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| Labour adds to growing demands for urgent Heathrow expansion decision | Labour adds to growing demands for urgent Heathrow expansion decision |
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| The swell of voices demanding an urgent decision on Heathrow’s third runway has been intensified by the Labour party, a cross-party group of politicians and Britain’s biggest trade union, as the pressure grows on Theresa May to approve the airport’s expansion. | |
| Labour sources said the party would back a third runway, despite the reluctance of Jeremy Corbyn and the opposition of shadow chancellor John McDonnell, whose constituency borders the airport. In an article for the Guardian, the shadow transport secretary, Andy McDonald, said the “imperative was overwhelming” for more capacity and that “there would have to be overwhelming evidence that the Airport Commission’s report and conclusions were fundamentally flawed for parliament to depart from it”. | Labour sources said the party would back a third runway, despite the reluctance of Jeremy Corbyn and the opposition of shadow chancellor John McDonnell, whose constituency borders the airport. In an article for the Guardian, the shadow transport secretary, Andy McDonald, said the “imperative was overwhelming” for more capacity and that “there would have to be overwhelming evidence that the Airport Commission’s report and conclusions were fundamentally flawed for parliament to depart from it”. |
| A Labour source said McDonald’s words were intended to back Heathrow’s expansion. “Until we see the detail we can’t commit unequivocally but on the assumption that they meet the tests we’ve been clear on, we will look to support.” | A Labour source said McDonald’s words were intended to back Heathrow’s expansion. “Until we see the detail we can’t commit unequivocally but on the assumption that they meet the tests we’ve been clear on, we will look to support.” |
| In a letter to the prime minister, 50 MPs and representatives from the major parties in the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish devolved assemblies urged May to approve the third runway. Describing Heathrow as their “gateway to the world”, they claimed that the airport’s expansion would create almost four times more jobs for the UK’s three smaller nations than rival plans for Gatwick. | In a letter to the prime minister, 50 MPs and representatives from the major parties in the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish devolved assemblies urged May to approve the third runway. Describing Heathrow as their “gateway to the world”, they claimed that the airport’s expansion would create almost four times more jobs for the UK’s three smaller nations than rival plans for Gatwick. |
| Meanwhile, the Unite union will deliver a letter to Downing Street signed by 125 reps from across the country, saying: “We work across all sectors of the economy from construction to logistics, manufacturing to transport and the services industry, our livelihoods depend on the jobs and economic prosperity Heathrow expansion will bring.” | Meanwhile, the Unite union will deliver a letter to Downing Street signed by 125 reps from across the country, saying: “We work across all sectors of the economy from construction to logistics, manufacturing to transport and the services industry, our livelihoods depend on the jobs and economic prosperity Heathrow expansion will bring.” |
| The cabinet subcommittee is due to make a decision imminently – perhaps as early as Tuesday – to finally respond to the Airports Commission report of July 2015 that recommended expanding Heathrow. However, ministers have never ruled out the rival plans of Gatwick, which hopes to build a second runway. | The cabinet subcommittee is due to make a decision imminently – perhaps as early as Tuesday – to finally respond to the Airports Commission report of July 2015 that recommended expanding Heathrow. However, ministers have never ruled out the rival plans of Gatwick, which hopes to build a second runway. |
| A third option, to expand one of Heathrow’s existing runways, is also on the table. | A third option, to expand one of Heathrow’s existing runways, is also on the table. |
| The latest show of political support for Heathrow comes from a group including former Welsh secretary Stephen Crabb, Northern Irish DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds and Welsh Labour MP Stephen Kinnock. In the letter to May, they urge her to honour her Tory conference speech pledge “to take big, sometimes even controversial, decisions about our country’s infrastructure”. | The latest show of political support for Heathrow comes from a group including former Welsh secretary Stephen Crabb, Northern Irish DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds and Welsh Labour MP Stephen Kinnock. In the letter to May, they urge her to honour her Tory conference speech pledge “to take big, sometimes even controversial, decisions about our country’s infrastructure”. |
| They added: “Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales all have our own successful and growing airports. But Heathrow is our gateway to the world, bringing tourists to our attractions and helping our exporters reach new markets … We know that connections to Heathrow are a key driver of investment decisions. | They added: “Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales all have our own successful and growing airports. But Heathrow is our gateway to the world, bringing tourists to our attractions and helping our exporters reach new markets … We know that connections to Heathrow are a key driver of investment decisions. |
