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Airport expansion vote put on hold for more than a year by Theresa May May avoids cabinet split over Heathrow as airport vote put on hold
(about 3 hours later)
Theresa May will not hold the final vote on airport expansion for more than a year to allow for public debate, with cabinet ministers such as Boris Johnson and Justine Greening allowed to express opposition if Heathrow is the chosen option. Theresa May has moved to avoid a Conservative civil war over Heathrow by telling colleagues there will be no parliamentary vote on airport expansion until next winter and allowing cabinet ministers such as Boris Johnson to continue voicing public opposition.
The prime minister wrote to cabinet colleagues on Tuesday saying the government’s decision on whether to back airport expansion at Heathrow or Gatwick would be taken by a cabinet committee before the end of the month.The prime minister wrote to cabinet colleagues on Tuesday saying the government’s decision on whether to back airport expansion at Heathrow or Gatwick would be taken by a cabinet committee before the end of the month.
She said any cabinet minister with longstanding opposition to the chosen option will be permitted to dissent publicly on behalf of their constituents, without campaigning against the government or speaking against it in parliament. She will then allow cabinet colleagues to express dissent against the favoured proposal while there is a “full and fair consultation” until next winter, when a final decision will be put before the House of Commons.
The partial suspension of collective responsibility strongly suggests the government’s favoured proposal will be a third runway at Heathrow, as it would allow Johnson and Greening to express disapproval without resigning. Her partial suspension of collective responsibility strongly suggests the favoured proposal will be a third runway at Heathrow, as it would allow Johnson and Justine Greening, the education secretary, to express disapproval without resigning.
However, the final decision on expanding airport capacity will not be taken by parliament until the winter 2017-18, meaning it could be another 16 months before the national policy statement relating to airport capacity is approved. May had widely been expected to hold a parliamentary vote this autumn, potentially giving her party a free vote to avoid some Tory MPs having to choose between backing the the government and the wishes of the constituents.
However, May outlined a new plan on Tuesday that involves holding off from a vote in the near term, while allowing any cabinet minister with longstanding opposition to the chosen option to dissent publicly as long as they do not campaign against the government or speak against it in parliament.
No 10 refused to say whether Tory opponents of Heathrow would eventually be given a free vote when the final decision is put to a vote in parliament in the winter of 2017/18.
Downing Street sources also said it had not categorically ruled out holding a preliminary vote before then, but pointed out the only legal requirement was for a vote in the final stages, when a national policy statement required for planning purposes is put to parliament for approval.
May’s timetable may mean she is able to put off a difficult byelection in west London triggered by the threatened resignation of Zac Goldsmith, who has indicated he would stand as a independent supported by local Conservative colleagues, including neighbouring MP Tania Mathias.
It also suggests she is not strong enough to whip her cabinet in favour of a pro-Heathrow decision, although her official spokeswoman rejected the idea that partially suspending collective responsibility on this issue was a sign of weakness.
The prime minister allowed a discussion of airport capacity at cabinet on Tuesday morning but the final decision on whether to back expansion at Heathrow or Gatwick will be taken by a smaller subcommittee by the end of this month.
They will choose between three options examined by the Davies commission on aviation: a third runway at Heathrow, which was the preferred choice, the extension of an existing runway at Heathrow, or the building of a second runway at Gatwick.
Members of the committee include May and Philip Hammond, the chancellor, and Sajid Javid, a vocal supporter of Heathrow expansion, but not Johnson, Greening, or any other MPs from the London area.
A Heathrow spokeswoman said the process was what the airport had expected, with a parliamentary vote necessary on a national policy statement. She said: “This is the expected and appropriate political process; there is no delay. Government announces its preferred option, consults on that position and publishes a national policy statement, which parliament then approves. Heathrow then applies for planning permission with support of government policy.”
She added: “Heathrow expansion has the support of the majority of MPs. In recent polling, 71% of Conservative MPs and 73% of Labour MPs back a new runway at Heathrow.”
Chris Grayling, the transport secretary, told the transport select committee on Monday that parliament would eventually have to vote on a national policy statement, which could only be published following a period of public consultation, to allow a new runway to be built.
Opponents of expansion said that the legislative timetable was “normal procedure”. John Stewart of Hacan, who chaired the campaign against Heathrow’s third runway last time it was approved by governement, said: “You could argue that they have given themselves a fair bit of time to publish the statement and hold the consultation, but the letter appears to be setting out what would be normal procedure, not any real delay.”
The winning airport would expect to secure planning permission by 2021 and not open a new runway before 2025.