Third runway turning point
Yesterday’s decision on the third runway at Heathrow marks a critical turning point in UK politics: the point at which the Labour Party turned its back on the future.
What makes politics so fascinating today is its bipolarity. We can’t help but live simultaneously in two worlds: one based on abundant fossil fuels, the pursuit of economic growth at almost all costs, rampant consumerism and grotesque inequality. And one based on elegant, very low-carbon, hyper-efficient lifestyles, in a fairer, less frenetic, genuinely sustainable world.
The longer we hang on to the first world, the harder it gets to make the transition to the second – and if we can’t make that transition, we’re stuffed. Persisting with the first world, means the death of everything we hold dear. Horribly soon.
A few people in the Labour Party – including at least six members of the Cabinet – get this. Most still don’t. Those who do are constantly trying to persuade their colleagues that we have to accelerate the speed of the transition. We can’t forever live in both worlds. Which means that every big decision taken that locks us deeper and deeper into first (old) world ways of creating wealth and notionally improving people’s lives is a profound betrayal of progressive, forward-looking politics.
So the decision for a third runway at Heathrow is not only massively flawed on both economic and environmental grounds. And not only stupid, as it will never happen anyway. It also marks the death of any residual aspiration on the part of (this particular expression of) the Labour Party to help guide us towards a better world.
Which leaves us all with a lot to reflect on.
Comments
Jonathon's article suggests that the Heathrow decision has placed Labour one side of a clear dividing line. After years when the main parties have been shoving each other in a scrum to occupy the centre ground perhaps now we will return to an era when political parties base policies on a set of principles - no longer a case of left or right but perhaps green or grey?
It is impossible not to agree with you Johnathon.
I have just read your peice on the Sainsburys website and I think that rampant consummerism takes place in Sainsburys daily by hundreds of thousands of people. Sainsburys may be progressive in the ways you describe, however they fly in to Heathrow thousands of tons of fresh fruit, vegetables and flowers, all of which have been grown with hundreds of tons of chemicals. Generally (with some great exceptions ) this economic activity is supporting communities in far flung places to mainatin a souless work place leaving liitle time for these people to deal with thier own community needs to grow good nourishing food for themsleves and not aspire to being able to afford a televsion. This is the reality behind Heathrow expansion. Lets work with Sainsbury's, but stop making thier customers feel shopping their is a positive step forward for future of mankind. I have written a peice on the alternative Sainsbury's from top to bottom. It is doable and it has real answers for mankinds place on the panet, including no commercial demand for a further runway at Heathrow.
If you would like to hear more please let me know. PHIL HAUGHTON
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