George Osborne breaks rank and demands Theresa May gives the green light to a new runway at Heathrow airport BEFORE Gatwick
Former Chancellor piles into airport debate days before Government is expected to finally make a decision
GEORGE OSBORNE has broken rank and demanded Heathrow expansion as soon as possible – and insisting it’s given the green-light BEFORE Gatwick.
The former Chancellor piled into the debate just days before the Government is expected to finally announce which airport will be allowed to build a new runway.
In a series of tweets, the Tory MP said the economic case for Heathrow was “overwhelming”.
And he said: “We can consider Gatwick expansion. But not at the expense of Heathrow – and not in parallel or else, in practice, nothing will get built.”
Industry sources claim that after huge delays, the Government will next week approve THREE new runways.
Ministers are expected to approve a third runway at Heathrow immediately and allow Gatwick to start expanding in the next five years.
The PM is also expected to urge Birmingham Airport to lodge proposals for an extra runway within ten years.
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Sir Howard Davies last year said London would have to increase airport capacity by 2030 – adding that Heathrow was his preferred option.
David Cameron and George Osborne repeatedly put back a decision when they were running the country, after the ex-PM’s “no ifs, no buts” promise to stop a third runway in October 2009.
Mr Cameron promised a decision by the end of 2015 before calling for yet more evidence.
It was delayed again until after the London Mayoral election in May because of fears of upsetting Tory candidate, the anti-Heathrow Zac Goldsmith.
Stephen Crabb, the pro-Heathrow former Minister, separately said that expanding Britain’s biggest airport was the “right choice” for every region in the UK.
A Department for Transport spokeswoman said: “There will be a decision imminently”.
Heathrow is operating at over 98 per cent of its capacity – handling a record 75 million passengers in 2015.
But Gatwick argues that it is a more affordable option and that taxpayers face a bill of up to £18 billion if Heathrow is approved – because of the infrastructure work needed to cope with the extra traffic to and from the airport.