New Labour Government to Agree Third Runway at Heathrow

The Government is to announce tomorrow its approval of a third runway and sixth terminal at Heathrow.

I have put out this press release.

"Battle against Heathrow Third Runway Only Just Beginning.”

The Government is expected to approve a third runway at Heathrow tomorrow.

Labour MP, John McDonnell, whose constituency includes Heathrow airport, said “The Government’s announcement is not the end of the battle against the third runway, it is just the beginning. Opponents will use every mechanism possible to prevent the runway going ahead including campaigns in Parliament, in the courts, in the planning process, in the media and if necessary in direct action. If the Government is not willing to listen to Parliament or the people then there is no other option but to mobilise the largest coalition of public opposition and protest to halt this disastrous proposal in its tracks.”

From Recession to Deflation and on to Depresssion

The Government has been consistently behind the curve in its recognition of the threatened depths of this recession and in its response.

Because Gordon Brown threw away control of the Bank of England in 1997 the recent cuts in interest rates have repeatedly been too little too late.

The fiscal stimulus in the form of the cut in VAT and increased public spending has been pathetic in scale and ineffectual in action.

The Government has prevaricated over quantitative easing and continues to dither over taking control of the banks on borrowing and lending.

In the meantime the failure to provide workers with effective rights to job protection, consultation and industrial democracy has meant that companies can get away with treating their employees like chattels as they lay people off in large numbers.

Deflation hangs over the economy and a recession is turning into a depression as the Government looks on in bewilderment.

Increasingly this lack of decisive action will undermine the initial boost in confidence the electorate gave the Prime Minister.

Just one small act of bringing the operation of the banks under public control would stabilise this slide in confidence and buy the Government time to bring forward the radical and comprehensive programme of economic change needed.

There is no evidence however that the Prime Minister either has any idea of how to devise and implement the radical change programme needed or has the inclination to even consider this approach. The result is that each day thousands of working people are paying for this crisis with their jobs.

Call To Recall Parliament over Gaza

I attended todays demo in London over Gaza and filmed Tony Benn's speech below.

I have also put out the following press release calling for a recall of Parliament. It is ludicrous that a serious international incident is being played out before our eyes and yet the Government is doing next to nothing and MPs are unable to even debate this critical issue as Parliament is not sitting.

Labour MP Condemns Government for Inaction over Gaza and Calls for Recall of Parliament.
Labour MP John McDonnell has condemned the UK Government’s inaction over Gaza and has called for the recall of Parliament to discuss the action needed by the UK government to halt the bloodshed.

John said 'We are witnessing a bloody massacre in Gaza and yet the UK Government has stood by and simply repeated the usual ritual, ineffective statements of condemnation. I am calling for the recall of Parliament to enable MPs to make clear that we need our Government to take decisive action to help halt this bloodbath and secure a ceasefire. Our Government should be taking a leading role in bringing together a global coalition to isolate Israel diplomatically, economically and militarily. Only in this way will Israeli aggression be halted.'