Boris Johnson avoids Heathrow vote

It comes to something when Kabul is a safe port in a political storm. Yet the Afghan capital was where Boris Johnson flew today, in order to avoid a crucial Commons vote on Heathrow’s third runway, which could have seen him forced to resign.

Mr Johnson, who famously vowed to lie in front of a bulldozer to stop the third runway, told his constituents that resigning over the issue would “achieve absolutely nothing”. MPs are voting later tonight and are expected to back the expansion plans.