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GLA candidate urges Heathrow runway vigilance

10:40am Saturday 28th January 2012 in Richmond By Christine Fleming

Fight on: The Heathrow runway has been cause for concern Fight on: The Heathrow runway has been cause for concern

South-west London Greater London Authority candidate Munira Wilson has called for a focus on protecting runway alternation instead of re-opening the debate over a third runway at Heathrow.

This outcry has come after Tory MP for Spelthorne, Kwasi Kwarteng, this week suggested that a new runway be built at one of the airports in the south-east, including possibly Heathrow.

Following years of campaigning by Liberal Democrats, community groups and thousands of residents, the fight to block a third runway at Heathrow was finally won when the Coalition Government took power in 2010.

Mrs Wilson said: “After the long, costly and gruelling battle to stop the third runway at Heathrow, it’s shocking to hear that a neighbouring MP wants the debate re-opened. Residents in Richmond and Hounslow boroughs already have to suffer the effects of terrible air and noise pollution from the airport, not to mention the congestion.

“Our efforts should be focused on ensuring there is no permanent relaxation to the rules on runway alternation, following the government’s current and summer pilots. Talk of a third runway should be firmly put to bed.”

Comments(16)

ken elmes says...
2:29pm Sat 28 Jan 12

76, born, when Heath Row was a village, and a lifelong resident of the Borough, I have seen the area grow and prosper providing employment for 1,000,s with the coming of ‘Heathrow’. Long may this prosperity grow, if it needs another runway so be it. The majority of ‘No’ campaigners are those who moved here to enjoy that prosperity and the riches it brings.

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PhillipTaylor says...
5:22pm Sat 28 Jan 12

Well said, Ken Elmes!

Ms Wilson is still living in fairy dairy land as the only comments being spouted again are negative and destructive at a time when we are preparing for the Games. The Tories have the balance right at the moment.

It really is time the Liberals stopped all this fair weather posturing and tried their hand at giving a fairer, 'across the board' representation rather than single issue prejudgment which just gives them a few seats in our local democratic institutions and makes them look wishy washy.

One thing is clear whether we like it or not - that is that some decisions on future air policy will have to be made after all the HS2 fuss has died down.... even if it is 'Boris Island' to save the south west London sensibilities!

Phillip Taylor

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Gareth Roberts says...
8:25pm Sat 28 Jan 12

"It really is time the Liberals stopped all this fair weather posturing" writes the failed Heathfield candidate who campaigned on a Conservative platform to keep the library in Heathfield only for the Conservatives to close it when they came to power. Priceless!

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PhillipTaylor says...
9:20am Sun 29 Jan 12

Yes, failed by just 3 votes in Heathfield, Gareth, as you write smarmily in your second safest seat in the Borough... at the moment you have the second safest seat. Just remember how safe Heathfield was until 2010.

There is still a library in Heathfield ward and you know- and you should get out of your cave more and recognise that library services have to change to meet modern facilities.

Phillip Taylor

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Gareth Roberts says...
10:34am Sun 29 Jan 12

In the interests of clarity, I'm sure that Philip Taylor meant to add that he came three votes behind the nearest Conservative candidate, Alan Butler, and they were both 300 votes behind the two winning Lib Dem candidates.

By the way Philip, if it is Conservative Policy to view a library as a few rows of books and a self service scanner in the corner of a community centre then we should all be very concerned.

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Eyeball says...
2:39pm Sun 29 Jan 12

In goes Gareth's poison boot,

I thought this article was about Heathrow!
come come now boys stop this playground squabbling and get on with life

Please excuse my levity but it is a rather dull Sunday afternoon

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PhillipTaylor says...
5:06pm Sun 29 Jan 12

We are talking about Heathrow and not the libraries policy here.

Gareth, you cannot crow about the fact that you lost one of your safest seats in Heathfield when, shock horror...., a Tory won it in 2010 and you still haven't got over it!

Oh Dear! The Liberals suddenly look vulnerable here and you can't disagree with that, so watch yourself in Hampton come the election- it can happen to anyone and I know as I have lost before, but that is the game.

All you can do, Gareth, is sneer at the successes of the current administration after the mess your Party left us here.

You know as well as I do that changes have to take place but you continue to stick your head in the sand with dated liberal philosophy.

I am glad Ms Wilson is at least making some comments (tired though they are) about Heathrow but there is a complete lack of vision by the Liberals here on this and other issues which is why they languish in the polls.

Be careful, Gareth, or you will lose the 2nd safest Lib seat in 2014 even after that snotty letter in the RTT about the Tory frontbench last Friday. It's a pity we cannot have your regular letters to the RTT in these columns as well so people know the views you hold and understand the twaddle for what it is.

