Politics and Compromise
One thing is clear about the debate between the pros and cons for a third runway at Heathrow - no decision is likely to be forthcoming in the very near future. Given the election promises of no further capacity at Heathrow, or indeed the South-East, for blatant political vote capturing reasons at the time, the Coalition is so divided on the subject that it is politically impossible for them to push through any meaningful strategy. Hence the delay in starting the much heralded (but regularly delayed) consultation on aviation policy. This will now start we are promised in "the autumn".
Speaking to the BBC recently, John Strickland, a respected aviation consultant said: "This is fiddling while Rome burns. Putting off until the autumn any consultation on extra runway capacity simply puts more pressure on existing infrastructure and leaves the UK further behind its competitors, not only in Europe, but the Middle East."
Looking at the opaque political processes of Westminster, even as an insider, which I am clearly not, can be misleading. Leaks to the media and groups of MP's proposing this or that idea are only worth noticing if the ideas gather momentum and generate a consensus in the House as well as gaining public acceptance, thus blessing the idea with a political imperative that the Government finds difficult to ignore.
The current "Kite" being flown by a group of MPs is for those households most badly affected by aircraft noise at Heathrow should receive some form of financial compensation. If this proposal can sweeten local voters (buy them effectively, rather like the old 18th and early 19th century 'rotten boroughs' when the handful of enfranchised voters could be bribed into voting for a candidate) then the political fear of losing votes in the important West London constituancies close to Heathrow might persuade local MP's to support the idea of a third runway. The MPs behind it are allegedly thinking along lines acceptable to the Chancellor. Also the funding for the proposal is likely to fall on the airport owners and the airlines - not the Treasury leaving the chancellor able to look at other infrastructure projects in regions other than the South-East.
If it does generate enough support, the proposal would be very convenient for the Chancellor. George Osborne has to face the fact that Heathrow or a brand new airport near London is vital for the UK's future competitiveness. A fact that is supported by the aviation, industry, the unions and it seems every aviation expert. Apart from the politics, its just how much will it cost and where to put it that is inevitatbly preventing any positive action, despite the urgent need to grasp the nettle and start building. Media comments indicate that the Chancellor, George Osborne, now believes that Heathrow 3 would provide the cheapest solution. It would have to be if he is able to deliver the other national infrastructure projects in rail and road tht the UK also clearly needs.
Meanwhile, if the compensation idea does take off and win local support from MP's and local voters alike before the autumn, then one might hope that the aviation policy consultation period might eventually produce a viable and sustainable policy for the country to work to. At a guess though it will be part of an election manifesto rather than being launched during this government's term.
Meantime I thought the following quote provides sage advice to any politician part of a democracy like the UK and US: it's from a book, "The Spirit of Compromise" by Amy Gutmann and Dennis Thompson. Copyright © 2012 by Princeton University Press. To learn more about this book and the authors, please visit Princeton University Press.
"If politics is the art of the possible, compromise is the artistry of democracy.
Democracy calls on politicians to resist compromise and to accept it. They may resist it more when they campaign, but they need to accept it more when they govern."
The latter is so true in the context of the debate on Heathrow's much needed 3rd runway
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