Yorkshire Party asks: Does Mayor Coppard want Doncaster Airport to fail? 

Party Co-Leader Simon Biltcliffe has demanded that South Yorkshire’s mayor, Oliver Coppard, finally act to save Doncaster-Sheffield airport. 

Simon added “Coppard could save the airport if he wanted to. He has the mandate and electoral authority to lead a compulsory purchase order (CPO), co-ordinating the local authorities. The question is: why isn’t he doing that?” 

When Peel Group threatened the future of Teesside Airport, the Tory mayor there stepped in to save it as an essential public asset.  Why then, is a Labour mayor, in an area with four Labour-led councils, not prepared to make the same commitment? 

The suspicion has to be that Oliver Coppard and Labour want Sheffield-Doncaster Airport to close – and if that suspicion is wrong, then that is the outcome their inaction will bring about anyway. 

The message that South Yorkshire should be sending loud and clear is this: don’t delay, CPO today!