27/02/2008

Parliament Roof Protest Ends

A protest on the roof of Parliament over Heathrow expansion plans has ended.

A number of protestors breached security at the Houses of Parliament and climbed on to the roof, next to Big Ben, on Wednesday morning.

The activists, who were protesting about expansion plans at Heathrow Airport, unfurled banners, one of which read 'No 3rd Runway'.

The protest, which came two days after a similar demonstration at Heathrow, took place on the same day that the government's consultation into the Heathrow expansion plans is due to end.

The protesters were led away by police shortly before 12.30pm.

According to reports, the protestors used visitor passes to gain access to Parliament and visited the cafe before taking the lift to the roof.

During Prime Minister's Questions, Gordon Brown said "decisions in this country should be made in the Chamber of this House and not on the roof of this House".

A security review has been launched following the protest.

On Monday, four Greenpeace activists breached security at Heathrow and climbed on top of a Boeing 777 jet and unfurled a similar banner. They were later arrested.

Meanwhile on Wednesday, the Liberal Democrats attacked the Heathrow expansion consultation, calling it a "total sham". The party's transport spokesperson Norman Baker said: "The government and BAA are determined to force expansion on local residents whatever British people think.

"Predict and provide does not work for roads and it will not work for air travel either. Providing more flights will simply increase demand.

"Rather than building bigger and bigger airports, the government should work to develop a high speed rail network which could take the place of many short haul flights. The spare capacity could then be used for more long haul flights wihtout building any more runways.

"If the government is serious about tackling climate change, it must end its obsession with expanding air travel."

(KMcA)


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