25 June, 2018

UK MP's vote for 3rd runway at London Heathrow


In the UK, politicians debated whether to approve plans for a third runway at London's Heathrow Airport as part of the government's National Policy Statement.

There were heated exchanges in the House of Commons during the debate and the issue has divided MPs from different parties, former education secretary Justine Greening joining the only Green MP, Caroline Lucas in the no lobbies. Some Labour MPs defied the party's previous stance as being against the expansion of Heathrow to vote along with the government to approve it.

The result of the vote was 415 in favour, 119 against - a majority of 296, a clear win for those that seek a third runway at Heathrow, which already runs at 99% capacity. 

The Scotish National Party had previously been long-term supporters of the bill and Heathrow expansion, however, changed their collective minds at the last minute and were instructed to abstain.  One political correspondent dubbed them the "'say nothing party', guaranteed to say one thing in public and then do something completely different in parliament."  

Opposition MPs shouted "Where's Boris?" during the debate, as Boris Johnson - who has been very vocal about his opposition to the third runway Heathrow, was absent from the vote, as he had gone to Afghanistan.  

At one time, noisy anti-Heathrow protesters staged a central lobby protest, many laying down, hoping to delay the vote. The Vote No Heathrow campaigners got down on the floor, with the direct intentions to halt democracy, but were ejected from Parliament by police.


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