Sunday 9 November 2008

Going round in circles on Heathrow

Patrick Hennessy's piece in the Telegraph on Heathrow expansion is certainly more spin than substance. He probably correctly analyses that the decision to hold a debate on the issue this week is a clear sign that the government is likely to back the scheme but he claims that ministers:
also believe that David Cameron has allowed his party to get on the "wrong side of the argument" by officially opposing the plans
Once again a leading journalist uses the "believe" construction to put forward the government's spin on a topic. Hennessy also claims:
Mr Hoon, backed by Gordon Brown, is confident he has seen off objections to the runway raised by some cabinet ministers, including Harriet Harman, Labour's deputy leader.
Hoon seems to be short of friendly newspapers to plant this type of story as the Sunday Times runs a leader against Heathrow expansion.

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