Thanks for allowing me to make it clear in last week's Gazette that on the issue of the third runway I will vote as an independent against Heathrow expansion, and that at the next election I will be asking for support on the basis that, on this issue, I will be voting independently.
However, I was extremely worried about the headline for the article. The headline was 'MP: I won't lose my seat over Heathrow expansion row.'
This made it sound like I was taking the support of my constituents for granted. Nothing could be further from the truth.
I was asked what the recent poll on airport expansion meant for our area, and it is true that the swing predicted in the poll would not necessarily translate into me losing my seat.
Nevertheless, I take nothing and nobody for granted and can only hope that people will look at my record of over 30 years of hard work on behalf of our local community and also opposing the damage to our area from uncontrolled airport expansion, and give me the opportunity to continue to serve our area. Serving local people has been the greatest privilege of my life.
JOHN MCDONNELL MP,
(Lab, Hayes and Harlington) by email.
