Boris won’t quit Cabinet if Heathrow gets the nod
HEATHROW expansion critic Boris Johnson will stay in the Cabinet even if Theresa May decides to back a third runway at the airport, say sources.
The Foreign Secretary – who once said he would lie down ‘in front of bulldozers’ to stop any construction – could be allowed to miss crucial Commons votes on the controversial plans.
Number 10 is also considering giving the same option to his Cabinet colleague and fellow Heathrow critic Justine Greening, it emerged yesterday.
Theresa May will insist the Cabinet votes in favour of her decision – but the two Ministers could be allowed to be ‘unavoidably away’ during key votes.
The Prime Minister is expected to make a decision on Heathrow expansion later this month, six years after David Cameron called a halt to the plans.
It emerged at the weekend that Mr Johnson’s allies believe the ‘mood music’ suggests Mrs May will push ahead with the plans.
However, he would stay in the
‘No point going down that track’
Cabinet as he believes it is ‘environmentally undeliverable and will never be built’, according to sources close to him.
Local authorities and campaign groups are preparing to mount a legal challenge which could stop a third runway from being built.
However, Miss Greening yesterday refused to rule out resigning as Education Secretary if the decision goes against her.
She told ITV’s Peston on Sunday that such an eventuality was ‘hypothetical’. Asked whether a free vote – which would allow her to vote against the expansion – would answer her concerns, she said: ‘Who knows if there’ll be a free vote? There’s no point in me going down that track. We’ll have to wait and see.’
Meanwhile, Gatwick Airport has insisted it will remain ‘ ready to deliver’ a second runway even if the Government rejects its proposal in favour of Heathrow.
A spokesman for the West Sussex airport said: ‘Gatwick would also be standing ready to deliver the new runway as should Heathrow get the green light it is likely to fail as it has several times before.’