A pro-expansion Heathrow campaign group today attempted to hijack an anti-third runway film competition, the winners of which are due to be announced tonight.
Back Heathrow, which claims to represent the views of the 'silent majority' living and working around the airport, released its own short film outlining why it believes an extra runway should be built.
Celebrity judges including Hugh Grant are due to announce the winnners tonight of the No Ifs Not Buts Film Competition, launched by Richmond Park MP Zac Goldsmith and protest group HACAN to highlight the case against a new landing strip.
Back Heathrow, which was set up with funding from the airport, this morning published its own film on YouTube, as a riposte to the short film contest.
The two-and-a-half minute video features residents and businesses from communities around the airport explaining why Heathrow matters to them.
Back Heathrow's campaign coordinator Rob Gray said: "Zac Goldsmith and his celebrity friends have dangled thousands of pounds in front of aspiring film makers. The residents in our film gave their time for free because alongside 30,000 local people they back our campaign, to ensure Heathrow grows and succeeds.
"Our film delivers a positive message of what Heathrow's future means to local communities. No expansion means long term decline – or closure and mass job losses if Boris Johnson gets his way.
"Clearly the only person who would benefit from thousands of ex-workers forced to sit at home watching daytime TV would be Holly Willoughby."
But if Back Heathrow is hoping to win the £10,000 first prize, it is set for disappointment as the film is longer than the two minutes competition rules allow.
