This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/oct/25/zac-goldsmith-quits-as-mp-over-doomed-heathrow-expansion-decision

The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 2 Version 3
Zac Goldsmith quits as MP over 'doomed' Heathrow expansion decision Zac Goldsmith quits as MP over 'doomed' Heathrow expansion decision
(about 7 hours later)
Zac Goldsmith has resigned as Conservative MP for Richmond Park over the government’s “doomed” decision to back a third runway at Heathrow airport. Zac Goldsmith has resigned as a Conservative MP over the government’s decision to back a third runway at Heathrow airport, describing it as the “most polluting, most disruptive, most expensive option”.
The former London mayoral candidate confirmed he would stand as an independent candidate to contest what would be regarded as a referendum on Heathrow expansion, saying the issue was a “running sore” in the south-west London seat. The Conservatives said they would not run against Goldsmith, who will stand as an independent in the byelection. But he will have to defend his seat against the Liberal Democrats, who will be eager for the chance to regain a foothold in south-west London.
The decision to step down is blow for Theresa May, as the Conservatives announced they would not contest the seat. It means the prime minister will lose an MP, making her slim working majority of 16 even smaller and giving the Liberal Democrats the chance to regain a foothold in south-west London. In his resignation statement, Goldsmith said he had carried out his threat to cause a byelection because David Cameron had promised seven years ago to scrap the Conservative party’s support for further development of Heathrow with a “no ifs, no buts” pledge.
Tory party sources said fielding a candidate would simply have drawn attention to rancour and division within the Conservatives. Speaking in his Richmond Park constituency, Goldsmith said: “My party’s promise mattered. It’s why my promise mattered. And it’s why so many people in our community feel so let down.
A party spokesman said: “We disagree with Zac about the need for a byelection in light of this decision, but understand his position. He has been a hard-working champion for the people of Richmond Park – as we know he will continue to be if they re-elect him as their MP – so we will not be putting up a candidate against him at this byelection.” “I want to be clear: this is not the end. The government has chosen the most polluting, most disruptive, most expensive option. But it has also chosen the option with the least chance of being delivered. The sheer complexity, cost and legal difficulties mean it is unlikely ever to happen. It will be a millstone round this government’s neck for years.”
The seat was held by the Lib Dems as recently as six years ago, giving them a fighting chance despite Goldsmith’s local popularity. The party is against expansion at Heathrow and in favour of EU membership in an area that was strongly in favour of remaining. Goldsmith had a 28,000 majority at the last election and is popular locally. But the seat was held by the Lib Dems before 2010 and their vote only fell back sharply after 2015 as voters deserted the junior partners in the coalition government.
In a statement in his constituency, Goldsmith sought to make the byelection all about Heathrow. He said he must honour his promise to resign if the Conservatives were to ever back the airport’s expansion. He made the vow after David Cameron, while in opposition, ruled out such a move. Earlier, Goldsmith told the House of Commons that Heathrow was “doomed” and would be a “millstone around the neck of the government”. The government hailed its plan to proceed with airport expansion as a sign of strength and decisiveness after years of delays. Theresa May told the cabinet it was a vital decision that had been ducked for too long. But she immediately faced a range of Conservative resistance after she decided to partially suspend cabinet responsibility to allow Boris Johnson and Justine Greening to express opposition to the plan once it was made public.
“I know there will be some who see today not as an outrage – but as an opportunity to advance their party interests. But this byelection must be a referendum on Heathrow expansion,” he said. “It is our chance to send a message to government and Heathrow – via the ballot box – by giving me the mandate I need to continue fighting on your behalf.” Protests and legal challenges are expected to focus on air quality, noise and Britain’s climate change commitments. The runway, which could be built by 2025, would lead to almost 50% more planes over London, bringing new neighbourhoods under the flightpath.
Earlier, Goldsmith told the House of Commons that Heathrow was doomed and would be a “millstone around the neck of the government” after the decision to proceed was hailed as momentous by Chris Grayling, the transport secretary. Ministers sought to mitigate some of these criticisms by proposing a six-and-a-half-hour break in scheduled night flights and more stringent night noise restrictions. The scheme will take the form of a draft national policy statement, open to consultation in the new year and subject to a vote in winter 2017-18.
Goldsmith, who was defeated when ran as the Conservative candidate for London mayor in May, is the only party figure so far to resign over the Heathrow decision. Boris Johnson and Justine Greening have stayed in their jobs after they were given permission by May to criticise the third runway proposal while in cabinet. Johnson immediately suggested in a television interview that the legal problems facing a third runway could prove insurmountable. “I think the day when the bulldozers actually appear is a long way off, if indeed they ever materialise to build that third runway,” he said.
Johnson, the foreign secretary and a former London mayor, said the Heathrow plan was undeliverable, while Greening, the education secretary, said she was extremely disappointed. “My view is the whole proceeding will be snarled up in legal objections of one kind or another and I just really repeat my point: do we want the greatest city on Earth, parts of it, to be transformed into a hell of airport noise? I don’t think we do. I think there are far better solutions. As long as I am able to, I am respectfully going to make that point.”
