John Swinney unable to block use of Prestwick for US jets involved in Iran war

The first minister has said he is unable to ban US jets from using a government-owned airport, despite evidence it was being used as part of the campaign against Iran.

Scottish Greens co-leader Gillian Mackay made the call for the ban during FMQs on Thursday, saying that use of Prestwick Airport by US military jets was “proof of our complicity” in the war.

But John Swinney said while he agreed with the sentiment, he was unable stop Prestwick being used because it would stray into reserved policy areas.

Flight logs show that US planes which have stopped at Prestwick in recent weeks include those involved in military action against Iran.

The US, alongside Israel, launched strikes against the country at the end of February and the conflict has been ongoing since.

The UK Government has authorised the US to use British military bases for “defensive” purposes, but Prime Minister Keir Starmer has held firm in his refusal to not join offensive action.

Prestwick Airport, which was bought by the Scottish Government in 2013, is often used by Air Force One.

But there has been growing concern over the use of the airport by the military amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

Mackay said the flight logs were “concrete proof of our complicity in a war which has now killed over 1,300 people in Iran, including more than 200 children”, meaning Scotland was effectively providing “direct support” to the US and Israel.

Swinney said he had “looked very closely” at whether his government could intervene given the “enormous concern and unease” about the conflict.

But he added: “If I was to prevent flights from entering Scotland by the appropriate steps that would be necessary, I would need to exercise national security, aviation, air transport, defence and foreign affairs powers. These are all reserved to the United Kingdom Government.

“I would like to be able to exercise powers in this respect, but I would be exceeding my constitutional authority if I did. That is a matter of regret to me, but it’s an issue I’m continuing to explore in my pursuit of dialogue with the United Kingdom government.”

Mackay argued that it was possible to act now and Scotland doesn’t “need to wait to ask Westminster’s permission to do anything”.

She said Israeli military aircraft had been banned from using the airport.

But Swinney said while it was “immensely frustrating” he could not act, he must “always act within the law”.

He also warned of the “real, serious and acute economic impact” that the “unjust and unjustified conflict” would have domestically.