David Cameron today dropped the strongest hint yet that a future Conservative government would not lend its support to a third runway at Heathrow airport. Addressing a "Cameron Direct" town hall meeting in Brentford, Cameron remarked "I haven't heard any persuasive arguments for Heathrow expansion". The statement is the strongest indication yet that the Tory leader is unconvinced by the economic and environmental justifications used by the aviation industry and the Labour government.

On Thursday the transport secretary Ruth Kelly announced that an imminent decision on the expansion of the third runway was to be postponed until the end of the year, despite repeated government assurances that the announcement would be made this month. The area's MP, Ann Keen (a parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Health) recently broke ranks with the government and announced her opposition to further expansion at Heathrow. Ann Keen's Commons majority is just over 4,000 votes. Cameron's move highlights the threat of a 'Heathrow swing' in a number of marginal West London constituencies. 

Commenting on the news, Robin Oakley, the head of the climate change campaign at Greenpeace UK said:

"David Cameron's words are a body blow to the government's case for a third runway at Heathrow. The fact that the Conservatives are not convinced by the economic and environmental arguments being put forward completely undermines the aviation industry's position and casts serious doubt on the future of this project. Just this week Ruth Kelly announced that her decision on Heathrow has been put back until the end of the year, and as each day goes past this proposal looks increasingly shaky." 

View Cameron's speech. 

For more information call the Greenpeace press office on 0207 865 8255.

Responding to Ruth Kelly's announcement that a decision on the expansion of Heathrow airport is to be delayed until the end of the year, Greenpeace executive director John Sauven said:

"The Government is having a massive runway wobble. Ministers are facing an inevitable legal challenge if they give the green light to Heathrow expansion. An objective assessment of pollution and the impact a new runway would have on our chances of tackling climate change can only lead to a rejection of further airport expansion. A courageous Prime Minister would now stand up to the aviation industry and unite with the people of West London by dropping plans for Heathrow expansion."

For more information please call the Greenpeace press office on 0207 865 8255

Ruth Kelly's written statement can be viewed at http://www.dft.gov.uk/press/speechesstatements....

Gordon Brown faces a new headache this weekend as thousands prepare to march around Heathrow airport demanding a halt to his government’s push for a third runway.

West London residents will be joined by environmentalists at the Make A Noise Carnival on Saturday afternoon. The protesters will walk from Hatton Cross tube station then along Heathrow’s perimeter fence to Sipson – the village set to be bulldozed if Brown’s plans for expansion go ahead. There the thousands of marchers will gather in a field to form the world’s biggest ever ‘NO’ – visable to landing aircraft (and descending Prime Ministers).

Pictures and broadcast images taken from a crane above the NO will be made available – roads close at 11am so media vehicles should be in Sipson before then if necessary.

A letter of support from the Archbishop of Canterbury will be read out, while MPs from all the main political parties are joining the marchers. Research by Greenpeace released today reveals growing dissent as most London Labour MPs who reveal their position now oppose their party’s plans for Heathrow expansion. Dissenters even include health minister Ann Keen.

The protest carnival will be addressed by MPs including John McDonnell – whose constituency includes the airport - Richmond representative Susan Kramer and rising Tory Justine Greening. Green MEP Caroline Lucas, environmentalist George Monbiot, local council leaders and Sipson residents will also take the stage before bands entertain the carnival-goers.

Tamsin Omond, who recently scaled the roof of Parliament in protest at Heathrow expansion, is one of the organisers of Make A Noise. She said: “Gordon Brown’s got a real fight on his hands here. People face losing their homes if he gives the green light to a third runway, and they’ll be joined on Saturday by thousands of others who are deeply concerned about increased noise levels and climate change. That’s why we’ll be using our bodies to form a NO so big it will be visable from planes circling Heathrow. The mood in West London is pretty angry right now. If the next election is close then Brown may regret taking us on.”

The Make A Noise Carnival is the last chance for Londoners to register their opposition to expansion before transport secretary Ruth Kelly formally announces the Government’s plans for Heathrow. Labour has said it supports building a third runway, and earlier this year held a ‘public consultation’ widely derided as a sham. Documents acquired under freedom of information legislation revealed extraordinary collusion between Brown’s administration and airport operator BAA, with the consultation process being fixed and unhelpful pollution data ‘stripped out’ (Sunday Times front page, March 9th 2008).

The Government and BAA want to see a third runway and sixth terminal built over the villages of Sipson and Harmondsworth, increasing the number of flights from 480,000 a year to more than 700,000. A quarter of a million Londoners face increased levels of noise, while CO2 emissions from Heathrow would rise dramatically at a time when politicians claim to be tackling global warming. Even Brown’s own environment advisors at the Sustainable Development Commission (SDC) are now calling for a halt to Heathrow expansion.

For more information call 07801 212967 - www.make-a-noise.org

Notes:

The Make A Noise Carnival begins at Hatton Cross tube between noon and 12.45 on Saturday 31st May 2008. It will arrive at Sipson at 2.30pm. Video and stills from crane above field will be made available.

There will be no vehicle access to Sipson village after 11am. Sat trucks are recommended to park at the Renaissance Hotel nearby (Bath Road, TW6 2AQ)

Map of start point, route and location of ‘Big NO’