An influential Tory MP has said a Conservative government would say no to a new runway at Gatwick.

The Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign (GACC) said Horsham MP Francis Maude made the pledge at its annual meeting.

Mr Maude is the man in charge of implementing the next Conservative manifesto.

He told the meeting that a Conservative government would not permit a new runway to be built at Gatwick. He said: “That is a firm Shadow Cabinet decision which will not be changed, whatever the pressure from the airlines.

“We will be authorising a high-speed rail link to the north of England, and are delighted that this policy has been adopted by the Government.”

Also at the meeting, Charlwood-based GACC unanimously passed a resolution calling on the Government to hold a public inquiry into the recent planning application for an enlargement of the North Terminal.

The application from airports operator BAA sought to extend the terminal to enable Gatwick to handle 40 million passengers a year with 20,000 extra flights.

The Government imposed a direction on Crawley Borough Council last month to stop it from giving planning permission until the Government decided whether a public inquiry should be held.

GACC chairman Brendon Sewill said the size of the extension does merit a public inquiry.

He said: “That would be an increase bigger than the total size of many regional airports, and it would be iniquitous not to allow a full public inquiry so as to ensure that tough conditions are imposed to protect the environment.”

The meeting, which was attended by a cross-section of representatives from county, district and parish councils, environmental groups and local residents, also focused on topics including the impact of last month's sale of Gatwick.

General agreement was reached on the need for environmental groups at all airports to work together.