Meacher’s runway rebellion fails

AN Oldham MP failed in his attempt to overthrow plans for a third runway at Heathrow.

Oldham West and Royton MP Michael Meacher was one of 28 Labour backbenchers who voted against Government plans for the expansion.

Mr Meacher told MPs: “I oppose the third runway, not only for social and environmental reasons, but because I believe that the economic case that the Government have made for the expansion of Heathrow simply does not stack up.

The Government’s majority was slashed to just 19 after a joint Tory/Liberal Democrat motion urging ministers to think again about the highly controversial development was rejected by 297 votes to 278.

Shortly after the vote, Virendra Sharma, Labour, MP for Ealing Southall, quit as Private Parliamentary Secretary to Oldham East and Saddleworth MP and Immigration Minister Phil Woolas to fight against Heathrow expansion.