FRIENDS of the Earth say the decision to expand Heathrow is an historic one – but for all the wrong reasons.

Oliver Hayes, climate campaign spokesman, said: “MPs who backed this climate-wrecking new runway will be harshly judged by history.

“The evidence on the accelerating climate crisis, which is already hitting the world’s most vulnerable people, is overwhelming – and expanding Heathrow will only intensify the misery.

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“The aviation industry has been promising cleaner planes forever and a day, with little progress or investment.

“With no Government plan to mitigate Heathrow’s carbon emissions, or to address its already illegal levels of local air pollution, it’s astounding this scheme has been given the go-ahead.

“The only credible vote was to reject the third runway.”