Activists accuse Climate Change Secretary of 'hypocracy'

Plane Stupid Brighton activists have interrupted a public meeting during a speech by Ed Miliband MP, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change. They unveiled a banner accusing the government of becoming a "hypocracy" - a government of hypocrites.

The Plane Stupid activists dressed in t-shirts reading 'Ed's Popular Mobilisation Team' in reference to Miliband's call late last year for popular mobilisation on climate change. They handed out flyers listing the 34 airports planned for expansion within the UK to the audience, demonstrating the apparent lack of government resolve for tackling the environmental issues that are crucial for safe-guarding our future. Demonstrating their disapproval of the government's pandering to corporate interests, many of the audience made paper aeroplanes, which took flight towards the Secretary of State.

"It is all very well for Ed Miliband to request the public to take action but it is time for the government to provide real leadership in tackling climate change," said Larry from Plane Stupid, "passing the buck is not an option if we are to avoid the chaos and loss of life Climate Change is predicted to bring." The activists feel that their actions demonstrate their willingness to help mobilise around climate change and expect the government to follow suit by accompanying their rhetoric with strong action.

"The government's farcical plans for airport expansion are incompatible with meeting the required targets for preventing runaway climate change. We are engaging with the democratic process in every way we know how, but at the same time the government keeps hypocritically supporting never ending airport expansion," said another activist called Clare.

Last year Ed Miliband championed the Climate Change Bill, yet in January he undermined this by supporting a third runway at Heathrow. Plane Stupid's actions at this meeting were to highlight the incompatibility of these two positions, and challenge not only Ed Miliband but the Labour government in general to be held accountable for their commitments. Their actions similarly challenge Nancy Platt, Labour Party candidate, who runs the risk of perpetuate this style of government: so full of promises, and yet so devoid of conviction. The democratic structures have been worryingly bypassed not only during the government's decision on Heathrow, but also on Stansted's second runway, where BAA has had more say than both local councils and respected scientific organizations, who oppose the planned expansions.

Brighton Plane Stupid activist Lucy stated "Anyone with as much access to climate science as Ed Miliband knows that the aviation industry cannot continue to expand. Miliband and a host of other MP's have failed us on Heathrow, proving their words to be as reliable as quicksand. The global environmental situation does not allow us enough time for us to let their deceit and hypocrisy keep on growing."