MP signs letter backing Heathrow expansion

MP Fiona Mactaggart has co-signed a letter to Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson urging the Government to back Heathrow’s expansion.

The letter, signed with fellow MPs Steve Pound (Ealing North) and Virendra Sharma (Ealing Southall), states: “While it is true that some of our constituents oppose expansion, most do not.

“Heathrow has been constrained for far too long – it is time for your Government to show the UK is open for businesses and back Heathrow expansion.”

On Wednesday, the leader of the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, Cllr Simon Dudley (Con, Riverside) hit back at concerns over taxpayers’ money being used to fund legal action over an expansion.

The council has threatened, along with Wandsworth, Hillingdon and Richmond councils, to sue the Government if plans for a third runway at the airport go ahead, as first reported by the Express in March.

In a letter to the paper this week, John Knight, a Maidenhead resident, said it is ‘outrageous’ for the Royal Borough to use taxpayers’ money to pursue its ‘narrow political agenda in a vendetta against Heathrow’.

But Cllr Dudley said the borough had to protect its residents.

He said: “We’ve done research. It’s clear our residents are in favour of expansion of Gatwick, with 37 per cent positive towards Gatwick.

“The Royal Borough has to protect its residents. We can’t please everyone but there is a clear mandate for the expansion of Gatwick.

“We need to respect the residents’ decision, that’s democracy.

“In west London it’s a serious issue. We think other local authorities will join us as well.”

The results of a study released last month, commissioned by the Royal Borough, found more residents were in favour of expansion at Gatwick, echoing the findings of an identical survey in January last year.

The study found 38 per cent of residents oppose a new runway at Heathrow, compared to 34 per cent who support it. Thirty eight per cent are also opposed to extending the existing northern runway to the west compared to 32 per cent in support.

Half (50 per cent) supported a new runway at Gatwick, 13 per cent opposed it and 34 per cent had no preference. Three per cent did not know.