Forum Topic

Mary Macleod's Meeting on Heathrow Expansion 21st February 2008

Mary Macleod, the Brentford & Isleworth Conservative Parliamentary Candidate, is organising a community meeting for residents on the expansion of Heathrow, due to local demand to discuss an issue that will greatly affect their quality of life.Mary Macleod is a strong opponent of Heathrow Expanision.The meeting will be held on Thursday 21st February at 7.30pm in the Isleworth Working Men’s Club, St John’s Road, Isleworth (near Twickenham Road junction).  All residents of Chiswick, Brentford, Isleworth, Osterley and Hounslow are invited.Mary commented, “The government is currently consulting with residents on plans for massive expansion at Heathrow airport by building a third runway, a sixth terminal and ending runway alternation.  Aircraft noise will be worse than ever as flight numbers will increase by more than 50% and residents will lose the current half day’s relief from aircraft flying over their homes and schools.  This is our chance to make our views heard before this flawed consultation process ends on 27th February.  We must keep up the fight.”The meeting will be chaired by Mary Macleod and speakers include John Stewart (Chairman of HACAN), Cllr Barbara Reid (Hounslow Council’s lead member for aviation) and Roger Wiltshire (Secretary General of the British Air Transport Association).Ann Keen MP, Lord Soley (Future Heathrow) and Mark Bullock (BAA) have also been invited to attend and speak.Everyone welcome! 

David Giles ● 6368d31 Comments

Sensitive, moi?  I think not, Vanessa.  I welcome your every effort to remind us all of the difference between your style of political debate and my own.  The people of Isleworth have already made it entirely clear which of the two they prefer, so fib and smear away to your little heart's content.And I'm not altogether sure either why you feel the need to keep yapping excitedly about the biter allegedly being bitten every time John takes a little pop at me.  If that was a bite, he obviously forgot to put his dentures in yesterday morning.

Phil Andrews ● 6358d

TOUCHE

Steve Taylor ● 6359d

Well - you said it!

Vanessa Smith ● 6359d

There seem to be a lot of "Tory boys" and "Tory rent boys" about....

James de Vivenot ● 6359d

It is really amazing how sensitive people can be - especially when they weren't averse to throwing the word 'corrupt' about with abandon and intimating that people were doing deals with developers all over the place. The biter bit! Not very pleasant is it?

Vanessa Smith ● 6359d

Chiswick's Tory Boy.

Vanessa Smith ● 6359d

VanessaAt whom is this particular volley directed?

Phil Andrews ● 6359d

Oh! do try to keep up.

Vanessa Smith ● 6359d

Steve, on the adjacent Giles posting you will note my support for your views. Sadly, there is a sectarian approach to politics which dominates the Hounslow scene. I am not arrogant enough to claim immunity from this. However, I feel the consequence is that the pro-runway 3 argument gets an easier ride from an area that is directly affected than might otherwise be the case.

John Connelly ● 6359d

Getting back to the topic........I think the people of Hounslow have to make a decision as to whether they support Heathrow expansion or not. Some may think that expansion means lots of additional jobs for locals. Some may fear losing jobs. I personally believe that if Heathrow expands, employers will be recruiting cheap(er) labour from foreign shores. People will have varied views and reasons for or against but I really think the time has come for the 'NO' brigade to stick together and put petty politics aside as it isn't helpful to the cause.We all know that Ann Keen opposed expansion many years ago and we all know that Mary Mcleod is our new leader in the NO campaign. Ann Keen's recent position was somewhat unclear but does it really matter who went to what meeting and whether they sat in the front row or at the back?The point is surely to get the message across to Ruth Kelly & Co

