦♂️
Well when you are led by a man that is self professed tit whisperer and wants to welcome all illegals currently in calais into the country….
Can’t say I disagree with you