UK trade minister quits over Heathrow Airport expansion

Britain’s trade minister resigned on June 21 over a planned House of Commons vote on whether to build a third runway at London’s Heathrow Airport. “As the Government will be whipping the vote on Monday [June 25], this means I am resigning from the Government,” tweeted Greg Hands, a Conservative member of Parliament representing the constituency of Chelsea and Fulham in greater west London. Hands, who opposes the airport expansion, served for the past two years as minister of trade policy at the Department for International Trade under UK Prime Minister Theresa May. British media speculated that his abrupt resignation would pressure Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson also to step down. Formerly mayor of London, Johnson once said he would “lie down in front of bulldozers” to stop the third Heathrow runway. Hands said he informed May earlier in the week that he would honor pledges he made to his constituents last year “and vote against the 3rd Heathrow runway.”<br/>