Zac Goldsmith to resign over Heathrow expansion plan

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Pic: Zac Goldsmih
Staff reporter(wp/es):
Zac Goldsmith is set to resign his Commons seat within 48 hours after the government backed a third runway at Heathrow, friends said.
The Tory Richmond Park MP, a long-standing opponent of Heathrow’s expansion, immediately branded the decision “catastrophic” and promised to make a statement imminently.
If he steps down as expected, Theresa May faces a dramatic local revolt as local Conservatives backed him to stand as an independent anti-Heathrow candidate in a by-election.
In a tweet posted within minutes of the government announcing its decision, Mr Goldsmith wrote: “Following the Government's catastrophic Heathrow announcement, I will be meeting my constituents later today before making a statement.”
 Theresa May and the Cabinet today announced their backing for Heathrow's expansion, but the decision immediately sparked protests and legal challenges.
 The £16 billion plan will increase the number of flights at Europe’s busiest airport to more than 700,000 a year by 2030. Theresa May told the Evening Standard it was a decision made “for jobs and growth” and showed that post-Brexit Britain will be an “open, global, successful country”.

Speaking to the Standard after the Cabinet met, the Prime Minister said: “After decades of delay we are showing that we will take the big decisions when they’re the right decisions for Britain, and we will ensure they’re right for ordinary working people too.
“Airport expansion is vital for the economic future of the whole of the UK and today also provides certainty to Londoners. Businesses will know that we are building the infrastructure they need to access global markets. Ordinary, working people will know that my Government backs jobs and growth.
 “We want the benefits of a new runway as quickly as possible, but we will also make sure London and taxpayers get a good deal.”

She indicated the third runway plan includes commitments to increase the number of flights to Scotland and regional airports, adding: “By making sure we improve the links between regional airports and our capital city we can use airport expansion as an opportunity to bring the UK closer together.
“This decision demonstrates that as we leave the EU we can make a success of Brexit and Britain can be that open, global, successful country we all want it to be.