Meeting of MPs and Lords in Parliament on Heathrow Campaign

I chaired a meeting of the group of MPs and Lords, which I set up some time ago to organise the campaign in Parliament against Heathrow expansion. The meeting was well attended with MPs and Lords from all parties. We also had representatives from the local councils and national environmental groups.

The meeting examined the interventions we can make in the forthcoming Climate Change Bill debate and also how we can link up with the various campaigns planned outside of Parliament. One great success was the full page advertisement taken out today in the national press by a range of trade unions opposing the third runway. This is major breakthrough as up until recently we have not been able to secure much union support.

In addition it is clear that the runway proposal will be in serious breech of the European Commission’s air pollution legislation and following meetings with EU Commission representatives it is equally clear that the Commission has the power and will to act to enforce its new pollution limits.

We still expect the Government to announce its decision on a third runway in December and believe that this will include decisions on runway alternation and the Cranford agreement.

I will keep everyone locally informed of whatever is announced and I will convene local community meetings in the area as usual on this as soon we hear anything.

Many now consider that the runway proposal is now dead in the water given the huge cross party and community opposition in and outside of Parliament and the current economic crisis and threatening recession.

I interviewed John Stewart fron the airport anti noise group HACAN, who co-ordinates our Parliamentary group and who is a key organiser in our campaign to save our community from the third runway.

submitted by John on 14 Oct 2008 at 22:02