Greer condemns Scottish Ministers for supporting Prestwick US military operations
Ross Greer MSP, External Affairs spokesperson for the Scottish Greens, today (22 Feb) condemned Scottish Ministers for their support of government-owned Prestwick Airport’s use as a staging post for US military operations and for the contradictory statements made while trying to avoid scrutiny regarding this position.
Following last week's revelations in the Guardian, which Scottish Greens co-convener Patrick Harvie raised at First Minister's Questions, the Economy Secretary today gave a statement to MSPs confirming that military use remains an "important offering" from Prestwick.
In his statement Cabinet Secretary Keith Brown said that there is ‘no role for ministers in specific commercial discussions’ – despite having himself told the parliament’s Economy committee in March 2017 that he had been talking to the airport about ‘specific commercial opportunities’, for which the Scottish Greens have accused him of ‘shocking hypocrisy’.
Ross Greer MSP said:
"It's appalling that Scottish Ministers are happy to allow a public asset to support US military operations in Iraq, Syria and elsewhere, which have appalling consequences for innocent families on the ground. At Westminster we see SNP MPs rightly raising concerns about foreign policy, yet their ministerial colleagues here in Scotland are turning a blind eye because of commercial offerings. It's shocking hypocrisy and it's sickening.
"We are judged far more by our actions than by our words and by their actions the SNP are active supporters of US military aggression. They should be reminded of that the next time they have the gall to talk up their anti-war credentials.
"Despite what the Cabinet Secretary has said about Prestwick airport’s arms-length relationship with government, he himself told a committee that he had been talking to the airport about specific commercial opportunities, and the First Minister has said that if the government wasn't happy with what the airport was doing they would ask serious questions. The government’s statements are utterly contradictory, something for which they refuse to answer.”