Heathrow Airport alone must be given the go ahead for expansion, the man appointed by the Government to review airport capacity says today.

Sir Howard Davies, the chair of the airports commission, said the case for expanding Heathrow is now "overwhelming" and has "strengthened in recent months" post-Brexit.

Writing in today's Daily Telegraph, Sir Howard's comments come just a day before Theresa May is set to announce the government's favoured option on airport expansion and are likely to reflect government thinking.

Last week it was suggested that Mrs May could announce expansion to both Heathrow and Gatwick, but Sir Howard's comments - coming just 24 hours before the announcement - suggest this is unlikely.

He warns that failure to expand Heathrow alone would be "a mistake".

Sir Howard, who spent four years examining the options on airport expansion on behalf of the government also criticises David Cameron over his failure to make a decision sooner.

He brands the former Prime Minister "an immovable object" 

Sir Howard says: "The arguments for making a decision now, and for Heathrow, have strengthened in recent months. Overseas, the lack of a decision is seen as a symbol of Britain’s inability to decide on its future as a trading nation.

"And the need for a clear strategic direction is more important since the referendum result. The rhetoric about becoming a European Singapore with a “blue water” trading focus seems empty if we cannot connect to the new markets we wish to serve.

"Gatwick is largely a European short-haul airport. It is also oriented towards outward tourism. About 70 per cent of its tourist passengers are Brits going to the sun. Sadly, relatively few residents of Marbella and Corfu come here for their summer break.

"At Heathrow the tourist traffic is largely inbound. With our huge balance of payments deficit we need more high-spending American and Asian tourists to balance the books."

David Fuller's view

As a Londoner, I am not thrilled to have Heathrow expanded.  However, as a citizen of the UK, I think this is the sensible decision. 

Sir Howard Davies is a smart, experienced and unsentimental chair of the airports commission.  I cannot think of anyone better qualified to have made this decision.  Any decision was certain to be controversial.  However, as with Brexit, our politicians now need to unite behind the decision, approve it and move on in the interests of the country.  We would be a pathetic and poorer laughing stock nation if narcisstic, self-important politicians dragged this through the courts in a painful, expensive delay, which this country neither wants nor can afford. 

Here is a PDF of the report.

Please note: I will be away on Thursday and Friday.