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Liberal Democrats are delighted following a ruling by the Court of Appeal today (27th Feb) saying that expansion was unlawful because ministers failed to properly consider the impact on the climate and the environment.
The case was brought by Friends of the Earth and others, arguing that Heathrow expansion does not match the UK’s commitments under the Paris Agreement.
The news comes following a New Economics Foundation (NEF) report on Thursday that concluded Heathrow expansion would shift 27,000 jobs to London and the Southeast from other regions, as well as £43 billion of the nation’s income. The Northwest would be the worst affected losing 15,000 jobs by 2050. The report also says that a third runway would produce an extra 4 million tonnes of CO2 emissions.
Liberal Democrat Acting Leader, Ed Davey, said:
"I am delighted that the Court of Appeal have made this decision. Building a third runway at Heathrow would make it almost impossible for the UK to achieve net-zero.
"The Prime Minister once pledged to ‘lie down’ in front of the bulldozers – well he doesn’t even need to do that. If the Conservatives are serious about taking the climate emergency, they should simply cancel Heathrow expansion once and for all.
"Liberal Democrats have always opposed Heathrow expansion and will continue to hold the government to account on their climate change commitments."
Liberal Democrat Transport Spokesperson and MP for Twickenham, Munira Wilson, said:
"This ruling is a victory for common sense. At a time when we should be promoting greener transport, we cannot allow the expansion of the country’s single biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions.
"The Conservatives for too long have pressed ahead with Heathrow expansion without any consideration for the impact not only on the climate, but also the impact on South-West London.
"Liberal Democrats hope this Tory government will do the sensible thing and consign the proposed third runway to the history books."
The case was brought by Friends of the Earth and others, arguing that Heathrow expansion does not match the UK’s commitments under the Paris Agreement.
The news comes following a New Economics Foundation (NEF) report on Thursday that concluded Heathrow expansion would shift 27,000 jobs to London and the Southeast from other regions, as well as £43 billion of the nation’s income. The Northwest would be the worst affected losing 15,000 jobs by 2050. The report also says that a third runway would produce an extra 4 million tonnes of CO2 emissions.
Liberal Democrat Acting Leader, Ed Davey, said:
"I am delighted that the Court of Appeal have made this decision. Building a third runway at Heathrow would make it almost impossible for the UK to achieve net-zero.
"The Prime Minister once pledged to ‘lie down’ in front of the bulldozers – well he doesn’t even need to do that. If the Conservatives are serious about taking the climate emergency, they should simply cancel Heathrow expansion once and for all.
"Liberal Democrats have always opposed Heathrow expansion and will continue to hold the government to account on their climate change commitments."
Liberal Democrat Transport Spokesperson and MP for Twickenham, Munira Wilson, said:
"This ruling is a victory for common sense. At a time when we should be promoting greener transport, we cannot allow the expansion of the country’s single biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions.
"The Conservatives for too long have pressed ahead with Heathrow expansion without any consideration for the impact not only on the climate, but also the impact on South-West London.
"Liberal Democrats hope this Tory government will do the sensible thing and consign the proposed third runway to the history books."
3 comments:
How would you deal with the problem of planes unable to land because of lack of runway capacity and having to circle round burning huge quantities of fuel and causing distress to passengers anxious to alight and get home or make their connecting flight ?
I agree that Heathrow expansion should be cancelled - its not only climate change but the imbalance of economic activity.
I support the promotion of Cardiff airport to enhance the economy here in Wales. We are short of seaports, so any land trade with the world will otherwise have to come through England.
It is not a good idea for Wales to rely on England because of the differing in politics and culture of the 2 countries. The UK system is too centralised, the experience of 2010-15 showed that even with LD in coalition it was almost impossible to change the UK and it would take a long time for LD to win outright in England even with Plaid Cymru/Green support.
With brexit on the horizon it will be best to consider Welsh and Scottish independence and to approach possible membership of the EU as independent states.
If Plaid Cymru does get a majority of seats in the coming Senedd GE, then we have a good opportunity to build Wales as a liberal democracy which will be a showcase for England, Scotland and the world.
There is a bottleneck at Heathrow.
There should not be a position where there is only one single interchange. London has several airports Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, Southend, Southampton, etc.
If you want to keep the UK together then economic activity should be spread across the UK and not centered on London.
Aberaeron & Neath LD (a Welsh party) should be promoting the use of Welsh government owned Cardiff Airport.
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