Survey of candidates shows all other parties opposed
The Labour Party has become isolated in its support for a third runway at Heathrow. In a survey of candidates standing in the European Elections on June 4th, only Labour candidates refused to condemn the proposals to build a new runway. The campaign group HACAN wrote to all the leading candidates standing in the both the London and South East constituencies to ask their views on Heathrow expansion. No Labour candidate responded but the representatives of all the other political parties said they were opposed to the plans for a third runway (1).
HACAN Chair John Stewart said, “The silence from the Labour candidates has been deafening. We know there are many individual members of the Labour Party who oppose Heathrow expansion but this survey confirms just how isolated the Government is on the issue.”
ENDS
Notes for Editors:
(1). A selection of quotes from candidates below:
Conservatives
Charles Tannoch MEP, standing for the Conservatives in London, emphasised the importance of high-speed rail as an alternative to expansion and said; “I oppose both as a resident and as a London MEP Heathrow expansion plans.”
His colleague Richard Ashworth MEP, standing in the South East, said: “The Conservative Party official policy is to oppose the construction of a third runway at Heathrow. I fully support this policy.”
Liberal Democrats
Liberal Democrat London MEP Sarah Ludford said “Along with my Liberal Democrat colleagues at Westminster, in the London Assembly and in the European Parliament I am strongly committed to continue the Liberal Democrat campaign to stop a third runway at Heathrow. I have personally been an outspoken opponent of Heathrow expansion for the decade that I have been an MEP.”
Greens
Green Party Leader Caroline Lucas MEP, standing for re-election in the South East, said, “I am completely opposed to the proposal to build a third runway at Heathrow and am campaigning to put the brakes on all airport expansion, because it is massively incompatible with the need to significantly reduce greenhouse gases by 2020.”
Her colleague, Jean Lambert, the Green MEP for London said, “I do not support the third runway because I believe it is bad for the environment, bad for health, bad for education and because the economic case is not made.”
UKIP
Nigel Farage MEP, the UKIP Leader, standing for re-election in the South East, said, “I remain unconvinced that a third runway is necessary for any economic reason and from a social perspective it is highly undesirable.”
For further information:
John Stewart
Press Release issued 29/05/09
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FTF Comment: Labour have also chose to ignore the excessive negative effects of expansion at London City Airport on the communities of south and east London. Mary Honeyball MEP has refused to answer our questions on London City Airport.
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