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MPs who are safeseat drivers

20th March 1982, Page 18
20th March 1982
Page 18
Page 18, 20th March 1982 — MPs who are safeseat drivers
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Keywords : Haulage, Erf, Dery

POLITICIANS whose credibility is diminished by party power struggles, probably never stood lower in public esteem. Representatives of a dozen big companies in food, fuel, construction and general haulage certainly took a cynical view of them at a seminar organised by ERF to collate views on how the adoption of the Armitage proposals would affect operators.

There was a strong belief that some MPs might vote against heavier lorries not out of conviction but out of fear for their seats. David Broom of the SMMT spoke of those who "wish to be seen as being concerned with the environment but in actual fact have an eye to the next election." To them, "environment" means the Palace of Westminster.

It is a sad fact that out of 40 MPs interviewed by a national company, not one had "a positive attitude towards heavier lorries."

It is pussyfooting in

Parliament that helps to make the cost of running a fleet of 20 vehicles about £40,000 a year higher in the UK than in Holland. The figure comes from Len Payne, president of the Freight Transport Association, who should know. Ignorance and apathy in MPs are among the reasons why British dery prices are by far the highest in Europe and Britain's competitive position.in the Common Market is poor.

Road transport can, however, rely on at least one credible voice in the European Parliament. Paul Howell, Euro MP for Norfolk, has qualified as a heavy goods vehicle driver so that he can speak from practical experience.

THIRTEEN is Peter Kennedy's unlucky number. He survived 12 warnings from Ford about misconduct, including wilful damage, at the Halewood plant in less than two years but his 13th brought him the sack. This, he said indignantly, was wrong.

When 37 workmates who had walked out in sympathy, causing the loss of E5 million in sales and 4,000 other workers to be laid off, called off their strike, Kennedy was "bitterly disappointed."

With a persecution complex like that he could be an American tennis champion.


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