Phillip Taylor

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Gareth Roberts says...
9:47am Mon 30 Jan 12

For once something we agree on Philip. I'd be delighted if we could have my letters printed in these columns so they have a wider readership, that way a greater number of residents could be in a position to learn what a bunch of wretched, spineless nodding dogs populate the Tory backbenches.

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ken elmes says...
11:16am Mon 30 Jan 12

While the LibDems and Cons squabble Twickenham Labour Party plans on for the good of the Borough. The 'New' Twickenham Riverside plans, by the Councils own addmission, is based on the plans put forwad over 10 years ago by LP members. see www.kenelmes.co.uk

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alex twickenham says...
1:53pm Mon 30 Jan 12

Here's an interesting spat which seems to become more acrimonious with each volley - what fun!
The original subject is probably irrelevant because it was simply a bit of electioneering by Mrs Wilson - LibDem wannabe GLA candidate, so I'll stick with the fun bit.
In the Blue corner we have Phillip Taylor, an ex-councillor who failed to be elected in Heathfield ward - hardly the easiest choice for a Tory. In the Yellow corner we have Councillor Gareth Roberts who romped home in Hampton, by his own brag, "the 2nd safest LibDem ward in the borough", I doubt he even needed to break sweat. Mr Taylor refers to Gareth's letter in this paper headlined "Blind support for front bench" in which he eloquently castigates the Tory backbenchers for their mute support of the party line. Given his own party's performance during the ghastly Lourie years, I'm amazed that he has the gall! But then, I guess there's no-one quite as brazen as a frustrated LibDem politico - I think it must be a genetic predisposition born out of years in the political wilderness. Having read his letter - twice; I still can't work out whether he's having a pop at the Tories for doing precisely what his party did over so many issues, alternatively, is he supporting Mrs Wilson's candidacy for the GLA seat or launching his own campaign? Stephen Knight is next on the yellow list so he's a shoe-in. Gareth is clearly ambitious and running out of time, so, as they say, Watch this space.
Alex

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Gareth Roberts says...
2:45pm Mon 30 Jan 12

Certainly I'm supporting Munira and Stephen's bids for GLA membership, Alex. I'm sure they'll do a far better job than Tony Arbour has done in the 8 years he's been doing the job. Other than at election time I can barely recall any word from him on any of the issues he's been deliberating on.

As for the letter, perhaps a third reading might help you grasp the finer points.

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Gareth Roberts says...
2:47pm Mon 30 Jan 12

Bah! Twelve Years!

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alex twickenham says...
4:44pm Mon 30 Jan 12

Gareth Roberts says "Certainly I'm supporting Munira and Stephen's bids for GLA membership". Right - there's a ringing endorsement if ever I heard one! At Gareth's suggestion I have re-read his letter for a third time and am dismayed to say that I'm still none the wiser - it's a bit like listening to those old windbags, Neill Kinnock and Paddy Ashdown - after 10 minutes of their droning, most people, me included, feel an overwhelming desire to nod off. That's exactly what happened when I gave Gareth's letter a third and final reading. Apart from the somewhat arcane subject, you could swop a couple of dozen words and he's describing the behaviour of LibDem backbench councillors during the ghastly Lourie years and the even worse ones under Sir David Williams' iron fist - we've only just stopped paying for them
Alex
PS: Good luck on your campaign trail Gareth!

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lucullus says...
5:08pm Mon 30 Jan 12

It was the coalition Govt which said 'no' to the third runway, and it was fought against by a huge coalition (ahem) of local and national groups, including every council in the area.

For us now to re-open the 3rd runway argument seems very bizarre: we've already got the £32bn white elephant of HS2 planned, do we need another one where the actual economics of an expensive infrastructure plan have to be massaged hugely to make them work, even on paper?

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Gareth Roberts says...
5:31pm Mon 30 Jan 12

I'm sorry that you couldn't grasp the gist there, Alex, even after three gallant attempts at trying.

If you can come up with an example of the Lib Dems in power playing party political games with something so fundamental as ensuring no LBRUT employee is paid less than the London Living Wage then I'd be keen to hear to hear it. Until such time as that is forthcoming then I think the Cheap and Nasty Politics Prize shall rest with the Conservatives.

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jeremyhm says...
2:13pm Tue 31 Jan 12

Looking at the picture that goes with this story, you might think it was only LibDems who went on the march against the third runway. This is far from true; I was on the same coach as ex-Cllr Lourie (remember him?), and I can assure readers that other parties were represented in strength. However, I considered the main object of the exercise was to show solidarity with the people of Sipson, whose village was at risk, rather than go polickiting. I am rather sorry that others felt it necessary to take a different view (see the picture), and use the occasion as a vote-gathering exercise. But there we are; as I say tot homini, quot sentetiae

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