Chelsea and Fulham’s Conservative MP Greg Hands resigned as junior trade minister today over plans for a new Heathrow runway.
One of Mr Hands’ 2017 election campaign promises was to oppose the planned expansion, joining other high profile figures including Boris Johnson and Labour shadow chancellor John McDonnell.
After the government revealed it would order MPs to vote in favour when the issues comes to the House of Commons on Monday, Mr Hands resigned from government in protest.
It had been thought the government would allow MPs whose constituencies are directly affected
Parliament remains divided on the controversial issue, with the Lib Dems opposed, while various factions of Labour are split.
Discussions over a new Heathrow runway have been ongoing for almost 20 years.
Conservative MP Zac Goldsmith resigned his seat over the plans in 2016, and there are fears that the runway will cause huge disruption to surrounding cities and towns.
Campaigners are also concerned that the expansion will bring an extra 700 planes a day, breaching the UK’s legal limits on air pollution.
