GREEN-SHOOTS OF OPTIMISM FOR HEATHROW LOCALS AS NEW GOVERNMENT TAKES SHAPE

Press Release

14 July 2016

For immediate use

 

GREEN-SHOOTS OF OPTIMISM FOR HEATHROW LOCALS AS NEW GOVERNMENT TAKES SHAPE

 

Residents around Heathrow Airport who face having their community wiped off the map to make way for a third runway were breathing a small sigh of relief on Thursday as the new Prime Minister, Theresa May, set about appointing her new cabinet. A number of well-known opponents to a third runway were given key positions, including Boris Johnson, Justine Greening and Phillip Hammond.

 

Many MPs with constituencies around Heathrow were appointed, with Uxbridge & South Ruislip MP Boris Johnson committing to “lie down in front of the bulldozers” if Heathrow expansion is approved. (1) Phillip Hammond, the new Chancellor, the MP for Runnymede & Weybridge told constituents recently that he opposes the scheme. (2)  New Transport Secretary Chris Grayling is thought to be opposed to a third runway. His Epsom & Ewell constituency is fairly close by and, as shadow transport secretary, first proposed the Conservatives’ opposition to a third runway in 2009. (3)

 

Harmondsworth resident Neil Keveren, said: “We are breathing, as well as the toxic levels of air pollution in this area will allow, a small sigh of relief with the new cabinet appointments. Theresa May said in Downing Street yesterday that she wants to think not of the powerful, but ordinary people. I hope she chooses to listen not to Heathrow’s shareholders, but to ordinary people in places like Harmondsworth, who would lose their homes, schools, places of worship and local small businesses.”

 

Campaign Coordinator, Robert Barnstone, said: “The last twenty-four hours have provided residents with green shoots of optimism that a decision in favour of a third runway is looking slightly less likely. We cautiously welcome Theresa May’s new administration and hope the right decision is made for the future of local schools, residents and businesses that would be lost if this disastrous project were to go ahead.”

 

Ends.

 

Notes

 

1 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-32703425

2 https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/nov/01/third-runway-heathrow-gatwick-expansion

3 http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/chris-grayling-you-ask-the-questions-1515764.html

 

 

For more information:

Robert Barnstone 07806 947050‎; robert.barnstone@outlook.com

 

SHE