REACTION to the High Court ruling that the Government must reconsider the Heathrow third runway policy has come flooding in.
Councillor Ray Puddifoot, Leader of Hillingdon Council, was outside the High Court today to speak on behalf of the whole coalition and said: "The Government's lawyers claimed in court that Geoff Hoon had made a binding decision on the third runway last year, but the Judge lambasted that claim by saying that the decision was untenable in law and commonsense.
"Time after time he rules that ministers got it wrong when they tried to push through the third runway before properly considering key issues like climate change. He also says they used flawed figures to make the economic case for Heathrow expansion. "
"This is a crushing defeat for the Government and a huge victory for local residents and environmental campaigners. It's difficult to see how a Government of any colour could now get this deeply flawed project off the ground.
"I want to thank all the councils, environmental groups and residents who supported us and showed the strength of the opposition to expansion."
Labour MP John McDonnell, who attracted headlines when he grabbed the parliamentary mace, on the January 15 announcement that the runway would go ahead last year, said that the 'game is up'.
"In essence this judgement means that the game is up for a 3 rd runway at Heathrow and I am calling upon the Government to accept the inevitable and lift this threat to my community"
"What we need now is a sensible approach to developing a sustainable transport policy based upon high speed rail. This judgement is a victory that many of us have waged for over 30 years. It means that whichever party is in Government they will not now be able to force through Heathrow expansion".
"Thank goodness I don’t have to pick up the mace again."
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