Do the Conservatives oppose a third runway at Heathrow, or not?

Iain Dale has this:

There is growing disquiet among Tory MPs, and the Shadow Cabinet, about Theresa Villiers witchhunt against BAA. The Shadow Transport Secretary issued a press release yesterday headlined PROMISES FROM BAA CAN’T BE TRUSTED. The release went on to accuse BAA of breaking all its promises on a third runway.

[Iain quotes from Villiers’ press release] “BAA are right to admit that they have lost the trust of Parliamentarians and local communities over the third runway. However today’s letter is just the next in a long line of promises which may have been sincere at the time, that were subsequently cast aside by the company. We have seen this all before. What BAA needs to realise is that people do not want a third runway, we do not need a third runway, and under a Conservative Government there will not be a third runway.”

All this was said in response to a BAA proposal that a completely independent body should be set up to ensure that it is impossible for promises to be broken. Surely that was something a Shadow Transport Secretary should welcome. One has to ask what kind of message this sends out to private companies who want to act responsibly? “Sorry, we don’t trust you so don’t bother trying”.

So BAA are proposing a watchdog: that’s a good thing, right? Not if you check the fine print. As the BBC reports:

Heathrow’s owner says it will accept an independent body with the power to limit flights for environmental reasons – if a third runway is approved.

BAA says that if it wins the battle for a third runway and more flights, it will welcome being held to strict noise and pollution controls.

Stable doors, horses bolting, etc, spring to mind. In response to BAA’s assurances, Liberal Democrat Shadow Transport Secretary Norman Baker has said, “This is a worthless promise, as BAA has to stick to EU emissions limits anyway.”

You can read here how Susan Kramer, Liberal Democrat MP for Richmond Park, is speaking up against Heathrow expansion plans, on behalf of her constituents.