Dakers resorts to non-violent direct action to stop Heathrow expansion

12.00.00am GMT Tue 6th Mar 2007

Andrew Dakers (left) outside Chatham House - Banner reads "Dougie (Douglas Alexander) stop airport expansion"

THIS IS A PERSONAL STATEMENT - NOT NECESSARILY ENDORSED BY HOUNSLOW LIBERAL DEMOCRATS

Councillor Andrew Dakers (Leader of the Liberal Democrat group on Hounslow Council and Parliamentary Spokesperson for Brentford & Isleworth) today joined protesters outside internationally renowned think-tank Chatham House, whilst the conference being held inside was stormed. The intervention interrupted a keynote speech by government minister Douglas Alexander MP to senior aviation industry business leaders. In this personal statement he explains why after many years of peaceful protest he joined this non-violent direct action.

"For decades residents of Hounslow and West London have protested through conventional means, but successive governments have pushed their views aside with a catalogue of broken promises. In the 1980s we were told there would be no further expansion of Heathrow after terminal four. In the 1990s we were told it would end with terminal five and a cap of 480,000 flights a year. Within nine months the government was talking about a third runway and flight numbers that could reach 720,000 each year.

"Today marks a new phase in opposition to Heathrow expansion and I am proud to link up with friends from Plane Stupid. The government is facing a united front against expansion at Heathrow - residents groups, local authorities, virtually every MP in the area, the Mayor of London - no government has faced before. We're all saying enough is enough.

"The noise impacts of 720,000 flights doesn't bear thinking about. A third runway would mean at least 150,000 people being disturbed by aircraft noise for the first time. Its not just about Heathrow - we don't want to export our misery zone to anybody else.

"Tony Blair talks about climate change being the most important issue of our time. His answer, to build a third runway at Heathrow. Aviation is the fastest growing contributor to climate change. If the government is serious about climate change, it has got to change course on aviation.

"Its not just about Heathrow - the Government's aggressive programme of expansion across the country needs to be stopped.

"We hear constant mantra that if Heathrow doesn't expand, the economy will lose out. But I am still waiting to see the evidence to back this up."

ENDS