Ex-minister mocks Boris over vow to stop Heathrow bulldozers

A FORMER minister who quit over his opposition to Heathrow has taunted Boris Johnson about missing today’s crunch vote on expanding the airport.

The Foreign Secretary, who will be in Africa during the crucial Commons debate, previously said he would ‘lie down in front of the bulldozers’ to prevent a third runway being built at Heathrow.

Greg Hands, who resigned as trade minister in order to vote against the Government whip today, mocked Mr Johnson online yesterday. He tweeted: ‘Great to arrive back in the UK at Luton Airport in time for the match today and to vote against Heathrow expansion tomorrow. I wouldn’t want to be abroad for either of those. #commitments.’

The move follows Theresa May’s decision to impose a three-line whip on the vote, meaning Ministers must resign if they wish to oppose the £14billion scheme. Sources said Mr Hands, the Tory MP for Chelsea and Fulham, was offered the opportunity to skip the Commons debate by arranging an overseas trip.

But he insisted he had to honour pledges made in election leaflets last year in which he vowed to fight the plans.

By contrast, Mr Johnson will fly out of the country to Africa, avoiding the need to resign. When he stepped down, Mr Hands put out a statement saying he ‘has been a longstanding and active campaigner against Heathrow and, like Boris Johnson, is opposed to the recent decision to go ahead with a third runway.

‘Greg will be voting against the proposal when it comes before Parliament.’

The move was seen as an attempt to increase the pressure on his colleague. Yesterday, Tory MP and chairman of the health select committee Sarah Wollaston wrote on Twitter: ‘Dr Phillip Lee and Greg Hands resigned in the last fortnight because they wanted to vote with their convictions.

‘Boris Johnson conveniently takes flight instead ahead of the Heathrow vote. So much for ‘‘Lying’ in front of the bulldozers... ah that sort of lying”.’ She later deleted the message.

Meanwhile, ministers have been accused of ‘fixing’ the Heathrow vote by holding it days before a report on greenhouse gas emissions is published.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling scheduled the debate shortly ahead of the release of a report from the Committee on Climate Change on Thursday. The report is expected to warn that increasing aviation emissions would destroy Britain’s greenhouse gas reduction targets.