Lib Dems’ claim to be “greenest party ever” is a sham
Robust case has been made for utilising existing airport facilities rather than investing in further expansion
The Green Party has today slammed the Lib Dems leadership for betraying their voters with a U-turn on their opposition to airport expansion in the south-east.
The party's last general election manifesto promised to "cancel plans for a third runway at Heathrow and other airport expansion in the South East and the Green Party welcomes the membership’s decision to defy the Leadership and block the decision for more runways at Gatwick Airport.
Green Party Transport Spokesperson, Rupert Read said:
"I welcome the conference vote but it is laughable that the Lib Dems still claim to have even a fig leaf of 'green' credentials, when the Leadership are willing to come out with the most climate-destructive policy possible: airport-expansion. As a former Lib Dem myself, I can only say that I am deeply relieved no longer to belong to a Party that has so completely lost touch with reality, and with its grassroots. And with ordinary voters in the South-East whose lives are constantly blighted with airport noise.
"I honestly don't understand why anyone would ever vote for, let alone trust, the Lib Dems, ever again."
The Green Party calls for more domestic and inter-continental journeys to be made by rail, which would ensure that the UK shows the rest of the world that it is committed to meet its emission targets, the Committee on Climate Change has recommended that emissions should be no higher than 37.5 Mt by 2050.
The Green Party seeks substitution of air travel wherever possible with less damaging modes of transport, such as ferries, trains and buses. This does not apply to the emergency air services such as mountain rescue or specialist medical services, nor necessarily to air links to remote islands.