Yesterday, Hillingdon Council Leader Steve Tuckwell publicly stated that the council is ‘resolute’ in its opposition to Heathrow expansion, regardless of the Conservative Party’s national position.
Parmjit Dhanda, Executive Director of Back Heathrow, the community group that supports expansion said, “If councillor Tuckwell wants to know what local people think about expansion, he need only look as far as the recent opinion poll carried out by Savanta, where 70% of Hayes and Harlington and 53% of Uxbridge and South Ruislip residents supported expansion – with only 26% in the former not doing so.”
“Of those supporting expansion in Hayes, a massive 89% said it was because of the new jobs it would deliver and 47% said it would boost the local economy.”
Ex-Hillingdon councillor Barry Nelson West said: "Councillor Tuckwell is in a panic because his Party Leader, Kemi Badenoch has now stated she supports a new runway. I know from my time as a Hillingdon councillor, there are plenty of Labour and Conservative Councillors there who support it too, but they are too scared to upset the council's strict whipping system. The Council need to put jobs and growth ahead of local party politics."
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Notes to editor:
- Most recent polling from Savanta can be found here: https://mediacentre.heathrow.com/pressrelease/detail/25695
- Written following Steve Tuckwell’s statement on 6th October on Heathrow expansion: https://pre.hillingdon.gov.uk/news/article/312/council-reaffirms-opposition-to-heathrow-expansion-plans
- Back Heathrow receives funding from Heathrow, as well as support from trade unions and local businesses. Back Heathrow was created with the support of the airport, to help balance the debate on expansion.
- Over 50% of Back Heathrow’s 105,000 supporters live within 8 miles of the airport – many of whom joined after former Council Leader Ray Puddifoot called for the airport to be closed during the 2011-2015 Airports Commission
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Image enclosed: Back Heathrow supporters and actors dressed as Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn at a previous campaign event