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Government wins third runway vote Government wins third runway vote
(40 minutes later)
The government has won a vote over its controversial plans for a third runway at Heathrow, after a rebellion by Labour backbenchers. The government has won a vote over plans for Heathrow's third runway - but saw its majority cut to just 19.
The Conservative motion urging ministers to "rethink" plans was defeated by just 19 votes - Labour has a working Commons majority of 63. After the vote, Labour MP Virendra Sharma, quit an unpaid government post to fight the plans. Ealing MP Andrew Slaughter also quit his post earlier.
The Lib Dems supported the move as did some Labour MPs who are unhappy at plans to expand the airport. The Tory-led motion urging ministers to "rethink" plans was beaten by 19 votes - Labour has a working majority of 63.
More than 50 Labour MPs had previously expressed concerns about the plans. The Lib Dems supported the move but the ministers argue scrapping the plans would seriously damage the economy.
More than 50 Labour MPs had previously expressed concerns about the plans in other Commons motions but only 28 of them voted for the Conservative motion on Wednesday.
'Devastating'
Some are thought to have been won over by restrictions the government has promised on air quality and noise pollution, new carbon emission targets and a pledge to initially cap flights on the new runway.Some are thought to have been won over by restrictions the government has promised on air quality and noise pollution, new carbon emission targets and a pledge to initially cap flights on the new runway.
But others like Labour MP, Alan Keen, whose Feltham and Heston constituency neighbours Heathrow, said that despite opposing expansion he would vote against the motion because it was "party political".
The government's decision to expand Heathrow will seriously affect many of my constituents and my first priority is to represent them Virendra Sharma
However the debate before the vote saw a series of protests from Labour backbenchers - including from Andrew Slaughter, the Ealing, Acton and Shepherd's Bush MP who resigned from his junior government post earlier to fight the plans.
Labour rebel Paul Flynn claimed government whips were piling pressure on Labour MPs and were flying some of them back from Strasbourg, where they have been attending a Council of Europe plenary session, to vote for a third runway.
After the vote Virendra Sharma, MP for Ealing Southall, announced he was also stepping down as private parliamentary secretary to protest against the expansion.
'Devastating''Devastating'
But the debate before the vote saw a series of angry protests from Labour backbenchers - including from Andrew Slaughter, the Ealing MP who resigned from his junior government post earlier to fight the plans. He said: "I have enjoyed my time working as a PPS to Phil Woolas and I profoundly regret the need to resign my position, but unfortunately I have no option.
And Labour MP John McDonnell, who was suspended from the Commons for five days after the last Heathrow debate for grabbing the ceremonial mace in protest, said his constituents regarded the announcement on a third runway as "devastating" and warned local people would not allow their communities to be bulldozed out of the way for it. "The government's decision to expand Heathrow will seriously affect many of my constituents and my first priority is to represent them."
But Labour MP, Alan Keen, whose Feltham and Heston constituency neighbours Heathrow, said that despite opposing expansion he would vote against the motion because it was "party political". During the debate Labour MP John McDonnell, who was suspended from the Commons for five days after the last Heathrow debate for grabbing the ceremonial mace in protest, said his constituents regarded the third runway as "devastating".
The decision by the Conservative Party is political opportunism of the lowest kind Geoff Hoon
He warned they would not allow their communities to be bulldozed out of the way for it.
Shadow transport secretary Theresa Villiers said she wanted a "better not bigger" Heathrow and said ministers had lost the argument over the economic case for expansion.Shadow transport secretary Theresa Villiers said she wanted a "better not bigger" Heathrow and said ministers had lost the argument over the economic case for expansion.
She said proposed environmental safeguards did not "stand up to scrutiny" while the economic arguments for expansion were "wholly unconvincing".
'Dodgy' arguments
But Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon said the Tories' proposals lacked coherence, would do "serious damage" to Britain's economy and accused the party of "political opportunism of the lowest kind".But Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon said the Tories' proposals lacked coherence, would do "serious damage" to Britain's economy and accused the party of "political opportunism of the lowest kind".
When it gave the go-ahead for the runway earlier this month, the government said it would impose tight conditions on further expansion to limit its environmental impact.
There will be a cap on the number of flights initially allowed to use the new runway and "green slots" will only be given to airlines with the newest, least-polluting aircraft.
But the development would result in the demolition of 750 homes and the disappearance of the village of Sipson.
Norman Baker, transport spokesman for the Lib Dems who, like the Tories, favour new high speed rail links over the third runway, told MPs the case for expansion was "dodgy" and there was "overwhelming opposition" to the plan.
The "massive" increase in flights being proposed could not be reconciled with the government's target of cutting carbon emissions by 80% by 2050, he added.
The government had refused to put the issue to a Commons vote, saying MPs never voted on "quasi judicial planning matters" and that the plans would have to go through the planning process.The government had refused to put the issue to a Commons vote, saying MPs never voted on "quasi judicial planning matters" and that the plans would have to go through the planning process.
But the Conservatives used their "opposition day debate" to put the issue to a vote.But the Conservatives used their "opposition day debate" to put the issue to a vote.
A small number of Conservative MPs were also expected to rebel against their leadership to support the third runway or absent themselves from the vote while the Democratic Unionist MPs were expected to support the government.