Tim Roache (GMB General Secretary) pictured here with Parmjit Dhanda (Executive Director of Back Heathrow) and GMB members at a reception at the National Conference in Brighton.

Members of the pro-expansion group Back Heathrow have joined forces with the GMB trade union in calling on the Government to end the delay and get on with building a new runway.

Back Heathrow, a community campaign with 100,000 registered supporters predominantly residing in the communities around Heathrow, joined the GMB as it held its annual Congress in Brighton.

Heathrow expansion will create tens of thousands of new high-quality, high-skilled jobs and apprenticeships, as well as other economic benefits such as increased investment, better infrastructure and new trade routes.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has last week announced that the Government will hold a parliamentary vote on Heathrow expansion within the next few weeks.  

Back Heathrow’s Executive Director Parmjit Dhanda said: "It was great to be at the GMB's National Conference working alongside Tim Roache, the General Secretary of one of the most important trade unions in the UK and jointly backing the new runway proposals. Back Heathrow and the GMB share the same goals of new jobs and apprenticeships to boost the living standards of working people in west London, the Thames Valley and indeed across the country. The vote on expansion is a chance in a lifetime to create 180,000 new jobs."

Mick Rix, GMB National Officer said: “The time for politicians dithering and delaying on Heathrow is over. This long-awaited vote is crunch time for our members across the country who stand to benefit from Heathrow expansion.

“We’ve been waiting long enough for this Government to pull itself together and to put this plan to MPs and secure the future of the airport and the jobs it can and will support.”