Parliamentary Committee slams BAA & Gordon Brown's extra runway for Stansted

I am glad that the influential House of Commons Transport Committee concludes that a case for Gordon Brown's second runway at Stansted has not been made.

This only underlines what the Conservatives said months ago. David Cameron has already said that he would scrap proposals for a second runway at the west Essex airport if Conservatives win the next general election.

This pledge was confirmed by Shadow Transport Secretary Teresa Villiers MP - when she visited Harlow and Hastingwood and met with me in March.

We have already seen a delay to the start of a public inquiry over Stansted expansion and passenger numbers at the west Essex airport have dropped significantly.

The bottom line is that Stansted and the aviation industry as it stands at the moment does not need another runway at Stansted.

In addition, the people of west Essex whose homes have been blighted by the prospect of a second runway need to know once and for all that any threat of expansion will be lifted.

Only then they can at last get on with living and enjoying their lives - without the threat of noise and pollution - should these plans ever go ahead.

The 'Future of Aviation' inquiry report questions the need for a second runway at Stansted. I echo the views of the Stop Stansted Expansion group which says the Government is "flogging a dead horse" in its efforts to build a second Stansted runway.

Many months ago now I said that these expansion plans were not just in tatters but in tiny shreds. Those views have only been underlined by the conclusions of this report.

P.S. Its funny how Gordon Brown can talk the talk when it comes to saving the planet at the Copenhagen summit , yet wants to destroy the environment in England, with his airport expansion plans.

Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

A mobile telephone mast in my house!

Those who know me, will know that I am fascinated by mobile technology and occasionally write about it on my blog. Well, I have some news to share. I am proud to say that I have a mini-mobile telephone mast in my house. Given the controversy about these mobile masts, you probably think I have gone mad.

Let me explain. It isn't one of those long aerial type pylons. It is a small white box, something akin to a wireless router. It is called the Vodafone Gateway, and I have to say, is simply incredible.

Since I moved into my new house in Newhall earlier this month, I was aghast to find that there was no Vodafone signal. Although O2 worked (luckily my work Blackberry is on O2), the Vodafone signal was terrible, virtually non-existent.

I called up Vodafone, and they sent me this amazing contraption (which is part of an upgrade). You simply plug it in to your broadband, register all your Vodafone numbers on the net, and hey presto, you have a full Vodafone 3G signal.

I think my Vodafone Gateway is a unique machine. It means that every house can get mobile broadband - at full warp speed - without needing to worry about the inadequacies of a mobile signal. Mobile Broadband, is also cheaper than the full cable/landline version.

The Gateway, is a very important development in the advancement of mobile technology. As other networks no doubt get their own version of the Gateway - and as they are taken up by mobile users - there will be less and less need for landlines. In keeping with this trend, 3 network have invented the Mi-FI, in essence a mobile Wi-FI machine that can link up numerous computers to internet via the mobile Network. I am more and more convinced that the days of cables and land lines are over.

You can't open the window

I was in a Hotel not so long ago, baking hot, so I tried to open the window. It was locked, so I called the reception and asked for a window key. The response was as follows (I kid you not): "I am sorry Sir, we can't open the windows due to health and safety legislation". There are countless examples of ridiculous health and safety laws that are so absurd, yet infringe upon the lives of millions of our fellow citizens up and down the country. Health and Safety, whilst necessary in some cases, has, too often become yet another way in which Government regulates and interferes with people's daily lives.

For this reason, I was really pleased to see that David Cameron has given a speech today, on this subject, and announced a fundamental review of all Health and Safety regulations, were a Conservative Government to be elected. Mr Cameron has said:

"Excessive rules have given the impression that we have a right to a risk-free life and that impression has been exacerbated by prominent claims and pay-outs. The consequence has been spiralling costs and a slow death of discretion, judgement and social responsibility... For every piece of health and safety legislation, we need to ask whether it fulfils a useful purpose – and if not, it must go. And we must bring some common sense to the laws surrounding compensation."

"I want people to know that with the Conservatives, government will let you get on with your life without unnecessary rules and regulations. I want everyone to know that with the Conservatives, if you do good, get involved and make a contribution, the system will back you."

I could not agree more.

P.S. You can read more details of what Mr Cameron is proposing HERE and HERE.

What the Lisbon Treaty really means

I mentioned to you the other day that I had debated the Lisbon Treaty at Harlow Council Watch last week. Well, as Dan Hannan MEP points out, the Lisbon Treaty came into force on midnight December 1 2010. Britain is no bound to the statutes of this Treaty, which are moire far reaching, than anything that has ever occurred before. We are now subjects of the EU, and answerable to the new EU President and Foreign Minister. Moreover, the new Constitution allows ever increasing extension of EU power, without even recourse to a further amending Treaty.

And we were not even allowed to vote on this. You can read what Mr Hannan says HERE. Read it and weep.

P.S. Latest News: I read from Iain Dale's website, that the Liberal Democrats have abandoned their pledge to hold an 'EU in or out' referendum. This is all the more strange, as the Harlow Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate made much of this policy commitment, when he set out his party's policy to Harlow Council Watch.

Good news: Money for Home Insulation

I am really pleased to give backing to bold Conservative plans to help households in Harlow, Hastingwood, Nazeing, Roydon and Sheering protect the environment and save money.

Major policy proposals for a Conservative government include providing up to £6,500 for home insulation improvements at no upfront cost to residents. Under the plans, every household will have the right to have home energy efficiency work of up to £6,500. There will be no upfront cost, as the work will be paid for by the much larger savings on energy bills from the improved insulation.

This will open up a whole new market in energy efficiency, create tens of thousands of skilled jobs and cut carbon emissions. It will also save families money and make homes in Hastingwood, Nazeing, Roydon and Sheering warmer in winter - helping the elderly and 'fuel poor' in particular.

A typical home could see £30 a month knocked off its final bill.

The Green Deal of insulating people's homes for no upfront cost and rewarding people for recycling will not only protect the environment, but also help families and pensioners who are struggling to make ends meet.

A good reason to vote Conservative.

You can read more details of the proposal from Grant Shapps MP (Conservative Housing Spokesman), HERE.

Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device