Labour MP Emily Thornberry sides with phone giants against local communities

11.56.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 31st Jul 2008

Liberal Democrats in Islington have slammed Emily Thornberry, the controversial Labour MP for Islington South and Finsbury, for siding with phone company giants rather than residents in a row in Parliament over the power of communities to stop phone masts being put up where they are not wanted.

Currently, fewer restrictions govern planning applications for phone masts up to 15 metres in height, making it difficult for councils to refuse permission for controversial proposals.

This issue came to a head precisely one year ago, when the Labour Government gave Arsenal the go-ahead to erect 32 new mobile phone masts at the Emirates stadium, despite strong objections from residents and from the Lib Dem-run council. The Liberal Democrats on the planning committee initially refused Arsenal permission to put up the masts, but their decision was overturned by a Government inspector.

Liberal Democrats in Parliament recently moved an amendment to the Planning Bill which would have meant applications for phone masts would have required full planning permission and therefore be considered in the same way as applications for new buildings or change of use of existing ones. It would have give the Council much greater powers to fight on the side of residents, and would let councillors use much more stringent criteria when it came to making decisions on masts.

But Labour MPs, including Emily Thornberry, voted against the proposed new regulations - and Conservative MPs did not bother voting at all.

Councillor John Gilbert, Islington's Liberal Democrat health boss who campaigned against the Arsenal phone masts last year, said:

"Emily Thornberry had the opportunity to side with local people or with giant phone companies. It is extremely disappointing so see that she decided to back the latter.

"The change the Liberal Democrats proposed in the House of Commons would have given us a fighting chance to stop phone masts in places they're not wanted.

"Thanks to the Labour Government and Emily Thornberry, and the indifference of the Tories, this is a real missed opportunity. But for Labour and Emily's decision, Islington councillors would have had a means of stopping masts like those at Arsenal."