The third Heathrow runway would be a mistake of gigantic proportions. I can categorically say that the building of another runway at Heathrow would be about the most stupid and unpleasant political act you could imagine in this day and age. There was a full Royal Commission in 1968 which completed the most comprehensive study of its kind and recommended a site for a new Third London Airport. The question of increasing the capacity of existing airports was raised at that time but rejected on both cost and operational grounds. Stansted was considered by the Commission but rejected early on for various environmental, technical and access reasons. [Read more…] about Heathrow Third Runway: A Horrible Mistake
Reforming the House of Lords: A 21st Century Proposal
Reforming the House of Lords will only really mean something by making serious, far reaching changes. This article provides my justification, and a proposal for such change. [Read more…] about Reforming the House of Lords: A 21st Century Proposal
The Meaning of Marriage: An Alternative Comment
The fashionable view of marriage is that it is declining, archaic and no longer necessary. This is wide of the mark. It is not just that weddings are on the increase – partly a result of more second marriages; it is that being old fashioned is no bad thing, if the institution is tried and tested. It is the importance and necessity of marriage that I shall argue for. [Read more…] about The Meaning of Marriage: An Alternative Comment
Wanted! A Government Which Cares.
Following the June fiasco of a general election, we now find ourselves with effectively no government. A minority government, at the best of times, is difficult. I was part of such a government in the mid-1970s, but at least we knew what were the priorities and managed over the next few years to carry out sensible and beneficial actions.
But now we have a government without any ideas, and without any policies except to leave the European Union. And they are doing this while ignoring all the real problems that surround us. [Read more…] about Wanted! A Government Which Cares.
They Don’t Care About Global Warming: A polemic already past
(Written in June 2010 updated and reinforced November 2017.) Almost everyone now accepts that global warming is a fact of life and the excess burning of carbon fuels will not only hasten the process, but those very fuels are themselves becoming scarce. [Read more…] about They Don’t Care About Global Warming: A polemic already past
The Motorists Manifesto
Even though a majority of voters in the London area drive a vehicle, that part of their lives has been ignored by recent policies of London’s Mayors. In fact, London has experienced years of heavy prejudice against the means of transport used by almost everyone. Since 1974, 25% of the streets of London have been removed from traffic use. They have been converted into pavements, bus lanes, cycle lanes, roundabouts and even little gardens. But in the same period the traffic in London has more than doubled. [Read more…] about The Motorists Manifesto