GE Aerospace to invest £57m in Prestwick facility amid boycott controversy

GE Aerospace has announced a £57 million investment to expand and modernize its maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facility near Prestwick Airport in South Ayrshire. The project includes a £30 million direct investment from GE Aerospace to construct a new 55,000 square foot building, which is expected to create 150 new jobs over the next five years. The remaining funding is provided through public sector support, including £27 million from the Ayrshire Growth Deal and a planned £6 million from Scottish Enterprise.

The investment has drawn political scrutiny from the Scottish Greens, who claim the funding breaches the Scottish National Party (SNP) administration's commitment to boycott defense companies supplying arms to Israel. The Campaign Against Arms Trade noted that GE Aerospace engines power military jets used by the Israeli Air Force. Critics have questioned how the government can reconcile this public funding with previous pledges to pause support for firms linked to conflicts in Gaza.