Cast your mind back to mid-December when DEFRA secretary Hilary Benn told the Sunday Times that Heathrow’s controversial expansion plans should be rejected unless noise and air pollution are dramatically cut.

Well, the government has announced today that it has given the go-ahead to the plans. So where does that leave Benn?

Having spoken out so boldy on the issue, could this be the sort of thing that pushes him into resignation territory? Or has he volunteered himself as reshuffle fodder, as his words are hardly likely to have endeared him to the PM.

Time will tell.

Isabel Davies:

Heathrow’s controversial expansion plans should be rejected unless noise and air pollution are dramatically cut.

I do not think he will resign on that issue. If questioned about the quotation above, his reply will contain some or all of the following words or concepts. Tough, Sustainable. Rigorous. Conditionality. (sic) Environmentally sustainable. New generation. Technology. Future generations.

He may, of course go, because Brown has been advised by Mandelson that he generates antipathy and, as with Blair's cabinet. anyone who generates more public antipathy than empathy is culled. Mandelson operates on the principle that to stay in government it is necessary to 1) suggest, but not promise, paradise. 2) Announce regular inititiatives that seem to point the way to paradise, and 3) ensure all front line politicians are not objectionable.

Hilary Wedgewood Benn believes in the 'paradise' and is open to regular initiatives, however, he does not fit the third criteria as he is objectionable to a sufficient number of people as to have a negative influence on public opinion. My guess is that he will be pushed fairly soon. The problem for Brown is who will replace him?

I'm sure there are any number of inner-city Labour MPs with less than one farm in their constituency who are therefore suitably (over-)qualified for the role. Of course, they would also have to tick the vegetarian box too...