Conservative Party position on Heathrow Expansion
Everyone knows that the Conservative Party locally is opposed to Heathrow Expansion. Prospective Parliamentary Candidate Mary Macleod and her team have delivered over 45,000 leaflets in the constituency. Councillor Barbara Reid, Council Leader Peter Thompson and other Conservatives have long been campaigners against the Expansion. Our Conservative GLA Assembly Member Tony Arbour is a veterabn campaigner against Heathrow Expansion.Conservative London Mayoral Candidate Boris Johnson MP is against Heathrow Expansion. Richmonf Conservative PPC Zac Golsmith is against Heathrow Expansion. Locally the Conservative Party is the green party.Some people have asked questions about the position of the Conservative party nationally on this issue.In his speech opposing Heathrow Expansion at Methodist Central Hall, Westminster on 25th February 2007, Peter Ainsworth MP, Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment, repeatedly referred to the four criteria set out by Theresa Villiers MP, the Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, in her speech on 22nd November 2007.This is a quotation from www.conservatives.com "Thursday November 22, 2007Heathrow expansion has to satisfy four key environmental tests."Commenting on the Government's plans to consult on a third runway at Heathrow, Shadow Transport Secretary, Theresa Villiers, said: "Characteristically Ruth Kelly has refused to come to Parliament and answer MPs questions on these plans. This is not democracy. This is one of the most important decisions we face as a nation and it is scandalous that Ruth Kelly won't answer in Parliament to the MPs who represent people whose lives are directly impacted by the future Heathrow. Yet again she's running scared."We recognise that the economic arguments for expanding Heathrow are much stronger than any other airport in the South East but in a week when Gordon Brown tried to shore up his green credentials by talking about eighty percent cuts in emissions, Ruth Kelly has got some very tough questions to answer about Heathrow expansion."Before a decision can be made on this critically important issue, we believe that four tests must be met - on NOx pollution, on noise, on alternative ways to meet demand and free up capacity, and above all, on meeting our climate change targets."Enormous efforts are needed from the Government if all these safeguards are going to be put in place and I hope Ruth Kelly can reassure the public that she will work with us to ensure that any plans for the future of Heathrow are consistent with these key environmental goals." "End of quotation. This statement was made at the commencement of the Consultation- over 3 months ago.Since then, the Conservative Party has reviewed the Government's Consultation paper.Numerous representations have been made to Pater Ainsworth MP, Theresa Villiers and other Shadow Cabinet members on the matter and the Conservative Party position has firmed up as shown in Peter Ainsworth's speech last Tuesday night.Peter Ainsworth made it clear on Tuesday night that he believed that the Government had not met the 4 tests laid out by Thesesa Villiers last November, 2007. Thousands were there and heard him say it. I was there also and heard strong oposition to Heathrow Expansion from Boris Johnson MP for Henley, Justine Greening MP for Putney and Councillor Barbara Reid of Hounslow representing the 2 M Group of Councils. Zac Goldsmith, Conservative PPC for Richmond, and a long time environmental activist and adviser to David Cameron MP, will be speaking at a meeting opposing Heathrow Expansion on Thursday 6th March, 2008 along with Terry Waite CBE.
David Giles ● 6360d12 Comments