AIR RAGE!
Fury as Heathrow gets third runway
A THIRD runway at London’s Heathrow Airport is “doomed and almost certainly not going to be delivered”, Tory MP Zac Goldsmith has warned the Government.
The decision to back the plan for the runway was announced yesterday by Transport Secretary Chris Grayling.
Goldsmith, who resigned last night from his constituency which lies under the Heathrow flight path, earlier wrote on his Twitter feed: “Following the Government’s catastrophic Heathrow announcement, I will be meeting my constituents later today before making a statement.”
Mr Goldsmith had long promised to resign and cause a by-election if the Government chose the Heathrow option.
The timing of such a contest remains unclear, as the Heathrow decision is now to go out to consultation, with a Commons vote on the matter not expected for a year.
Mr Goldsmith had widespread backing for his stance among local Tories in the west London seat.
Harms
The MP has indicated in the past that he would stand as an independent in any by-election triggered by Heathrow expansion plans.
In those circumstances it remains unclear if the Tories would field an official candidate against him.
Mr Goldsmith added: “The Government has chosen a course that is not only wrong, it’s doomed.
“It’s wrong because of the million people who’ll directly suffer on the back of the environmental harms this project unavoidably produces, and doomed because of the complexities, the cost, the legal complications that mean that this project is almost certainly news@sundaysport.co.uk not going to be delivered.
“This will be a millstone around this Government’s neck for many, many years to come.”
Meanwhile the widow of a war hero who died shortly after finding out their home faced demolition to clear a path for the new Heathrow runway has vowed to fight to save her community.
Armelle Thomas, 70, blames her husband’s death last year on the arrival of a letter from Heathrow’s chief exec telling them their property was in line for a compulsory purchase.
Her home in Harmondsworth is among hundreds in the surrounding area which face being knocked down to allow the expansion.
She said: “My husband gives me the strength every day to fight for my community.”