Caroline has said that the Government's plan to expand Heathrow airport is 'disastrous' and 'flies in the face of common sense and climate science'. Lucas' comments come after the Transport Secretary, Chris Grayling, unveiled plans to expand the airport without mentioning climate change even once in his statement. 

Caroline said:

"This disastrous decision by the Government flies in the face of common sense and climate science. The fact that Chris Grayling didn't even mention climate change in his statement is an absolute disgrace. We know that expansion at Heathrow will make meeting our carbon emission targets near impossible, and that local people will suffer as a result. It's also deeply depressing that support for Heathrow is now part of a cross-party consensus, and that some of the voices of dissent have shrunk away in recent times. This Government's claims to be 'green' increasingly look like a bad joke.

"I'm calling on longstanding opponents like Jeremy Corbyn, John McDonnell, Boris Johnson and Greg Hands to join me in making the public case against this damaging plan in the coming weeks. If Boris Johnson does plan a trip abroad to miss the vote, as reported, then he will be guilty of unforgivable cowardice.  History will not forgive those who failed to make a stand for what's right at this most crucial of moments."

ENDS

Contact: Matthew Butcher on 07885 459 904 or clucasmedia@parliament.uk