Kramer Attacks Tories Over Twisting The Facts About Night Flight Vote

3.31.08pm UTC (GMT +0000) Sat 4th Nov 2006

Local MP Susan Kramer has hit back at Tory councillor Tony Arbour over his claims that Lib Dems want more night flights. She said the MPs had voted the right way in a vote in Parliament but his Tory colleagues messed up.

Susan Kramer said:

"I am appalled by the false accusations from Cllr Arbour. In October, the Government added an amendment to its the Civil Aviation Bill to end all limits on the number of night flights at Heathrow in 2012.

"The Liberal Democrats in the Commons voted against the amendment.

"The Tories abstained on the vote. The reason my colleagues and I did not make a fuss over the Tory action is that it stemmed from complete confusion by the Tory spokesperson on the meaning of the amendment.

"Because their spokesperson was confused, Tory MPs were instructed to abstain instead of joining the Liberal Democrats.

"The Government was quite triumphant. Isn't it sad, that when my colleagues and I have refrained from making an issue over a Tory mistake, Cllr Arbour attempts to twist the truth. If we are to have any hope of limiting or ending nightflights and constant Heathrow expansion, all of us locally must work together."