Labour opposes third runway after Four Tests Failure
Labour announced on 20th June 2018 that it now opposes a Third Runway at Heathrow after the Government’s final proposal for an Airports National Policy Statement, laid before Parliament at the beginning of the month, failed to meet Labour's Four Tests for expansion.
Labour’s support for proposed Heathrow expansion has always been conditional on four well-established tests being met:
1. That increased capacity will be delivered
2. That we can meet our CO2 reduction commitments
3. Minimise noise and local environmental impact
4. Benefits of expansion felt across the regions of the U.K., not just the South East and London
Labour’s analysis of the National Policy Statement finds that NONE of these tests have been met.
As a result of the government’s proposed Heathrow expansion failing to deliver on the Four Tests, Labour opposes this expansion plan, which is expected to be put a vote in Parliament on Monday 25th June.
Human "NO" formed in Sipson. The 70 houses (top left) would effectively be INSIDE the airport if Heathrow's third runway ever built yet are not included in official figure of 783 homes to be bulldozed in first wave of demolition.
SHE welcomes the news about Labour's Four Tests as it has always believed that politicians who closely examine Heathrow's plans, rather than simply fall for Heathrow's hollow promises, would have to vote against the NPS - which allows the planning process for a third runway to roll on. There is little point continuing with the process when it is becoming increasingly clear that the runway, which has been proposed repeatedly since Heathrow opened over 70 years ago, will NEVER be built.
“The vote in Parliament will expose those MPs who are ignoring the evidence that a third runway will be a disaster for the country.”
It is good news that Labour has tested the proposals, and announced that it will oppose the runway because those tests can't be met. What doesn't make sense is that Labour MPs could still totally disregard Labour's findings and vote in favour of Heathrow expansion as there will be a free vote.
Direct Action Group with a simple but important message for MPs
It is shocking that MPs who claim to champion the environment could vote for an environmental disaster. Also, MPs in parts of the country where their constituents struggle to get public transport to work, could vote knowing that their constituents would have to pay for more transport infrastructure in the South East to support a foreign-owned airport. Even without a third runway, Network Rail is proposing to spend £1 billion on taxpayers money on a western rail link to Heathrow. This is aimed chiefly at air passengers travelling to the foreign-owned airport. Meanwhile, ordinary working people in other parts of the country struggle to get to and from work and could well have to wait years for any improvement.
There is only so much money in the pot, yet some MPs in parts of the country that desperately need investment are considering voting for more money to be spent in the South East. Heathrow is trying to gain support for its plans by offering jobs around the country. MPs now know they cannot rely on the airport to deliver the benefits.
Heathrow expansion may not be financially deliverable without substantial state aid - that's taxpayers' money. Labour MPs who vote with the government cannot make excuses later for failing to listen to their party.
The failure of Labour Four Tests must be considered by ALL MPs.
VOTE NO TO THE NPS!
MPs who vote for another runway will be voting for more pollution