Trade minister Greg Hands quits over Heathrow expansion – the second minister in just over a week to resign from Theresa May’s government
Theresa May has lost her second frontbencher in just over a week with trade minister Greg Hands resigning over the government’s plans to expand Heathrow.
Hands, who is the MP for Chelsea and Fulham, announced he was stepping down shortly after the date of the vote was confirmed.
He tweeted this morning: “As the government will be whipping the vote on Monday, this means I am resigning from the government.
“It has been an honour to serve the Prime Minister (and her predecessor) for the last seven years and I wish the PM & the government every continuing success.”
Hands was playing a critical role in the government’s post-Brexit trade strategy and is the second minister in just over a week to have thrown the towel in over disagreements with policy.
Bracknell MP Phillip Lee quit last Tuesday, ahead of the return of the EU Withdrawal Bill, saying he wanted to be able to “look my children in the eye”.
Ministers must abide by collective responsibility, which means they cannot vote or speak out against official policy.
Hands is not the only member of May’s government to have reservations about her support for the expansion of Heathrow.
Foreign secretary Boris Johnson has nailed his colours to the mast, previously saying he would “lie down with the bulldozers” to block it.
And, although he was warned not to speak out about the plans unless it was to “restate” his views, and then only to local media or constituents, Johnson told a group of party activists expansion was “the right idea, not sure it’s necessarily the right place”.
It is thought the Uxbridge MP and former London mayor will not be in the country for the vote on Monday.
Of Hands, international trade secretary Liam Fox said: “His work as minister for trade policy has been hugely valuable as we deliver the UK’s independent trading policy for the first time in more than 40 years. I want to thank him on behalf of everyone at DIT for his hard work over the last two years.”