A group of leading businessmen have joined forces to oppose the building of a third runway at Heathrow.
The lobby group, which includes chief executives of leading retail companies Kingfisher, Carphone Warehouse, J Sainsbury and Credit Suisse advisor Russell Chambers, maintains the economic benefits have been overstated by the government.
Until now the business community has been broadly supportive of expansion. Despite this, such high level opposition did not surprise the pro-expansion lobby group Future Heathrow.
Campaign director Lord Soley said it was just part of the ongoing discussions about the plans.
“I didn’t expect the issue to be put to bed by the government’s announcement,” he said.
“Where [the group] is fundamentally and seriously misguided is in their assumption that the economic case has been exaggerated. If anything it is the reverse.
“The implications for the British economy of the failure to maintain Heathrow’s premier hub status would have very serious consequences – particularly for London, but also for the country as a whole.
“They are also seriously misguided in thinking we have some quick and easy fix in using London’s other airports as an alternative to a premier hub airport at Heathrow.”