Boris Johnson has refused to endorse proposals for a third runway at Heathrow despite a court ruling in the airport’s favour.
The panel of five Supreme Court justices overturned an earlier judgment against expansion, effectively giving Heathrow the green light to plan for the £14bn project.
Heathrow will still need to apply for a development consent order, but now will not be blocked on grounds of environmental impact.
The prime minister on Wednesday, however, refused to back the expansion which he had opposed as a backbench MP.
