- Labour ministers first set out plans for the expansion nearly fifteen years ago
- The Daily Mail understands plans will get the green light at a meeting later today
- It had been feared ministers like Boris Johnson would refuse to back the decision
A third runway at Heathrow is expected to get a green light from senior ministers today – after years of delays.
A Cabinet committee is likely to approve a policy statement endorsing the decision, which would then be voted on by MPs by the end of the month.
A proposal for expanding the airport was first set out by Labour ministers more than 15 years ago.
The Daily Mail understands Theresa May is expected to face down prominent Heathrow critics, including Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, and order them to back the Government.
At the weekend it was claimed Conservative MPs would be given a free vote on the issue. But last night senior sources dismissed that suggestion.
‘There wasn’t a free vote on [railway] HS2, which arguably was more disruptive to MPs’ constituencies. This is a clear manifesto commitment,’ the source said.
The third runway at Heathrow has been under debate for nearly two decades as ministers went to war over the expansion

Campaigners are worried about the potential environmental impact the runway might have
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