Gavin criticises delayed decision on Heathrow expansion
Gavin Newlands, the MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire North, has criticised the UK Government’s plans to use English votes for English laws (EVEL) to block Scottish MPs from voting on Heathrow’s third runway – despite the huge impact that it will have for Glasgow Airport and his constituency.
David Mundell’s parliamentary aide, Iain Stewart MP, told the BBC’s Sunday Politics programme that EVEL would mean that any bill to rubber-stamp the new runway would have to through “an additional stage in the legislative process” that ultimately stop it passing unless approved by English MPs.
The £19 billion third runway expansion at Heathrow Airport, £5 billion of which is tax-payers’ cash, is estimated to deliver up to £211 billion in economic growth and to create 180,000 new jobs throughout the UK – and the Renfrewshire MP wants to see some of this benefit Glasgow Airport and his constituency.
The UK Government is due to announce their decision on the third runway at Heathrow by Christmas.
Gavin Newlands, the MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire North, said:
“The UK Government is playing politics with the Heathrow expansion and the potential jobs and economic growth that it could bring to Glasgow Airport and Renfrewshire – it is nothing more than pathetic political posturing from a Conservative Party trying to appease their backbench MPs like Zac Goldsmith and Boris Johnston.
“The Heathrow expansion, which will include a minimum of £5 billion of tax payers’ cash, is a national infrastructure project and it will have massive impact on travel, exports, growth and jobs across Scotland, Wales, England and Northern Ireland – not just London.
“Therefore, the case has simply not been made by the UK Government to bar all but English MPs from voting on Heathrow’s third runway because I, as a Renfrewshire MP, should be able to vote for a boost for jobs and growth, as well as to bolster Glasgow Airport, in my constituency. “