However, Goldsmith’s resignation will be more of a headache for the prime minister, who can hardly afford to lose a Conservative seat with such a slim working majority. May also faces a probable legal challenge from four Conservative councils over the environmental and noise impact of the expansion, potentially aided by Sadiq Khan, the Labour mayor of London.
The legal procedure used to implement a resignation from the Commons was carried out by Philip Hammond, the chancellor, when he appointed Goldsmith steward and bailiff of the Three Hundreds of Chiltern. Heathrow conceded on Tuesday night that it may have to re-examine its plans for an extension under the M25, possibly replacing the tunnel with an elevated bridge, after it emerged that Highways England, the body in charge of Britain’s major roads, considered the scheme a major risk.
Earlier, the government said the decision to expand Heathrow and the construction of the first full-length runway in south-east England since the second world war would be a major boost to the UK economy. Highways England warned there was a “significant risk of cost overruns” in the M25 tunnel scheme, the bill for which it estimated would be betweeen £476m and £1.1bn. Correspondence released by the Department for Transport showed that the roads authority described the scheme as “high risk”, warning of a “a substantial risk of excessive customer frustration about what might be prolonged period of disruption”.
Grayling said the expansion was vital to keeping Britain open for business and that the economic benefits would be worth up to £61bn, as well as creating up to 77,000 local jobs. Simon Dudley, the leader of May’s own Conservative-held Windsor and Maiden­head council, said an application for a judicial review of the runway decision would happen “sooner rather than later”.
May’s official spokeswoman said the view of the airport subcommittee had been unanimous in favour of Heathrow and that there was no further discussion at full cabinet. She told the cabinet it was a vital decision that had been ducked for too long. “Our campaign against Heathrow expansion with councils in Hillingdon, Richmond and Wandsworth, and Greenpeace, continues and we will take whatever action is necessary to stop this decision on behalf of the 1 million residents we represent,” he said.
However, the decision is likely to cause friction within the Conservatives. Speaking in Westminster, Johnson highlighted the threat of four Tory-led councils to launch legal action against the plans, Greening, the education secretary – who represents Putney in west London, called the decision extremely disappointing, while Adam Afriyie, the Tory MP for Windsor, suggested No 10 might change its mind during public consultation. Chris Grayling, the transport secretary, said it was a clear recommendation from the government that it had no intention of reversing.
Johnson, who has previously said he would lie down in front of the bulldozers to stop Heathrow being built, said: “I think the day when the bulldozers actually appear is a long way off, if indeed they ever materialise to build that third runway. Tania Mathias, Tory MP for the south-west London constituency of Twickenham, said: “I will continue to fight against Heathrow expansion and I agree with many experts ... who are certain that expansion will not happen. The scrutiny and consultation over the next year will, I am sure, show that a third runway is simply not possible for economic, legal and environmental reasons.”
“My view is the whole proceeding will be snarled up in legal objections of one kind or another and I just really repeat my point: do we want the greatest city on earth, parts of it, to be transformed into a hell of airport noise? I don’t think we do. I think there are far better solutions. As long as I am able to, I am respectfully going to make that point.” Labour said it still needed “vital reassurances” before backing Heathrow, even though airport expansion was “much needed” for investment and growth.
May’s own local council, Windsor and Maidenhead, is one of those signalling it will be prepared to fight the decision in court. “Our campaign against Heathrow expansion with councils in Hillingdon, Richmond and Wandsworth and Greenpeace continues and we will take whatever action is necessary to stop this decision on behalf of the one million residents we represent,” said Simon Dudley, the leader of the council. The shadow transport secretary, Andy McDonald, said: “Labour has consistently been in favour of building an additional runway in the south-east of England. But this support has always been conditional on four tests being met: on capacity, climate change, noise and air quality and the wider national benefits. Today’s announcement, heralding another consultation, does not yet do that.”
The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said he might help challenge the Heathrow decision through the courts, along with councils that are considering their options. The Conservatives said of the decision not to fight Goldsmith: “We disagree with Zac about the need for a byelection in light of this decision, but understand his position. He has been a hard-working champion for the people of Richmond Park – as we know he will continue to be if they re-elect him as their MP – so we will not be putting up a candidate against him.”
“I am exploring how I can best be involved in any legal process over the coming months,” Khan said. “Most urgently, the government must set out how it’s possible for Londoners not to suffer from the additional air and noise pollution that we know will be created by an additional runway at Heathrow.”
Announcing its backing for the third runway, the government said it would propose a six-and-a-half-hour ban on scheduled night flights and make more stringent night noise restrictions a requirement of expansion includingnew legally binding noise targets. The scheme will now be taken forward in the form of a draft national policy statement, which will be open to consultation in the new year.
The protests and legal challenges are expected to focus on air quality, noise and Britain’s climate change commitments. The runway, which could be built by 2025, would lead to almost 50% more planes over London, bringing new neighbourhoods under the flightpath.