Arguments: - There are many controversies surrounding this micro-policy. The main one being that “they create jobs and bring in money to local and national economies” (Airport Expansion, 2008), this causes controversy because many people believe that the money is a way of guilt tripping somebody into backing the expansion. Another controversy is that “proposals for new airports or to expand existing ones invariably generate massive public controversy, and require the balancing of economic against environmental concerns” (Airport Expansion, 2008). It causes massive public controversy because many people believe that we should be cutting down on the amount of air travel, rather than encouraging people to fly more. “The government defends airport expansion in terms of personal choice” (Airport Expansion, 2008) because they believe that if people want to fly then they have the right to. “Airport Expansion is at the same time one of the biggest subjects of environmental protest of recent times” (Airport Expansion, 2008) because some people believe that aeroplanes are the biggest cause of global warming that the world has. When the matter was taken to the High Court it was “said that while a second runway at Stanstead was a ‘fair outcome of the consultation process’, the statement that the runway would be ‘the wide-spaced runway option presented in the consultation document’ was unfair” this is because people were unhappy that the second runway had effectively been given the go ahead by the High Court despite their pleas.
Party Positions: - The Labour Party’s view, is that “if nothing changes, Heathrow’s status as a world-class airport will be gradually eroded – jobs will be lost and the economy will suffer” (Reaction: Heathrow expansion plan, 2007) and that if “any decision on expansion has to be compatible with meeting the tough local environmental tests on noise and air quality” (Reaction: Heathrow expansion plan, 2007). The Conservative Party’s view, is that if “the economic arguments for expanding Heathrow are much stronger than any other airport in the South East” (Reaction: Heathrow expansion plan, 2007) and that they “believe that four tests must met on NOx pollution, on noise, on alternative ways to meet demand and free up capacity, and above all, on meeting our climate change targets.” (Reaction: Heathrow expansion plan, 2007). The Liberal Democrat’s view is that “the last thing that ministers should be doing is doubling the capacity of a major airport.” (Reaction: Heathrow expansion plan, 2007) and that “Noise levels around Heathrow have dropped by a third following the demise of Concorde”. (Reaction: Heathrow expansion plan, 2007). The Green Party’s view is that “the cost of the government’s grand project at Heathrow will be illness due to increased pollution in West London, intrusive and stress-inducing noise as far east as Finsbury Park, and economic damage to the whole city.” (Reaction: Heathrow expansion plan, 2007)
Conclusion:- In conclusion it is likely to be implemented under the new government because the Conservative Party feel that the idea of airport expansion is the only way to bring more money in, so as to try and reduce some of the deficit. However, the problem that the Conservative’s may encounter is that the Liberal Democrats do not agree with the idea of using the expansion of airports to reduce the deficit.
