The Cabinet is split over whether to expand Stansted or Heathrow, according to a report in the Independent.

The chancellor is said to back Heathrow - arguing that the strength of the economic case for expansion at Heathrow airport is irrefutable.

But, citing electoral concerns, the prime minister favours expanding Stansted.

A spokeswoman for the Department for Transport told ePolitix.com: "This story is rubbish. The white paper hasn't been published yet and will set out the government's position on airport expansion in the South East."

Forum Response: The Woodland Trust

Ed Pomfret, public affairs officer for the Woodland Trust, told ePolitix.com: "The question for Mr Blair and Mr Brown should not be 'where will the new runways go?' but 'why do we need new runways at all?'

"There have been several studies showing that if sensible demand management measures are put in place there will be no need for a new runway.

"At all of the sites under consideration for new runways the environmental cost would be huge.

"At Stansted for example we would stand to lose at least five ancient woodland sites, probably many more and the effects would be felt across several other sites including the internationally important Hatfield Forest.

"These are sites that have been continuously wooded for at least 400 years, are our richest habitat for wildlife and are irreplaceable."In addition, aviation is predicted to become one of the greatest individual contributors to greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

"Expansion of the aviation sector would require even more severe cut backs in other industries to allow us to come close to the government's target of a 60 per cent cut in carbon emissions over the next 50 years."The environmental trade-off for airport expansion is simply too high for any expansion to be acceptable and we hope the government will realise that building new runways is unsustainable."

Forum Response: Institute of Directors

A spokesman for the IoD told ePolitix.com: "Runway expansion is of great importance to the economic well-being of the South East.

"Precisely which airport is chosen for expansion is a difficult decision to make, however it is a decision that has to be made, sooner rather than later."