Climate change activists stage protest over Heathrow expansion

Climate change protesters staged a “runway blockade” outside parliament this morning ahead of the announcement on runway expansion.

Green Party co-leader Caroline Lucas, who attended the demonstration, said: “This is a colourful and fun way of making a very serious point that the government is trying to answer the wrong question.

"The question is not between Heathrow and Gatwick, it is the question of whether any new runway fulfils our climate change obligations - and the answer is a big fat no.”

She added: “All the rumours are that the government will give the green light to a new runway today. And if so I look forward to seeing Boris in front of the bulldozers.”

Around 50 activists from Plane Stupid and Reclaim The Power protest groups lay in a “red line” wearing jumpsuits while others waved flags and brandished placards.

Plane Stupid activist and climate scientist Ella Gilbert, 24, said: “We are here today to express our opinion that any new runway is plain stupid. We will not take this lying down.

“Any new runway anywhere, here in the UK or in the world, is a step back - it is destructive and pushes us off climate change targets. We cannot expand any airport if we want any future that vaguely resembles the present.”

One protester, who did not want to be identified, said: “We can’t expand aviation and meet climate change agreements made in Paris. We expect to have 200 million climate change refugees by 2050. It is not acceptable for a rich country like ours.”