C4 Report - Tories break ranks over LHR plan

[akerosid]

Interesting snippet on C4 News about the Tory plans about Heathrow and their plan for a £16b+ plan for a rail-link between London, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds. This money is going to come from state coffers, while the runway - costing half as much - will be financed privately.

A number of backbench MPs have broken ranks (one describing the reduction of 66,000 movements per annum as "sucked out of the air") and one shadow cabinet minister (oddly enough, anonymous) is also reported to have concerns.

Unfortunately, the likelihood at this stage is that the Tories would get in if an election were called tomorrow, but what's particularly interesting is the City's view of this; the City is traditionally Tory, so what are they going to make of this, particularly if their pleas continue to fall on deaf ears? The govt's expected announcement - before Christmas - should cast some interesting light on this, but already, Theresa Villiers - Tory Shadow Transport Sec - has warned firms that it will not honour contracts for third runway construction.

This could be a very interesting battle ...

[Carnage Matey!]

You gotta sound green to win the election. Then once you're in you can review your options!

[PAXboy]

When the Tories win the next UK general election (Spring 2010) they will have 'consultations' and 'reports' and 'debates' and kick it into the long grass. Once they have found out whether Joe Public wants it, they will make up their mind and that could easily take five years. Bear in mind that the public purse will be in a much worse state by then, as will employment - it will be a different set of playing cards than today.

[rubik101]

Major public expenditure on large projects will just not happen in the next ten years. The country is close to bankrupt and paying the debt will take years. Forget new runways, at LHR or STN.
They simply won't happen.

[WHBM]

Interesting snippet on C4 News about the Tory plans about Heathrow and their plan for a £16b+ plan for a rail-link between London, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds. This money is going to come from state coffers, while the runway - costing half as much - will be financed privately.
Only a buffoon would think that a new railway from London to Manchester, 160 miles, could be built for just double the price of a single runway at Heathrow.