It sounds good but can any of these guys really stop anything? Isn't this a national govt decision? I reckon it looks good on their manifesto - but thats it!
Hi Jimbo, i think you are right about the facts but i would draw a different conclusion.
This poster is a useful tool , the fact that the issue can be portrayed as govornment imposition on local people and the whole region is great.
As things go forward political inconvenience is going to be at a premium. If Labour want to go ahead with this, it has to be clear that they will pay a price for doing so.
Did you see that yesterday Boris Johnson, Tory candidate for the Mayor of London, called for a whole new airport for London instead of a new Heathrow runway?!
See Evening Standard link below: http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23433303-details/Boris+calls+for+airport+in+east+instead+of+Heathrow+expansion/article.do
The other three candidates are strongly against airport expansion because of climate change.
Boris's position of not caring about climate change should be no surprise I suppose given he opposed to Kyoto Treaty!
Nobody acting on their own can stop anything as big as proposals for 'Adding capacity at Heathrow airport'. However, concerted coordinated action can Stop Heathrow Expansion in its tracks.
The plan to go ahead with a third runway, sixth terminal, and increased flight numbers is a decision that has been made by ministers, including the Transport Minister, Ruth Kelly, and is supported by "the government" but it is most definitely not supported by all MPs. There is cross-party opposition to these proposals in the areas affected (which are the only ones officially 'Consulted' by DfT). The large majority of people have mentioned climate change as a major concern in exit polls at Public Exhibitions on this topic. [This means it would not matter where the airport were placed, there would be a significant number of objections wherever extra capacity were added in Britain!]
The Department for Transport wants the public to think this is a done deal, and will rely on typical public apathy to enforce their decision. Anyone objecting will be dismissed as a grumpy NIMBY and not worth listening to ;-)
However, there are many public meetings taking place in the Heathrow area during the Public Consultation phase (which has another month to run) and more and more people are beginning to become aware of the implications should the current proposals for airport expansion gain approval.
As calvin jones points out, Labour will pay a political price for this decision, and have no doubt calculated the risk of that, regardless of what is said about climate change, economics, or any other issue.
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It sounds good but can any of these guys really stop anything? Isn't this a national govt decision? I reckon it looks good on their manifesto - but thats it!
Hi Jimbo, i think you are right about the facts but i would draw a different conclusion.
This poster is a useful tool , the fact that the issue can be portrayed as govornment imposition on local people and the whole region is great.
As things go forward political inconvenience is going to be at a premium. If Labour want to go ahead with this, it has to be clear that they will pay a price for doing so.
Did you see that yesterday Boris Johnson, Tory candidate for the Mayor of London, called for a whole new airport for London instead of a new Heathrow runway?!
See Evening Standard link below:
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23433303-details/Boris+calls+for+airport+in+east+instead+of+Heathrow+expansion/article.do
The other three candidates are strongly against airport expansion because of climate change.
Boris's position of not caring about climate change should be no surprise I suppose given he opposed to Kyoto Treaty!
Hello jimbo,
Nobody acting on their own can stop anything as big as proposals for 'Adding capacity at Heathrow airport'. However, concerted coordinated action can Stop Heathrow Expansion in its tracks.
The plan to go ahead with a third runway, sixth terminal, and increased flight numbers is a decision that has been made by ministers, including the Transport Minister, Ruth Kelly, and is supported by "the government" but it is most definitely not supported by all MPs. There is cross-party opposition to these proposals in the areas affected (which are the only ones officially 'Consulted' by DfT). The large majority of people have mentioned climate change as a major concern in exit polls at Public Exhibitions on this topic. [This means it would not matter where the airport were placed, there would be a significant number of objections wherever extra capacity were added in Britain!]
The Department for Transport wants the public to think this is a done deal, and will rely on typical public apathy to enforce their decision. Anyone objecting will be dismissed as a grumpy NIMBY and not worth listening to ;-)
However, there are many public meetings taking place in the Heathrow area during the Public Consultation phase (which has another month to run) and more and more people are beginning to become aware of the implications should the current proposals for airport expansion gain approval.
As calvin jones points out, Labour will pay a political price for this decision, and have no doubt calculated the risk of that, regardless of what is said about climate change, economics, or any other issue.
P.S. Boris is just playing a game.
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