Doncaster Sheffield Airport: Blame game takes place in Commons debate

The debate was held in the afternoon’s Commons proceedings, followed by a more focused nighttime debate on the issue. Don Valley MP Nick Fletcher criticised the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) in the Commons for its role in trying to save the airport. The MP, who has been vocal on social media in his efforts to save the airport, said: “We’ve had a combined authority that has been sadly lacking for over 3 years and the people will learn the truth tonight about that. I have members on the opposite side of the room who have only shown interest in the last fortnight. If the combined authority had done their job properly we would not be sat in this position now.”

The MP and Mayor Oliver Coppard have been under the spotlight for their public disagreements on social media, with each blaming the other’s authority for the ongoing crisis. Conservative MP Aaron Bell echoed his sentiment, saying: “[Fletcher] has been shut out by the South Yorkshire Mayor, contrary to what the opposition says.”

The debate got further heated when the Under-Secretary was asked how the government would prevent airports such as Doncaster and Teeside from making losses. She responded: “What we know how to do better than the opposite side is generate economic growth.” The response was met with laughter and jeers from MPs.

She also ruled out the use of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, which was suggested by Labour MPs Ed Miliband and Dame Rosie Winterton. She said: “The civil contingencies act is for absolute emergencies only and one of the operators within has written to the prime minister to explain that they can still find contingencies elsewhere so the threshold has nowhere near been met. The civil contingencies act should be used rarely if ever, and no government has used it in 18 years.”

With only a week until the airport’s planned closure, officials including the South Yorkshire Mayor, Doncaster Mayor and local MPs are all in last-ditch attempts to save it.