Theresa Villiers has been urged by Strangford MP Jim Shannon to secure Northern Ireland’s future connectivity by backing the Heathrow expansion.
Jim Shannon MP, DUP spokesman on Health and Transport, has written to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Theresa Villiers, urging her to represent the interests of Northern Ireland by ending her opposition to Heathrow expansion and backing it at the cabinet table.
Support for a third runway at Heathrow in Northern Ireland has been long-standing and near unanimous. In his letter, Mr Shannon highlighted that the nine flights a day to Heathrow from both Belfast Airport are key drivers for inbound tourism and investment, and added: “whilst expansion would make Northern Ireland more connected to the world, securing and increasing those flights whilst creating 5000 jobs in the nation. Failure to expand could see a loss of connectivity and a decline in Northern Ireland’s standing on the global stage.
“Theresa Villiers’ traditional opposition to a third runway has been a long-standing and at odds with Heathrow’s critical role in securing Northern Ireland’s future connectivity.
“Following the announcement by Heathrow that it would go above and beyond the conditions set by the independent Airports Commission in their independent recommendation for Heathrow expansion last year, I requested Theresa Villiers now works with the Northern Ireland Executive and Northern Ireland MP’ to secure Heathrow expansion and a secure an improved link to the province.”
