In Birmingham Ed Miliband says it was a mistake for Labour to push for 3rd Heathrow runway

Ed Miliband answers Birmingham Mail readers’ questions

by Paul Suart, Birmingham Mail

July 22 2011


LABOUR leader Ed Miliband faced a grilling from Birmingham Mail readers who demanded
‘what would Labour do to make things better?’

The MP stood under the glare of television cameras and scores of readers for
more than an hour at the Birmingham Mail’s Fort Dunlop offices. He fielded questions
on a wide range of subjects including policing cuts, climate change, tuition fees,
his own leadership, cuts to children’s centres, the problems with social care
and even the phone hacking scandal.

In a lively session, others challenged his leadership style.
 
The full article is at
 http://www.birminghammail.net/news/top-stories/2011/07/22/ed-miliband-answers-birmingham-mail-readers-questions-97319-29099433/ 
 
Joe Peacock, Birmingham Friends of the Earth managed to ask the following question:
 
“What is your policy on the expansion of the M42 corridor and regional airports?”
 
Ed Miliband replied:
 
“We can’t exclude air travel from thinking about the environment and thinking
about our carbon emissions. We decided in Government to go ahead with the Heathrow
terminal third runway – it was a mistake. You can’t just stop people flying, but
you’ve got to do it in a way that is consistent with your environmental care of
the planet.”
 
http://birminghamfoe.blogspot.com/2011/07/asking-ed-miliband-questions.html 
 
 
 
 
Comment from an AirportWatch member:
 
Ed M did admit that the policy of extra runways in the south east was a mistake
in response to a question  at the leadership hustings in Cambridge – but we have
not seen anything since he was elected leader.  There is a comment from SSE from
autumn 2010 at:
http://www.stopstanstedexpansion.com/press413.html 
 
Anything that moves the main parties towards an overall and lasting moratorium
must be a good thing.   When some AirportWatchmembrs last saw Maria Eagle her
starting point for the Labour Transport Review (consultation closes on 31 July)
was ‘clean sheet’ – whatever Ed Miliband had said.