The battle of Heathrow: how they line up

Conservative leader David Cameron: has accused the Government of faking the case for Heathrow's third runway for the sake of political point-scoring.

Former British Airways Chief Executive Bob Ayling: has come out against expansion at Heathrow and called for fewer flights to use the airport.

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg: says "the case for extending Heathrow is so threadbare it's embarrassing".

Mayor of London Boris Johnson: has repeatedly expressed his concerns about the scheme and promised to "fight expansion every step of the way".

The 2M Group: an alliance of local authorities concerned at the environmental impact of Heathrow expansion on their communities. The membership comprises the London boroughs of Brent, Camden, Ealing, Greenwich, Hammersmith & Fulham, Harrow, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Richmond, Southwark, Sutton and Wandsworth, and the boroughs of Slough, Windsor and Maidenhead and South Bucks District Council.

The NO Third Runway Action Group: residents' association supported by Hillingdon council, which has opposed plans from the outset claiming the extra noise will be unbearable and that the expansion would destroy more than 700 homes in Sipson Village and the town of Harlington.

The Heathrow Association for the Control of Aircraft Noise (Hacan): a local pressure group which claims a third runway would bring more noise and pollution and destroy homes.

Friends of the Earth: claims the west London airport's expansion is "environmental madness".

The Co-operative Travel: a chain of travel agents which sells more than £1 billion of holidays every year. It has said that instead of the extra runway the aviation industry must improve existing services and technology.

The World Development Movement: claims that the proposed additional flights from Heathrow's third runway would emit the same amount of CO2 per year as the whole of Kenya.

The Camp for Climate Action: an organisation which ran a protest camp close to the airport in August last year and attracted some 2000 protesters.

FOR:

BAA: owns Heathrow Airport and wants to spend £7 billion over 10 years developing the project which would include the runway and possibly a sixth terminal building.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown: has said "we can't afford to duck a decision about the future of airports. That's why it is right to go ahead with airport expansion."

Transport Secretary Douglas Alexander: claims it will be a £5 billion boost to the economy. He has said the broad thrust of aviation policy is unchanged since a 2003 White Paper backed a significant expansion of airport capacity.

Future Heathrow: a pro-expansion group which has supported the scheme, claiming the new runway is necessary to maintain Heathrow as Europe's main airport.

Ruth Kelly, Transport Secretary: has stated that carbon emissions will not actually rise overall in the environment since carbon trading will be used to ensure that these increases from Heathrow are offset by reductions elsewhere in the economy.

Jim Fitzpatrick, Aviation Minister: has defended the plans saying anyone evicted from their home as a result of expansion would be fully compensated.

Spelthorne council: has voted in favour of the third runway. It was originally a member of the 2M group but has since pulled out and supported the scheme.