Boris Johnson has defended his decision to skip a crunch vote on Heathrow expansion after critics accused him of breaking a promise to constituents to oppose the building of a third runway.
The Foreign Secretary said his "resignation would have achieved absolutely nothing" as he predicted the runway will not be built and vowed to continue to oppose it from within Government.
Mr Johnson has been given carte blanche to miss Monday’s vote when MPs will be asked to back the plans.
He has been given permission to be out of the country which means he will not have to decide between supporting the Government and voting against the plans which would likely have required him to resign.
Mr Johnson had...