London airport expansion: Government gearing up to make a decision on Heathrow as soon as this week
A government ruling on airport expansion could come as soon as this week, with ministers gearing up to decide whether or not to reject the Airports Commission’s recommendation for a third runway at Heathrow Airport.
The Airports Commission, led by RBS chairman Sir Howard Davies, said in July that it backed building a third runway at Heathrow airport. Prime Minister David Cameron and transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin have said that the government will respond to the Commission’s report in December.
A government decision in favour of Heathrow expansion would prove politically challenging for Cameron, who famously made a “no ifs, no buts” pledge in 2009 that there would be no third runway at the west London airport.
Read more: Gatwick boss: The airports commission was wrong
Meanwhile, Tory London mayoral candidate Zac Goldsmith has vowed to resign from his Richmond Park seat and trigger a by-election if the government supports expansion at the west London airport.
Labour’s London mayoral candidate Sadiq Khan also opposes expanding Heathrow, having backed expansion at Gatwick airport, instead.