Council leader Lord True launched a scathing attack on the "wretchedly predictable" Davies Commission recommendation for Heathrow expansion at Tuesday’s council meeting, and called for a cross-party campaign against a third runway.

The £20m commission, chaired by Sir Howard Davies, recommended the west London airport for expansion last week after three years of debate and research.

Jul 1: Davies Commission report "beggars belief", say anti-expansion campaigners

Lord True cited failures to address noise pollution, air quality, security issues and a "questionable loading of the economic dice in favour of big Heathrow" in the "deeply flawed" report and said Richmond Council would never accept expansion in any form.

He said: "They will have to abolish this council first."

The leader lambasted the "contemptible" attitude of Davies committee members and quoted from a section of the report that claimed the negative effect of aircraft noise on people’s happiness was less than the negative effect associated with living in social housing.

He said: "I am not sure whether that shameful comparison actually says more about the commission’s disregard for the impact of noise or the snobbish people who must be in and around the commission."

Lord True called for a "fighting fund" to be set up to legally challenge expansion and, referring to the incident in June that saw a stowaway fall from a plane on to a Richmond office block, he highlighted security issues that would be exacerbated should the number of flights over London be increased.

He said: "Let’s pray that person or successful trespasser on a far away airport is never a bomb-placer or suicide bomber.

"I am going to pick up on that case to try and highlight the security point to send a strong message to the airlines and aviation authorities we are exploring precisely how to take legal action against those who fail to protect the borough."

Leader of Richmond’s Liberal Democrats, Gareth Roberts, said he was delighted to second a motion calling for a special standing committee to fight expansion.

He said: "On this issue which poses a genuine threat not only to the health of local residents but also to their quality of life it is only proper that the two parties on the council set aside their differences and unite in the face of a common threat.

"Furthermore the opportunity to work with other, similarly opposed local authorities will ensure that we are not a lone voice fighting against the power and influence of the money men lurking in the shadow of the pro-expansion camp."