Residents will speak with one voice

I was at the hearing into the G2 project to add a second runway at Stansted on Monday, at which intense feeling was perceptible among those attending, and the inspector seemed to be annoyed and rattled by the reaction he received from those present. I m

I was at the hearing into the G2 project to add a second runway at Stansted on Monday, at which intense feeling was perceptible among those attending, and the inspector seemed to be annoyed and rattled by the reaction he received from those present.

I'm not at all surprised that he prefers to settle our destinies in private without referring to us.

Thank God for SSE - at least those most involved, i.e. local people, will have one voice.

Of course the inspector is wholly independent of ministers - who could possibly think otherwise?

So isn't it odd that he is so anxious to finish the enquiry before we get an election and the chance of a saner government with some sense of responsibility for the environment - which the inspector apparently considers to be a 'minor matter'?

Three cheers for Derek O'Connell and his robust intervention. As he so rightly said, we too have lives to lead.

The inspector can pocket his fee (and attendant gongs?) and walk away at the end, but if the enquiry goes BAA Labour's way, those of us who live here will have our lives ruined and we won't be able to just walk away.

Rosemary Williams, via e-mail