John McDonnell has criticised a pro- third runway campaign group after it called for his constituency to be redrawn because of his "fiercely anti-expansion views".

Back Heathrow has written to the Boundary Commission calling for the airport to be removed from Hayes and Harlington because the MP opposes expansion.

But Mr McDonnell has condemned the group, calling it a front organisation for Heathrow Airport PLC.

'Unprecedented interference'

The Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer said: “This is an unprecedented interference by a private company in a constitutional process.

“I have never heard of a private company trying to fix a constituency boundary like this and therefore interfere to fix a local parliamentary election."

Mr McDonnell added: “By seeking to influence a constituency boundary to secure an MP that will effectively become a company lap dog is an outrageous attempt at gerrymandering.”

The Boundary Commission has proposed sweeping changes to the current parliamentary constituencies and a 12-week consultation has been launched.

Back Heathrow's director Rob Gray penned a letter to the commission calling for Heathrow to be removed from the Hayes and Harlington constituency.

The group suggested the airport could be designated a Special Development Corporation, which would give all six planning authorities in the area a say.

'Mr McDonnell is out of touch'

Responding to Mr McDonnell's comments, a Back Heathrow spokesman said: “Mr McDonnell is out of touch with the views of his constituents, most of whom support Heathrow expansion according to a recent poll, and his allegations are complete nonsense.

“We were representing 100,000 residents near Heathrow by responding to a public consultation.”

The Government is expected to make a decision on expanding Heathrow this month.

Mr McDonnell has been backed by the anti-third runway group Stop Heathrow Expansion.

Campaign coordinator Rob Barnstone said: “Thousands of people in the Hayes and Harlington constituency voted for John McDonnell based on his strong opposition to Heathrow Expansion.

“John stands up for people's homes, communities, places of worship and schools in the villages that are under threat from Heathrow's proposal – places which Back Heathrow would like to see demolished.”

The Boundary Commission is set to make a recommendation on constituency changes in September 2018.