Press Release: John McDonnell MP condemns Heathrow Airport’s non-payment of Corporation Tax

Heathrow airport has been found to have avoided paying £234 million worth of taxes.

Margaret Hodge MP, Chair of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee criticised Heathrow airport for not having paid corporation tax on company profits. Her Committee found that Heathrow airport had avoided paying taxes totalling £234 million by offsetting some of the costs of building Terminal 5.

Mrs Hodge said that for several years the company had “made a fortune” from its UK activities, which relied on public services, adding: “For them to pretend they are only in it for the benefit of the UK economy is a touch hypocritical.”

Local MP John McDonnell said “I am absolutely disgusted that Heathrow Airport that is now in foreign hands has got away with avoiding this huge amount of taxes. Just think how we could have invested this money locally. This could have paid for the new hospital that we need in order to replace the dilapidated buildings at Hillingdon Hospital and paid for the new homes we need to tackle our local housing crisis. I am calling upon Heathrow Airport Ltd to pay the money back. They have a moral duty to pay their way in our community.”