Growth gluttons

Everyone lost-except the lobbyists

It was a bleak sour day in the Commons. Labour lost 44 from its usual majority of 63. The Conservatives failed to win over more than 28 of the 57 Labour MPs who signed the anti 3rd runway EDM. The Environment lost because the headlong rush to a poisoned future was not curbed.

The debate was a vintage one with engaging speeches from John Grogan, Alan Simpson and Chris Mullins.  Chris is a former aviation minister.  He asked his civil servants again and again how many passes to the Commons the aviation industry had. His Civil Servants refused to tell him.  When he persisted with his question, a civil servant asked, “Why do you want to know?” The incestuous relationship between the lobbying industry and civil servants was deep then. They were ambitious spenders and gluttons for growth. Nothing has changed.

Green Labour MPs have been through the mangle this week. Some have been bribed, bamboozled and bullied into denying their deep green convictions. Many abstained. They will not sleep easily tonight. They will long regret their desertion of the prime issue of our time. Others could not bring themselves to vote in what they saw as the ‘Tory Lobby.’ As one speaker said, ‘There is no Tory Lobby. Just No and  Aye lobbies'. Or in this case Environment and lobbyists' lobby.

Deals were done that will commit ministers to take spending decisions in future because of votes sold tonight. Some MPs argued that bargaining a few £million for their pet constituency project in exchange for votes is good politics. In truth,  it’s very bad politics and worse government, reminiscent of the pork barrel immorality of Washington’s Capitol Hill.

Shunning the possibility of taking an unnecessary flight from Strasbourg this morning to protest against unnecessary flights, I returned overland. I was surprised to hear that Labour Whips thought I was ‘paired’. I must explain to them that the essence of pairing is an agreement between two MPs with opposing views to abstain. I made no such agreement. It is a comfort, however, to know that my return added not only my vote to environmental lobby but also reduced the polluters vote by one.

Greenpeace are great campaigners but they mis-judged MPs. The 57 EDM signatories had their e-mail postboxes swarmed with up to 5,000 letters at the weekend. A half a dozen would have been enough. After complaints from MPs, the Commons authorities blocked the identical incoming mail from Greenpeace supporters. Yes we are impressed that you can summon such support, Greenpeace. But stop clogging up the postboxes.

The Government deserved to lose to-night. Their original decision was politically inept. Revelations of the intensive industry lobbying led by Clive Soley and a bevy of former Labour employees is a sickening damning blow. Clive's self-defeating defence of 'Lords for Hire' added fresh revulsion. He might have thought it was helpful that he was receiving 'only £29,000.I do not believe that the 3rd runway will ever be built. Once more a bad decision has to be defended at great cost to the standing of the Labour party and the morale of members.

We have besmirched our green credentials. They cannot be easily restored.

http://http//www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/jan/18/heathrow-third-runway

Comments

[Paul Flynn]

There is great deal of truth in what you say, Graham.

'Thaings can only get better', I tell myself.

[John]

hear hear Graham

[GrahamMarlow]

The Atlee government have a lot to be proud of: The NHS, nationalisation of the mines and railways, and, in austere days the Festival of Britain. There was a lot to be proud about in Harold's government too, with an end to the death penalty, Roy Jenkins tenure as Home Secretary bought a much needed breath of fresh air into the fusty air that still hung over this country in the mid 60s. the early days of the Blair government bought the Minimum Wage, of course, but on the whole, I have not been impressed by the Blair/Brown semi-Tory agenda of "private is best", the creepign privatisation of the NHS (and no doubt the same thing for Royal Mail if Mandy gets his way). In many ways, I think it is a pity the SDP folded because a lot of today's cabinet would be far happier in a quasi-Conservative party than they are with the Labour party, and of course the Atlee and Wilson governments benefitted from men and women who had learned about real life through living it (as indeed you have done Paul), not just reading"Politics" at Oxbridge as so many of the pygmies of all parties today. Yet, given all this, I have heard New Labour types disparage both the 45-51 and 64-70 governnments in the past, with breathtaking arrogance.

[Paul Flynn]

I was working for Labour party in 1945 and I am proud of the achievements of the 45-51 Government. Most of today's cabinet were not born then. My loyalty to the values of the Labour Party is secure and lifelong.

[Paul Flynn]

You would have been delighted Patrick by the speech of Alan Simpson who quoted the views James Lovelock that you admire. Alan described the nightmare future described by Lovelock and asked 'Will anyone then say, Weren't we lucky to have a third London airport?

[Paul Flynn]

Thanks very much for your comments.

there is a long established practise here that opposition days are political charades that have no efffect. The decisions have no consequences. Traditionally MPs vote on party lines even if they hold their noses when doing it. Not all votes are of equal value. This is where 'They work for you.com frequently gets is so wrong.

this vote developed into a measure of Commons' opinion because no other votes is being allowed.

[John]

I must admit Paul I admire your courage and steadfastness in remaining a Labour MP.

If I was in your position supporting and being member of a party that is so inept and incompetant I would have resigned and gone independent years ago.

I guess you think there is a biger chance of changing from within than without but looking at the laws and policies that this Government has passed lately the damage has already been done.

[patrick]

"We have besmirched our green credentials."

Now that Obama is embarking on a massive "Green revolution" with renewables and Carbon reductions the HOC has shown the world where they are.

British politics is clearly still in the STONE AGE.

There is no point spending money having an IPCC and then disregarding everything they say. We don't need to level 750 homes, remove the village of sipson, knock down many listed buildings to produce more CO2 in a runway that's not needed.
Apart from a few noted exceptions Labour are about as in tune with the nation as a football hooligan singing in the vatican.

80% by 2050 - pathetic!

[Graham Marlowe]

I'm afraid the government, and those Labour MPs who abstained or went against their beliefs just because it was a Tory day, so to speak, once again show their utter hypocrisy.

The government are so concerned about the enviroment that they badger supermarkets into stop giving away plastic bags (with the result that they now SELL them) but also want to poison London a bit quicker.

On the issue of plastic bags, they show they never go shopping. Those of us who don't have cars and use buses need bags to carry the shopping home (as a matter of fact we reuse the bags in wastepaper baskets etc): they are as thin as tissue paper so if you have carried anything heavy in them holes appear, so unlesss it is for very lightweight items you can't use them in the supermarket again. One or two supermarkets use biodegradeable material in the bags anyway.

I am glad so many of you had the courage of your convictions: I am sorry, Paul, but this is just yet one more black mark against the "listening" Brown administration: He looks more raddkled than ever, and I seriously think you will soon have to face up to ditching him and his Blair retreads if Labour are to at least avoid wipeout at the next election.

Listening to his vapid, hackneyed absurdities yesterday, I had to question yet again why Hoon still serves on the front bench. Like many of his frontbench colleagues he has shown himself time and again to be incredible and vacuous. His disatsrous spell as defence secretary should have finished off his ministerial career.