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A simple 'no' was the message delivered by hundreds of people at the cross-party rally against a third runway at Heathrow Airport on Tuesday (March 3).

High-profile politicians from across the political spectrum were joined by environmental chiefs, council leaders, businessmen and trade union leaders at the central London event staged by anti-expansion pressure group HACAN, to pledge their opposition to expansion at Heathrow.

Among the anti-expansion campaigners seated at the Church House Conference Centre, in Westminster, were hundreds of people whose homes are threatened by the new proposed runway.

HACAN chairman John Stewart said: “The rally sent a loud and clear message to the next Government: build a new runway at your peril.

"The coalition which saw it off last time round is still alive, well and fighting."

Despite an earlier row which left chief executives of Hounslow Chamber of Commerce and West London Business riled over the appearance of Twickenham MP and business secretary Vince Cable at the rally, Mr Cable cleared the air and spoke at the event where he made it clear the Liberal Democrat policy remained one of total opposition to a third runway; adding there was no sound economic reason why Heathrow needed to expand.

Labour MP for Hayes and Harlington John McDonnell, thousands of whose constituents face the loss of their homes, predicted that any decision to go ahead with a new runway would result in the biggest direct action environmental protest in Europe.

In a fighting speech, he said: "We will enforce democracy. We'll lie down in front of bulldozers. We'll protect our communities. And we will win."

In a passionate opening speech, Tory MP for Richmond Park and North Kingston Zac Goldsmith's message was: "If any government thinks they can build it, we will defeat it."

He went on to explain the impact of another 250,000 planes a year on local communities.

Other MPs in attendance included Hammersmith's Andy Slaughter for Hammersmith, Mary Macleod for Brentford and Isleworth, Uxbridge and South Ruislip MP John Randall and Adam Afriyie for Windsor.

But, in a tweet, pro-expansion group Back Heathrow said the numbers at the meeting were not as high as stated: "There is opposition to #Heathrow expansion but empty chairs at last night's #runwayrally show protest leaders continue to over-state numbers."

Green Party leader Natalie Bennett and former Conservative transport minister Steven Norris also spoke at the rally, as well as Greenpeace chief executive John Sauven, Wandsworth Council leader Ravi Govindia, UKIP parliamentary candidate for Hayes and Harlington Cliff Dixon, Friends of the Earth chief executive Andy Atkins, PCS union assistant general secretary Chris Baugh, Liberal Democrat Leader for Greater London Assembly Caroline Pidgeon and Labour mayoral candidate Christian Wolmar.

The Airports Commission is looking into the case for a third runway at Heathrow or a second runway at Gatwick and is expected to make its recommendation in June.

The next Government will decide whether or not to accept that recommendation.

Ms Macleod will host a public meeting with representatives from each of the three options for airport expansion present at West Thames College, London Road, Isleworth, on Wednesday March 11 from 7pm-8.30pm.