The Government's decision to build a third runway at Heathrow is crazy. It won't even start being built until 2015, so there will be a massive delay. If it were built, it would add to the already terrible blight on large areas of London and areas West. Heathrow is a bad enough experience right now - with yet another runway and terminal, I fear it could get even worse.
So what to do? I've put forward Manston airport for expansion before now. It could be done and ready before 2015, all that's needed is a cheap rail upgrade, an easy link into the high speed rail system and - wonder of wonders - residents in East Kent would actually support it on terms that could easily be satisfied (i.e. no night flights). Then there is the Boris island alternative. And regional airports could also be expanded if capacity needs to grow.
So much public concern, so many other possibilities. So why will this not be properly debated and the subject of a Commons vote? Why is the only real protest the local Labour MP feels able to make to wave the Mace about? To me this sums up everything about Gordon Brown's alleged desire to "listen" to what people say. Listen, yes, but hear, no.
