Cartoon illustration: Estuary airport

I was commissioned to draw a humorous illustration for a newpaper supplement on the proposed Estuary airport in Kent. The idea was to reflect the different arguments and points of view that residents are having to deal with.

Represented are: Boris Johnson, Mayor of London as the pro lobby (the plan has been dubbed Boris Island); the anti-airport Medway council leader; environmentalists' concerns about the threat to rare wildlife; and the slightly worrying close proximity of an old gas plant and a sunken ship full of explosives!

Whatever happens, we can only hope that the wishes of residents are not treated with contempt, as is so often the case. See You've Been Trumped, a highly recommended documentary, which I saw last week. Seek it out, but be warned: it will make you angry.

Cartoonists rejoice! The ash cloud is back

"I'm afraid I can't make it in today because of the ash cloud."

Yes, before you can say Eyjafjallajökull, it seems we have another volcanic ash cloud from our friends in Iceland. It's a different volcano this time, and probably not as serious, but it's still a gift for cartoonists. Here's one I did last time round, combining it with another theme favoured by cartoonists, the smokers' huddle.

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Still hanging around: Volcanic ash cartoon

OK, enough politics* already, there's another story in the news that doesn't seem to be going away.

I thought this cartoon on the volcanic ash cloud, which I drew for a local paper a few weeks ago, would have a limited shelf life, but the infamous plume appears to still be with us. So I thought I'd give it another airing here.

And it seems there is still life in the "smokers' huddle" cartoon too, one of the great contemporary clichés of UK cartooning!

(*I spent Election Night with a group of other cartoonists at the Groucho Club in London. You can read a short report on this at the Bloghorn)