Green Party MP Sian Berry accused the government of ‘trashing its climate credentials’ through the decision
The government is facing heavy criticism from opposition politicians and climate campaigners over its decision to back an expansion of Gatwick Airport.
The transport secretary Heidi Alexander released a ministerial statement today (27 February), which said: “I am issuing a minded to approve decision that provides some additional time to seek views from all parties on the provisions, prior to a final decision”. The government will have until October to make a final decision on whether the airport can open a second runway which could lead to an additional 100,000 flights leaving from Gatwick each year.
The move to back the expansion has been criticised by Green Party MPs and climate campaign groups, who argue that this will increase the UK’s carbon emissions.
Green Party MP Sian Berry accused the government of ‘trashing its climate credentials’ through the decision. She said: “The Labour Government is trashing its climate credentials one absurd decision at a time. Only one day after receiving critical advice from its own climate advisors on the need to lower flying demand, ministers decide to support yet more unnecessary expansion for the benefit of wealthy investors.
“Pushing through these damaging plans shows such poor economic judgement. Over 100,000 extra flights a year won’t deliver for our communities. Labour should listen to the public who think airport expansion is the wrong priority. Most of us fly once a year if at all and would rather see cheaper train tickets and more bus routes instead to help with our daily journeys and create jobs where we live, in contrast with frequent flyers leaching money out of the economy. “
Climate campaign group Friends of the Earth expressed similar sentiments, calling the decision ‘totally bewildering’. Rosie Downes, head of campaigns at Friends of the Earth, said: “At a time when we should be doubling down on climate action, given the weather extremes we’re seeing globally and near daily warnings that our planet’s health systems are at breaking point, signalling support for Gatwick’s expansion is totally bewildering.
“Expanding Gatwick won’t deliver the growth needed – but it will increase the carbon emissions exacerbating the increasingly severe storms, floods and heatwaves that are costing lives, as well as air pollution and noise for people living nearby. Pressing ahead with airport expansion in the hope that new technologies can magic away these emissions, without the evidence to show they’ll work at scale, is incredibly reckless.
“New analysis this week shows the net zero sector is growing three times faster than the overall UK economy. If the government truly wants to strengthen the economy, then it must put its money where the growth is – in clean energy, green jobs and sustainable transport.”
The response to the decision hasn’t been universally negative, however. The Unite trade union, which represents many workers in the aviation industry, has said it welcomes the move towards expanding Gatwick, while calling for the jobs created through this to be well paid and unionised.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite welcomes the announcement of the expansion of Gatwick but it needs to come with guarantees of well paid, unionised jobs and proper facilities for workers.
“It is also ever more urgent with every airport expansion that we ensure domestic production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to offset carbon emissions and meet the government’s own targets on net zero.
“Actioning Unite’s plan to transition the Grangemouth refinery in Scotland to SAF production would get us the SAF we need while securing thousands of jobs in the process.”
Chris Jarvis is head of strategy and development at Left Foot Forward
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