Boris Johnson is facing a great deal of criticism over his absence during the Heathrow crunch vote by Conservative MPs.
He has claimed that resigning over his disagreement of creating the £14bn runway would achieve “nothing”.
Instead, he visited Afghanistan on the day of the vote in order to avoid having to resign over his opposition or to agree and remain in his cabinet position.
He has said that he would still continue to oppose the third runway amongst his ministerial peers.
In a letter to the Evening Standing on Monday, he stated:
“I have long been an opponent of a third runway at Heathrow and that is why I am not voting for it tonight. I have made clear my opposition since joining the government, and I will continue to lobby colleagues from within government.
Some of my critics have suggested that I should resign over the issue. No doubt they have my best interests at heart. But it is clear from what is likely to be a large majority of MPs who are in favour of a third runway that my resignation would have achieved absolutely nothing.”