Steve Taylor ● 6359d

"The taunt in some quarters that you have become a Tory 'rent boy' is offensive to me"Not too offensive to dissuade you from being the first person to introduce the taunt to this forum though, eh John?Actually, unlike your good self I am far too poor ever to have been a rent boy.  A rent boy sells his services for money, which is the width of a fag paper from the allegation made by David Hughes that I and my colleagues have voted with the Conservatives in exchange for financial bribes.  I am aware that at least one of my colleagues has already obtained legal advice over this particular allegation, but in the meantime it is worth noting that none of the "David Hughes doesn't speak for us" brigade have seen fit to challenge him over it or to place any distance between themselves and this clearly defamatory remark.  There is an old saying about dogs and fleas which appertains.In ICG circles, the jury is still out on whether you really don't understand the Community Group's strategy within the coalition, or whether you merely affect not to for the purpose of making propaganda.  You are on the one hand a highly intelligent man, and more importantly have years of political experience and a good strategic brain.On the down side a political upbringing in the Labour Party will have germinated a rather materialistic mentality in which the budget-setting meeting is the big event of the political year and concepts such as "engagement", "participation" or "grass-roots action" will have limited meaning other than in the broadest, strictly functional sense.I am afraid John that it is Vanessa and yourself, not I, who link yourself to New Labour in the eyes of other posters by the relentless selectivity of your contributions to this forum.  It is entirely possible and would not be at all inconsistent for you to criticise the current administration's actions whilst placing some clear blue water between yourselves and the demented, and usually factually inaccurate rantings of Mr. Hughes.  You choose not to, and others are entitled to ask why that should be.

Phil Andrews ● 6359d

As your ward did not have an NF candidate you clearly could not have nominated him/her.In terms of your second point, if we substituted "Tory" for NF your position would be more difficult to defend. The taunt in some quarters that you have become a Tory "rent boy" is offensive to me. However, it is no less abusive than your constant attempts to link people to New Labour who have clearly broken that connection.

John Connelly ● 6359d

JohnI understand the point you make, however there are two essential differences:1. I didn't nominate the local NF candidate in the 2006 local elections, whilst contesting the same election on behalf of the ICG in another ward.2. I don't intervene on the forum every time the NF is criticised to spring slavishly to its defence, including in instances where its conduct is clearly indefensible.Also John, I fear your last comment might lead you to be hoist by your own petard somewhat.  Remember it is Vanessa who has always insisted, more than most others, that people do not change and that views I held a quarter of a century ago must necessarily be the same views that I hold today.  She is, of course, entitled to her opinion, but how exactly does this tally with the new, changed Vanessa?

Phil Andrews ● 6359d

Having stood twice as for the Independent Alliance against Labour candidates (read Colin Ellar) why should Vanessa care about the activities of the Labour Party? The implication of your remarks, Phil, is that we should still regard you as Fuehrer Phil of the NF regardless of all your recantations over the years. I personally regard this as nonsense, but do you?If so, accept that people move on, as you claim to have done.

John Connelly ● 6359d

Wasn't her fault David, the voters didn't know what they were doing.  If they are really, really lucky she will give them another chance in 2010.

Phil Andrews ● 6359d

Typical Labour Party attitude- don't know and don't care. No wonder you lost your seat Vanessa.

David Giles ● 6359d

Not only do I not know - I don't care either.

Vanessa Smith ● 6359d

Were any Hounslow Labour councillors at the Westminster Rally ?

David Giles ● 6360d

The cup runneth over with kindness at the mention, whatever next?

Vanessa Smith ● 6360d

If Labour party members were present, none of them got up and said so. However in fairness to the Labour party, the Conservative Councillor Barbara Reid and  the ICG's Phil Andrew both mentioned that the local Labour Party shared the opposition of the Conservatives, the ICG and the Lib Dems to Heathrow Expansion.It is a pity that Ann Keen or any Labour councillor did not come along and say so.Without representatives of the pro-Heathrow Expansion Labour Government or the Labour Party being present it was rather like Hamlet Without the Prince. Bit a very good meeting nevertheless. One hopes that the Hounslow Labour Party will turn out in massive numbers at Westminster tonight to oppose the Labour Governments plans to destroy local communities and reduce the quality of life of 2 million Londoners.

David Giles ● 6362d

I did see your old pal Ms Sampson at the meeting Vanessa and I recall she was also part of the "security team" at the Keens so called residents consultation last Saturday which was as I am sure you will have read and heard was poorly attended.I wonder how many were not allowed entry because they refused to give their full names and address`s etc as demanded by GMB officials?

