Boris Johnson's warfare threat if report pushes Heathrow expansion

Boris Johnson today threatened open warfare against the Airports Commission if it makes the “catastrophic mistake” of pushing for Heathrow expansion next week.

The Mayor launched a pre-emptive strike after claims at Westminster that commission head Sir Howard Davies has briefed senior figures that it opposes every other option. Whitehall sources confirmed to the Standard that the commission has been speaking to senior government figures ahead of his interim report, due on Tuesday.

It is claimed that Sir Howard indicated he planned a shortlist of three options, all of which involved expanding Heathrow. The first was to revive a third runway, which David Cameron originally pledged to stop, only to change his mind in the face of business pressure. Option two was to approve Heathrow’s latest expansion blueprint, for two extra runways. Option three was one extra runway at Heathrow plus one extra runway at Gatwick — the so-called Heathwick solution.

According to a highly placed source, Chancellor George Osborne responded to the proposals by suggesting that a fourth option be added to make the final version look more balanced and independent. This might be for Stansted expansion or for a new site on the Thames estuary.

The Treasury would not deny today that Mr Osborne had been involved in discussions with the commission. No 10 also declined to deny the detailed claims. A spokesman would only say: “The commission is independent. Its work is a matter for it.”

The claims caused a furore today, with anti-Heathrow campaigners accusing the Government of trying to railroad through the expansion of London’s busiest airport.

Speaking from Doha where he is on a trade mission, the Mayor of London said: “I cannot conceivably believe that Howard Davies would inflict the misery of a third runway at Heathrow, let alone a fourth, on a million people or more in west London. I’ve engaged in this process in good faith. Howard Davies surely understands that a 24-hour hub airport to the east of London, preferably the site at Grain, represents the best chance for this country to compete with our Continental rivals. To miss that point, to fail to consider that option, would be a catastrophic mistake and one that must not happen.”

Mr Johnson’s mood was said to be of shock and incredulity — but also a “steely resolve” to fight the plan.

Zac Goldsmith, Tory MP for Richmond Park, said the independence of the commission had been called into question. “Osborne wants Heathrow expansion, and it was always going to reach the same conclusion,” he said.

“But even that fig leaf of independence appears to have blown off by... a last-minute bogus fourth option purely for the convenience of No 10, which wants to maintain a dishonest ambiguity until after the election.”