Plane Stupid Scotland: Holyrood is undermining democracy

By Anonymous on 14/04/2008
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PS Scotland Holyrood 2

Double whammy! With two consultations ending this April, Scottish Minister John Swinney is pulling off a fabulously nefarious coup. Two proposed reforms - one to planning, one to climate change - will massively increase emissions, cutting democracy out of the deal. A whole generation of Scotland's development is being removed from public debate.

The planning reforms and climate change laws look like very different beasts, but both will have the same impact - increased emissions. The National Planning Framework, alongside the Planning Scotland Act 2006, gives Government central control over planning. The Climate Change Bill takes the most important thing we need to plan for –- control of emissions -– and gifts it to the big polluters. One centralises government, the other decentralises - but both lock citizens out of politics.

Plane Stupid Scotland: oppose the National Planning Framework

By Richard on 14/04/2008
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PS Scotland Holyrood 4

Plane Stupid Scotland have taken to the roof of Holyrood to fight plans that will make it all but impossible to block new roads and runways. Under National Planning Framework (NPF) proposals, Ministers will designate a whole generation of dirty development as 'National Developments', which bypass public or parliamentary approval. The meager consultation exercise on the proposals ends tomorrow, with legislation expected in the autumn.

Ministers plan to lable Edinburgh and Glasgow airport expansions as National Developments, reinforcing existing plans to expand all Scottish airports by 2030. As a blank cheque for massive airport expansion with no scrutiny or accountability, the NPF is recipe for disasters like Heathrow in every major Scottish city.

Plane Stupid Scotland occupy roof of Scottish Parliament

By Richard on 14/04/2008
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PS Scotland Holyrood 1

Two environmental activists from the climate action group, Plane Stupid Scotland, have climbed onto the roof of the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh to protest against plans for expansion of Scottish airports.

Adam Weymouth, 23 and Matilda Gissord, 23, got on to the roof of the Parliament at about 9am this morning and unfurled a large banner which carries a parody of the Trainspotting design, "Choose Life." The banner reads, "Plane Stopping: Choose the future. Say no to airport expansion."

From the roof of the parliament, Adam Weymouth, said:

"We are facing a runaway climate threat but the Scottish government's reaction is to triple air traffic and expand Glasgow and Ediburgh airports whilst conveniently excluding aviation from the Scottish Climate Bill. The climate scientists have made it clear - we have to stop airport expansion. That's why we've taken it to the top."

Photos by Alice Myers.

Where's Kelly?

By Joss on 13/04/2008
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Ruth Kelly with closed eyes

Transport minister, Ruth Kelly, is often hob-nobbing with aviation bosses. Just days before the start of the T5 fiasco she was drinking champagne at a special BAA party. The 2,000 residents who will be evicted if a third runway gets the go-ahead, on the other hand, haven't had sight nor sound of her. I wonder why?

Fed up with being fobbed off by the Minister, angry West Londoners have launched a 'Find Ruth Kelly' campaign. Bryan Sobey, 78, a resident of Sipson for more than 45 years told the Sunday Times, "We have asked Ruth Kelly to see us, but she hasn't come here."

Why would she? I mean, she only wants to bulldoze their homes - it's not like she could go and show a bit of empathy. Menanwhile, the Sunday Times's investigation into Heathrow's expansion plans continues with fresh revelations that a 'crash landing zone' for the proposed third runway would overlap with a junction of the M25. Hmm...

MOLE HUNT: Ken gets busted

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After the 2007 Camp for Climate Action, 'Ken Tobias' started coming to London Plane Stupid meetings.

Turns out he's not the climate activist he said he was, but Toby Kendall, a spook working for C2I International.

MOLE HUNT: Behind the bamboo curtain

By Graham on 07/04/2008
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Toby on Bebo

The man they * call Agent Maverick first appeared on my horizon several months ago, when Tamsin mentioned that Plane Stupid London had a mysterious new member calling himself Ken Tobias.

"He looks a bit like a cop," she said.

That could have been the end of Plane Stupid – how were we, a bunch of useless hippies, supposed to deal with a professional infiltrator? Things had escalated to a new and discomforting level – what had we got ourselves into? And how could we determine whether he really was a mole?