Paul Fisher ● 6363d

Members of the Labour party were there as individuals, I know several who went, but then I suppose you didn't get around to asking everyone what their political views were before they were let in. Although no great fan of Ann Keen, in her defence I have to say that she was actively campaigning against the third runway way back in 2003 when there was a large protest march in Sipson and surrounding area, where were all of you then? I only hope you had a long-handled spoon with you.

Vanessa Smith ● 6364d

JohnIt was very good meeting with excellent speeches from all the main speakers and from ordinary members of the local community.Apart from the representative of Future Hounslow and the British Air Transport Association who very bravely put the pro-Heathrow Expansion view point, all the speakers and apparently all the audience were strongly opposed to the expansion.Ideally meetings like this should be held in every ward in the Borough.It was a great pity that Mrs Ann Keen MP did not bother to attend or any other representative of the Labour Party.It was very good to see Friends of the Earth, HACAN, the Isleworth Community Group, Hounslow's GLA Member Tony Arbour, Hounslow Council Leader Peter Thompson, Lib Dem Councillor Andrew Dakers, yourself, Councillor Barbara Reid, local businesswoman Sally Court and others all there and  united in the same cause. It was s pity that Ann Keen MP and the Labour Party were conspicious by their absence.It is an excellent venue and I very much enjoyed a superb pint of Guinness with Councillors Andrew, Fisher and Dakers after the meeting thus emphasising the cross-party nature of the event so ably organised and chaired by Mary Macleod.Mary Macleod has campaigned tirelessly aginst Heathrow Expansion in contrast with Ann Keen who is of course a very junior member of the Government that has approved the Expansion.Based on Thursday night's performance, Mary must now become our next MP.

David Giles ● 6364d

An excellent meeting with over a 100 local residents attending with  GLA,Conservative,ICG and  Liberal  Councillors present too.Vociferous opposition to any airport expansion expressed by all present.

John Todd ● 6365d

Mary Macleod, the Prospective Conservative Parliamentary candidate for Brentford and Isleworth, is organising the meeting so it is up to her to invite speakers.Mary is an active campaigner against Heathrow Expansuion and has circulated thousands of leaflets in the constituency opoposing the Labour Government's plans,John Stewart, the Chairman of HACAN, will be speaking as will Councillor Barbara Reid, Hounslow's Lead Member for Aviation, and a very long-standing opponent of Heathrow Expansion.Ann Keen, the Labour MP for Brentford and Isleworth, has been invited as has Lord Clive Soley, of the pro-expansion lobbying group Heathrow Future, who is a former Labour MP for Shepeherd's Bush and former Chair of the Parliamentary Labour Party.I am sure Lib Dem Councillor Andrew Dakers will be welcome to attend and speak from the floor if he wishes.

David Giles ● 6368d

Let's hope that the leafleting of Isleworth dwellings goes well..so that the attendance is perked up.Once again a cross-party..open to all meeting..I presume.

Jim Lawes ● 6368d

You're right, John - there are members of both main parties who are for expansion (as well as those who are against).I guess it's a question of weighing the voting power of economic concerns (i.e. jobs for constituents) vs environmental concerns (i.e. the impact of increased noise pollution on residents).When it comes down to it - we like to talk about reducing our Carbon footprints whilst we hypocritically book cheap holiday flights that we've come to expect with the growth of the budget airline industry. In other words, if it wasn't for us consumers demanding more flights there wouldn't be a need for more landing slots in SE England. It's up to us all as a society to fly less. (Rant over!)(PS Apologies David, I re-read your post and saw that you have already invited Lord Soley. I wonder whether he will turn up? It should be a lively debate!)

James de Vivenot ● 6368d

Look's like the people who count in the 2 main parties don't give a damn about local concerns.

John Connelly ● 6368d

What about Baron (Clive) Soley of Hammersmith, former Labour MP for Hammersmith and later Ealing, Acton and Shepherd's Bush. He is currently the Campaign Director for Future Heathrow, an organisation pushing for expansion:
Future Heathrow

James de Vivenot ● 6368d

Has David Wilshire MP, nearby Tory MP for Spelthorne who regards exapnsion of Heathrow as an excellent idea, been invited?

John Connelly ● 6368d

Has Andrew Dakers been invited too?

Steve Taylor ● 6368d