Brown defends length of flights ban

Gordon Brown has defended the time taken to reopen UK airspace following the shutdown caused by the volcanic ash cloud, stressing that passengers had to be "safe and secure".

The Prime Minister said the Government would "never be forgiven" if aircraft had been allowed to fly when people's lives were at risk. He was speaking on the campaign trail in Cardiff following the lifting of the flights ban overnight.

Asked why it had taken so long to reopen UK airspace, Mr Brown said: "To get the right scientific advice. You have got to make sure that people are safe and secure. We would never be forgiven if we had let planes fly and there was a real danger to people's lives."

Mr Brown said the Government had been in discussion with the plane manufacturers and the air safety authorities.

He added: "We have had to make sure that it is safe to fly in particular zones with a low level of ash but not a complete absence of ash, and that was what the decision that was made on Tuesday enabled us to start flights again at 10pm, and will enable us to get people home.

"We were making contingency arrangements to get people though the Channel and to get people from Spain. But now it looks as if we can get lots of people back and I think you will find that our airports are open longer to make that possible."