Business figures Sir Tom Hunter and Lord Willie Haughey discussed defence, cyber threats, and Scotland’s role in the UK’s defence economy during this week’s Go Radio Business Show.
In a wide-ranging exchange, the two entrepreneurs spoke about the UK’s newly announced Defence Growth Deals, expected to inject £250 million into innovation and small business development across the sector.
Haughey welcomed the move, saying it could be “another wee boost for business”, noting that it would support “a lot of good jobs, a lot of quality jobs.”
Sir Tom Hunter turned the conversation toward Scottish Government policy on defence investment, saying that the SNP’s current stance placed it “in a difficult position.” He added, “They’ve come out and said they’re not going to invest in munitions or any companies that go to war. So on the one hand, you might think, okay, good moral stance. On the other hand, this is the defence of our nation.”
Hunter went on to highlight what he sees as a contradiction in government ownership of Prestwick Airport, remarking, “I live next to Prestwick Airport, and it’s owned by the government, so it’s owned by you and me and all the rest of the Scottish taxpayers, and it’s now a military base as far as I’m concerned.”
He described seeing military traffic regularly at the airfield, including “the Royal Canadian Air Force” and “a forward operating base.” He added, “Ryanair is the only commercial passenger aircraft moving out of there. The rest are military.”
The Go Radio Business Show also covered cyber threats and the upcoming UK Budget. Haughey revealed that his own business had been targeted by what he believes to be a Russian state-linked cyber attack, describing it as part of “an ongoing cyberwar.”
The full episode is available on YouTube: Go Radio Business Show – 29 September 2025.
Tom Hunter is correct as regards the stance of the Scottish Government as regards defence and its ownership of Prestwick and there is an obvious ‘contradiction’ as regards policy. However, the Government has always said that it acts as an ‘owner at arms length’ and trusts the present management team to run the airport. Tom also presents a misleading picture of the actual number of military movements. The CAA statistics for July highlights that Prestwick had a total of 1,997 air transport movements of which only 246 were military, the remainder being classed as commercial. This is only 12.3% of the total and Tom forgets to mention the increasing number of cargo flights in addition to MRO, private and training movements. Prestwick is so much more than just Ryanair. Prestwick started out as a military airfield and has always played an important strategic military role in wartime. It is now being well managed and run effectively as a commercial airfield with a military presence, supporting not only the UK defence forces but also those of our European, Middle East and North American allies. The Scottish Government’s purchase of the airport in 2013 was essential for the airport’s survival and it has produced an operating profit for the last five years in a row. The £48m in Scottish Government loans, are already being repaid in the form of various taxes given that the airfield supports over 4500 jobs with another 2000 being forecast over the next 3-5 years. And with a sale to a private bidder supposedly on the cards, the ‘contradiction’ in relation to the Scottish Government ownership should cease to exist.
As a Scot , the SNP position is one of zero responsibility , maximum virtue signalling and maximum manufactured grievance with Westminster.
They are happy to carp on the side lines. Claim they have Scotlands best interests at heart but in reality , it is the opposite. Whether it is nuclear weapons on the Clyde , which prevent this country from being nuclear blackmailed to nuclear power.
C17 (pictured) B version has “Double Slotted Flaps”.
Fascinating.