English Opinion

It is a fact that weather systems the world over keep us all on our toes but the extreme weather conditions many of us seem to be facing at the moment could not be more different. In fact, the ends of the Earth are quite literally poles apart in terms of the weather. It is snowing again in the Midlands of the UK, which is highly unusual for us given the level of snow we’ve had in the past week or so. However, in Australia they are having the most extreme heat they have had in quite some time. Unfortunately that heat has caused numerous bush fires to occur, which has in turn led to unprecedented numbers of deaths throughout the country.

The bush fires in Southern Australia have been caused by consistantly high temperatures that have topped 40C. Many are raging out of control, thus leaving hundreds of homes razed to the ground and thousands more homes without power. The death toll currently stands at 93 across Victoria and New South Wales, but that only includes the confirmed deaths. There are thought to be scores more bodies that have yet to be found. Of course, nobody will know that actual figure until the fires have been brought under control but my heart goes out to the families that re waiting on news of their loved ones. With communications being incredibly difficult and power outages being present throughout the area, it must be absolutely heartbreaking not knowing whether brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, children, grandparents, uncles, aunts and close friends are safe or not.

The firefighters and services that are currently fighting the Australian bush fires are doing an amazing job and are literally fighting the fires every step of the way. Unfortunately nature is preventing them from bringing the fires under control at the moment but I really hope they can prevail soon because this loss of life and loss of the natural environment to the flames is a major catastrophe that ultimately leads to tragedy. My thoughts are certainly with the people in Southern Australia at this time. 

It has been announced today that controversial plans to expand Heathrow Airport have been passed by the government. The plans to build a third runway at one of the world’s biggest airports have been in the pipeline for some time but was finally given the green light this morning. It is a saga that has been ongoing for quite some time now and has undoubtedly caused its fair share of arguments up and down the country. It has been environmentalists vs. the government and business sectors and it isn’t over yet. Although the plans have been approved, it’s expected that there will be a legal challenge to the ruling and it’ll take years to actually start building the runway. However, it might not even happen yet given that a general election has to occur within 18 months and the Conservatives will scrap the plan should they be elected.

The Labour government has given their full backing to this scheme and it will probably prove to be another nail in their coffin. Although they have passed the third Heathrow runway, they face opposition within the House of Commons, from high profile celebrities and from numerous environmental groups, including Greenpeace. I have to say that I can see both sides. I understand the need for expansion given the facilities at Heathrow are already stretched and that it will create jobs, but then the reassurances the government and planning agencies have come out with are rubbish. They have vowed to limit flights when they begin to exceed pollution levels. When they exceed those levels it is already too late and money talks far more than pollution does. They have also asserted that it will not damage the local environment or homes, but what about those homes that would have to be demolished… and then there is the extra noise pollution too. Again, the government is writing cheques that they cannot cash and are giving the Conservatives more bullets to fire right back at them in terms of the next election.

I do ultimately fall on the side of the environmentalists and homeowners in the area. Although the facilities are needed, as are the jobs, the latter will probably come too late to make an impact given that building wouldn’t start until 2015. Labour also look rather hypocritical given the fact that they seem intent on forcing us to use energy saving lightbulbs as a part of their commitment to “controlling climate change and carbon emissions” but couldn’t care less about it when it comes to putting more planes in the air!

I cannot believe how out of touch with the people labour and Gordon Brown actually are. The credit crunch has highlighted that big time but the Heathrow runway plans have seriously pinpointed major issues with a government that are supposed to serve our best interests. With the outcry that has dominated the press they must have known that the majority of the country is against it and yet still went ahead anyway. Unfortunately we are stuck with them for the next 18 months but please please please vote to get rid of them as soon as you can. Money is obviously more important than the people that put Labour in power in the first place.