Originally Posted by
tigertanaka
Can we get back on topic. Of course there is a political element to the airport as the mayor got a mandate to buy it and it is ultimately controlled by the taxpayer
Whether we like it or not, the airport is a political football
Earlier in the day, Lord Houchen had accused his Labour rival of having supported previous plans to build housing on the Teesside Airport site and later the closure of the airport. Outside the football stadium, a group of protesters displayed a banner reading ‘Stop Peel’s Candidate’ – in reference to former airport owners Peel.
The mayor claimed that Mr McEwan was “responsible for supporting Peel and proposing to build 350 houses on the airport”, which he called “an act of vandalism that would have meant the end of Teesside Airport all together”. However, the Labour candidate reiterated his backing for the airport on Friday.
He said: “My position, which I have had for about four years, is that everybody wants an airport, we have a 10-year plan, I back that plan. We are five years in and I would like to know where we are with that plan, both as a mayoral candidate and a deputy leader of a council.”
He added: “How can I help an organisation if they are not open and transparent? I want to do what I can to help the airport. Any rhetoric or language around my views on the airport... it needs to be what is coming out of my mouth - which is that I want to, I will support the airport.”
https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/t...idate-28650313