BRADFORD East MP Imran Hussain has called for Leeds Bradford Airport expansion plans to be blocked if they push ahead with job losses.

Last month, it was revealed that 158 employees at the airport face redundancy consultation, with a view to losing 107 jobs.

The airport said it was “deeply saddened”, but the decision was due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In a letter to Judith Blake, leader of Leeds City Council, Mr Hussain said: “As you know, these planned job losses are the result of a decision by Leeds Bradford Airport to refuse to accept support under the Government’s Job Retention Scheme that would allow them to retain staff through this difficult period, and I am deeply concerned that the airport’s management would rather issue redundancies and make a considerable number of staff jobless at an already challenging time than accept support to retain their staff.

“These planned job losses also follow additional plans by Leeds Bradford Airport for a £150 million expansion that would the number of passengers served each year by the airport almost double from a current figure of four million to seven million by 2030.

“Whilst these expansion plans are severely undermined by the inevitable increase in carbon emissions and environmental impact on the region and on the planet that would be created as a result, and this impact must rightly be considered in any decision on approving the airport’s expansion, the argument for expansion is further undermined by their plans to issue redundancies.”

He added that he cannot see how the airport can continue make a case for expansion when issuing redundancies.

Mr Hussain said: “As the local authority responsible for Leeds-Bradford Airport, Leeds City Council must send a clear message to the airport’s management that their decision to make a large number of redundancies cannot be supported, and I therefore strongly urge Leeds City Council to block LBA’s expansion plans if these job losses go ahead.”

The airport hit back at Mr Hussain’s claims.

A spokesperson said: “We have utilised the Government schemes available to us to the fullest extent possible, and made every effort to safeguard long term jobs and support our teams. To suggest that LBA’s future employment generating replacement terminal plans should be rejected as a result of these consultations is short-sighted and does not account for the thousands of jobs the scheme would create in the long term.

“We have been very clear in our economic and environmental case for development and our detailed analysis has been reinforced by independent experts on behalf of Leeds City Council just this week. We would advise all interested stakeholders to look at this information and assess the details for themselves.”

Leeds City Council was contacted for comment.