Heathrow vote - as it happened: Theresa May hopes to get Commons approval of third runway expansion

Follow all the latest updates from Westminster, as they happened

Protestors lay down on lobby of Houses of Parliament to protest Heathrow expansion

MPs have backed a crucial vote on approving a third runway at Heathrow airport after years of delays on the highly contentious issue.

It follows Theresa May’s decision to give the expansion the green light but Boris Johnson, the foreign secretary, who has been a staunch opponent of the plans, came under mounting pressure when it emerged he had jetted off to Afghanistan to dodge the vote.

The government secured a comfortable victory on Monday evening, as Labour MPs were given a free vote on the issue and the SNP decided to abstain.

See below for live updates

Key Points

• MPs back expansion plans for Heathrow by massive majority
• Boris Johnson faces calls to resign after jetting off to Afghanistan to dodge Heathrow vote
• Part of parliament locked down as protestors stage 'lie in' over expansion plans
• Chris Grayling clashes with climate change experts over dire warning of impact of airport expansion
• Cabinet secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood takes leave of absence for cancer treatment

[25 June 2018 22:43 · Lizzy Buchan]

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