Earlier this week the five politicians hoping to become the Green party’s candidate in next year’s mayoral election united to express their opposition to further expansion at the airport and urged rivals in other parties to join them.
Today Conservatives Zac Goldsmith, Stephen Greenhalgh and Andrew Boff, plus Liberal Democrat Caroline Pidgeon and Labour’s Sadiq Khan and Christian Wolmar answered that call.
The five have joined with their Green counterparts to sign a letter in which they vow to continue the “record” of no mainstream mayoral candidate standing on a pro-expansion platform.
Today’s letter, which was organised by Green mayoral hopeful Tom Chance, follows a recommendation by the Airports Commission to meet the UK’s air capacity shortage by building a new runway at Heathrow.
The letter in full:
The Airport Commission’s evidence shows a third runway at Heathrow Airport would increase noise and air pollution, make congestion on local roads worse, and threaten the Government’s ability to meet essential climate change commitments.
There has been a cross-party consensus against the expansion of Heathrow Airport for over a decade in City Hall, and among most London politicians. No mainstream mayoral candidate has ever stood on a platform of supporting a third runway, and that is a record we intend to keep.
We shall do everything in our powers to stop any government from giving the go-ahead to an expanded Heathrow Airport.
Tom Chance (Green Party)
Caroline Russell (Green Party)
Sian Berry (Green Party)
Jonathan Bartley (Green Party)
Benali Hamdache (Green Party)
Zac Goldsmith (Conservative)
Stephen Greenhalgh (Conservative)
Andrew Boff (Conservative)
Sadiq Khan (Labour)
Christian Wolmar (Labour)
Caroline Pidgeon (Liberal Democrat)