| “Expanding Heathrow will create nearly four times more jobs in our three nations than other options being considered … We urge you to act in the interests of all the nations of the UK and urgently approve the expansion of Heathrow.” | “Expanding Heathrow will create nearly four times more jobs in our three nations than other options being considered … We urge you to act in the interests of all the nations of the UK and urgently approve the expansion of Heathrow.” |
| But prominent and widespread opposition remains, not least within May’s own party. The Tory MP Zac Goldsmith warned the prime minister that the party would lose MPs and councils if it backed Heathrow. Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, he said: “There is no doubt that despite huge gains against the Liberal Democrats in west London in recent years, the Conservative party would be badly damaged in the event that Heathrow gets a green light.” | But prominent and widespread opposition remains, not least within May’s own party. The Tory MP Zac Goldsmith warned the prime minister that the party would lose MPs and councils if it backed Heathrow. Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, he said: “There is no doubt that despite huge gains against the Liberal Democrats in west London in recent years, the Conservative party would be badly damaged in the event that Heathrow gets a green light.” |
| Goldsmith reiterated his pledge to resign his seat if a third runway is approved, but said the decison would be a “political millstone” for May, and that “the fallout will be much wider, and it will be hard for our brilliant local councils to weather the storm”. | Goldsmith reiterated his pledge to resign his seat if a third runway is approved, but said the decison would be a “political millstone” for May, and that “the fallout will be much wider, and it will be hard for our brilliant local councils to weather the storm”. |
| He added: “That’s not just a party issue. If I were investing in Heathrow, it would worry me greatly because there is a very real risk that as soon as the polls tighten, the party will feel the need to reverse its policy, yet again.” | He added: “That’s not just a party issue. If I were investing in Heathrow, it would worry me greatly because there is a very real risk that as soon as the polls tighten, the party will feel the need to reverse its policy, yet again.” |
| Most west London MPs strongly oppose expansion. Adam Afriyie, the Tory MP for Windsor and a vocal opponent of Heathrow, said he believed there would be more than 60 Tory rebels, as well as anti-Heathrow Labour MPs. But his fellow Conservative MP Kwasi Kwarteng, for nearby Spelthorne, said the number was “way off the mark”. He told the BBC: “My sense in the House of Commons is that there are probably about 20 hardcore people.” | Most west London MPs strongly oppose expansion. Adam Afriyie, the Tory MP for Windsor and a vocal opponent of Heathrow, said he believed there would be more than 60 Tory rebels, as well as anti-Heathrow Labour MPs. But his fellow Conservative MP Kwasi Kwarteng, for nearby Spelthorne, said the number was “way off the mark”. He told the BBC: “My sense in the House of Commons is that there are probably about 20 hardcore people.” |
| However, another Conservative MP warned that approving Gatwick would also prompt party rebellion. Crispin Blunt, chair of the Gatwick co-ordination group of MPs whose constituencies surround the airport, said it was wrong to claim that Heathrow was a tougher parliamentary fight. | However, another Conservative MP warned that approving Gatwick would also prompt party rebellion. Crispin Blunt, chair of the Gatwick co-ordination group of MPs whose constituencies surround the airport, said it was wrong to claim that Heathrow was a tougher parliamentary fight. |
| “More Conservative MPs will oppose Gatwick than oppose Heathrow – Gatwick is the politically and practically controversial project, not Heathrow,” Blunt said. “No local council supports expansion at Gatwick, nor any local MP – not even their biggest customer [Easyjet] supports it.” | “More Conservative MPs will oppose Gatwick than oppose Heathrow – Gatwick is the politically and practically controversial project, not Heathrow,” Blunt said. “No local council supports expansion at Gatwick, nor any local MP – not even their biggest customer [Easyjet] supports it.” |
| Blunt said he believed some form of expansion at Heathrow had greater consensus among his colleagues, including in the Conservative party. “Heathrow has the support from a majority of Conservative and Labour MPs and also the SNP and the DUP,” Blunt said. | Blunt said he believed some form of expansion at Heathrow had greater consensus among his colleagues, including in the Conservative party. “Heathrow has the support from a majority of Conservative and Labour MPs and also the SNP and the DUP,” Blunt said. |
| Gatwick airport has said it would remain confident in its own plan even if Heathrow’s was approved, believing the project would fail under legal and political challenges. | Gatwick airport has said it would remain confident in its own plan even if Heathrow’s was approved, believing the project would fail under legal and political challenges. |
| One such challenge is likely to crystallise on Tuesday, when lawyers for Client Earth seek a high court ruling forcing the government to show it is attempting to comply with the legal limits on air pollution, as ordered by the supreme court. Speaking to the BBC, James Thornton of Client Earth said: “The current plan won’t get us into compliance by 2025 … Until you can show you can comply it is illegal to build [at] Heathrow.” | One such challenge is likely to crystallise on Tuesday, when lawyers for Client Earth seek a high court ruling forcing the government to show it is attempting to comply with the legal limits on air pollution, as ordered by the supreme court. Speaking to the BBC, James Thornton of Client Earth said: “The current plan won’t get us into compliance by 2025 … Until you can show you can comply it is illegal to build [at] Heathrow.” |