'I do not need a babysitter': Row erupts as John Swinney admits he cannot ban US jets from Prestwick Airport
A row has broken out after the UK government cancelled John Swinney’s national security briefing because the Scottish Secretary was not present.
John Swinney has admitted for the first time that his government does not have the power to ban US military jets from Prestwick Airport - after the First Minister said he does “not need a babysitter” from Westminster to be briefed on national security.
The First Minister made the admission after a row between Scotland’s two governments emerged over Mr Swinney’s planned national security briefing that was cancelled because Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander was no longer going to be present.
Mr Swinney had previously said he was investigating whether US military jets could be banned from using Prestwick Airport, which is owned by the Scottish government.
The UK government has denied that Prestwick is being used for any US or Israeli offensive operations in the Middle East.
READ MORE: Prestwick Airport: John Swinney seeking UK Government meeting over US military use of airport
Speaking at First Minister’s Questions, Mr Swinney said: “The Scottish government acquired Prestwick Airport on the basis of an intervention that was within our powers to exercise in relation to economic development and employment.
“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.”
Scottish Greens co-leader Gillian Mackay, said she was “really disappointed” with the First Minister ruling out any action as she called on Mr Swinney to “properly stand up for Scotland, and finally kick Trump’s troops out”.
The First Minister told journalists that a meeting scheduled for 8am on Thursday with the deputy national security advisers “was cancelled by the UK government”.
He added: “I understand that there is now a suggestion that that briefing can only take place if the Secretary for State for Scotland is present and that is unacceptable to me.
“I am First Minister of Scotland and a member of the Privy Council. I can handle sensitive information. I don’t need to have a babysitter in the form of Douglas Alexander.”
A senior Scottish government source accused the UK government of showing the “same muscular unionist as the Tories”, but “failing to own it”.
Pressed over whether he always knew the Scottish government did not have the authority to ban US military jets from the airport, Mr Swinney said he had “been exploring every possible way” in which he could “contribute to de-escalating an absolutely unacceptable conflict in the Middle East”.
Earlier, UK defence secretary John Healey said the airport is not being used for strike operations on Iran.
Speaking during a visit in Edinburgh, Mr Healey said: “The airport’s a civilian airport.
“It’s owned by the Scottish government, and it is simply not being used by the US for any of its strike operations on Iran.”
Asked if he would meet Mr Swinney to discuss the issue, he said: “We’ve offered John Swinney a briefing. We’ll meet him and discuss that with him.
“But it’s his airport. It’s a civilian airport. It simply is not being used for any of the US strikes into Iran.”
A UK government spokesperson said: "Defence and national security are reserved matters. Where relevant and appropriate, we will engage the devolved governments.
“A Privy Council briefing is in the process of being arranged at the First Minister's request."
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