Skip to content
City PM
  • Germany
  • France
  • Europe
  • Markets
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Germany
  • France
  • Europe
  • Markets
  • Business
  • Opinion
Tuesday 25 October 2016 3:15 pm

Here are the best responses from MPs to the government’s decision to expand Heathrow

By: Mark Sands

Add as a preferred source on Google

Foreign secretary Boris Johnson was among the first to come out fighting after the government announced plans for a new runway at Heathrow.

Johnson's opposition is well known, but how did many of his peers respond?

Cabinet members

It's not just Boris who's angry about Heathrow, his fellow cabinet member and south west London MP Justine Greening is spitting feathers too.

In a statement, Greening said she was “extremely disappointed with the decision”.

“My views against expanding Heathrow, particularly on the impact of noise and air pollution on local residents and the weak economic case, are long-held and well-known,” she said.

Greening and Johnson are the only cabinet members to be granted permission by the prime minister to publicly oppose the decision so far.

Read More: Poll: Londoners would rather expand Gatwick than Heathrow

The Opposition

Labour's official line is pro-airport expansion, with no particular bias towards either of the airports, although you wouldn't know that from shadow chancellor John McDonnell, whose constituency includes Heathrow.

McDonnell said that building a new runway at Heathrow would be devastating for local residents.

“I'll continue to support my constituents in campaigning against this runway so that it never sees the light of day,” he said.

Read More: I quit government over Heathrow expansion: This is why I changed my mind

Conservative backbenchers

Theresa May is facing brickbats from her backbenchers too, over the decision to expand Heathrow, and most notably Richmond Park MP Zac Goldsmith, who has said he intends to resign over the verdict.

Goldsmith is set to make a formal announcement later today, but said in the House of Commons that a new runway was both “wrong” and “doomed” with expansion facing sufficient challenges to make it “a millstone around the government's neck”.

Goldsmith's south-west London constituency neighbour Dr Tania Mathias – whose team have previously told City PM she would back “whatever Zac decides to do” – was similarly aggressive, declaring expansion “misguided and not in the nation's interest”.

Terrible decision by Govt. I will continue to fight against 3rd runway at Heathrow. I am confident there will never be expansion at Heathrow

— Dr Tania Mathias (@tania_mathias) October 25, 2016

But there has also been plenty of vocal support for the project among MPs, not least among those glad a decision has finally been taken.

Kwasi Kwarteng, whose Orpington constituents include many workers at Heathrow said his only regret was that the government was not backing additional construction at Gatwick and Stansted.

"We should be having three more runways," he said.

"We have got to face up to the fact that there is a whole world of opportunity in trade and tourism and in order to grow we have to accept that we probably need a bit more capacity."

MPs will be granted a vote on the new runway in winter 2017/18. Foreign affairs committee chair – and Heathrow supporter – Crispin Blunt has previously said he expected the House of Commons to back expansion by "a substantial majority".

Share this article

  • Facebook
  • X
  • LinkedIn
  • WhatsApp
  • Email

Similarly tagged content:

Sections

  • News

Categories

  • Business
  • Politics

Trending Articles

  • Top Burnham adviser calls for capital gains and inheritance tax hikes

  • A meeting with the breakfast king of Mayfair

  • Housebuilding giants hit with £4.5bn lawsuit for allegedly overcharging buyers

  • As it happened: Stocks jump on defence and metals boost; Oil on track to shed a fifth on US-Iran peace hopes

  • BT tops FTSE 100 after finding new home for international business with Verizon joint venture

More from City PM

  • Iran war to dent passenger volumes, Heathrow warns

    Business
    Heathrow Airport terminal bustling with travelers and staff, showcasing modern architecture and international flight activity
  • Ministers open door to phased Heathrow third runway plan

    Aviation
    Heathrow Airport terminal bustling with travelers and staff, showcasing modern architecture and international flight activity
  • Burnham’s new chief of staff ran City firm advising Thames Water and rival Heathrow bidder

    Advisory
    James Purnell of Flint Global, highlighted in a business setting last year, showcasing leadership in strategic consulting.
  • Chaos at Heathrow as burst water pipe causes train cancellations

    Travel
    Heathrow and several European airports are suffering from a cyber attack.
  • Hopes rise for decision on Heathrow’s third runway plan

    Transport & Infrastructure
    Heathrow boss Thomas Woldbye is expected to lay the groundwork for what is the largest private investment programme in Heathrow's history.
  • Flying at Heathrow will cost ‘significantly more’ due to third runway bid

    Transport & Infrastructure
    Heathrow and several European airports are suffering from a cyber attack.
  • Heathrow slams regulator plans to ‘take UK backwards’ by slashing investment

    Transport & Infrastructure
    Heathrow Airport's expansion was estimated to cost up to £62bn as of last year.
  • Watchdog rules Heathrow third runway could be built by rival bidder

    Aviation
    Aerial view of Heathrow Airports bustling terminals with parked airplanes and surrounding infrastructure

City PM — European politics, business and analysis.

Europe

  • Germany
  • France
  • Europe
  • UK & Ireland

Topics

  • Business
  • Markets
  • AI
  • Technology
  • Opinion
  • Energy

More

  • Politics
  • Economics
  • Fintech
  • Legal
  • Sport
  • Life

Company

  • About City PM
  • Editorial Policy
  • Corrections
  • Contact
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
© 2026 City PM · Published by CityPM Media, Bahnhofstrasse 65, 8001 Zürich, Switzerland
About · Editorial Policy · Corrections · Contact · Privacy