Ben Cowles
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THE Tories stood accused today of not only ignoring the historic climate emergency vote Labour forced through Parliament yesterday, but also of further increasing Britain’s carbon emissions by reaffirming their commitment to Heathrow airport’s third runway expansion.
Today, less than 24 hours after the unprecedented declaration, Transport Secretary Chris Grayling told MPs that the government must “now get on with delivering that expansion, although always mindful that [it] must fit in with the UK’s climate change obligations.”
Despite Heathrow already being Britain’s largest single source of carbon emissions, Grayling said he was confident his department, which this week blew £50 million of public money on non-existent Brexit ferry services, could build the runway and “continue to fulfil our obligations to reduce carbon emissions.”
Labour MP for Ealing Central and Acton Rupa Huq said: “Given that this House has overwhelmingly affirmed that we face a climate emergency, surely a swift and easy way of meeting our obligations would be to cancel the third runway at Heathrow.
“Not only does it pollute my constituents’ lungs, but it is costing us the Earth. Literally.”
Meanwhile Friends of the Earth (FoE) announced that it would appeal the High Court’s decision yesterday to dismiss its legal challenge against Heathrow expansion.
FoE chief executive Craig Bennett said: “Expanding Heathrow is wrong on every level and we can’t let it go. We are going to appeal because we believe the court got it wrong.
“We are in an ecological and climate emergency and Parliament has supported an outdated decision to chase climate-wrecking development.
“How can we take any government remotely seriously when they claim to care about climate chaos while supporting this runway?”
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn urged environmental campaigners to keep organising and fighting against the government’s inaction on climate change yesterday.
“Today we have seen something incredible, the UK Parliament has passed Labour’s motion and become the first in the world to declare an environment and climate emergency.
“Protesters and school-strikers told us to act. Governments never act without pressure and we must keep the pressure up.
“I’m proud that the Labour Party brought this motion to the House, and now we will carry on this work by developing our plans to deliver a green industrial revolution.”
