STEPHEN Metcalfe, local MP for South Basildon and East Thurrock, has criticised UKIP for trying to re-write history after they “deleted their 2010 manifesto which expressed their commitment to building a major new Thames Estuary airport”.
The manifesto, which has now gone missing from the UKIP website, stated their opposition to the expansion of Heathrow, Stansted, and Gatwick “in favour of a major new Hong Kong-style Thames Estuary airport with motorway connections and a high-speed rail service to London, the UK and the Continent.”
The manifesto also stressed their support for a high speed railway linking the south and the north – a position they now oppose since the announcement of HS2.
Mr Metcalfe commented: “As I have stressed on numerous occasions, the Thames Estuary is not the place for a new airport and the fact that UKIP support this idea just demonstrates that they do not understand the wider views of the people in South Basildon and East Thurrock.”
“UKIP have shown that they are inconsistent and opportunistic this is just more evidence that they do not have a set of cohesive policies to deal with the challenges facing the country.”
UKIP had not replied to a request for a comment at time of publication.
Desperation from Mr Metcalfe. Remind me of how many broken Conservative pledges both local and national there are?
It is obvious that Mr Metcalfe has shown his hand and revealed he is terrified of the number of Conservative votes UKIP will take locally. His local polling and canvassing will show the ever growing level of support UKIP are gathering.