In an interview with the BBC's Sunday Politics programme, Conservative Party chairman Grant Shapps pointed out that Mrs Hutchings, her husband and two of their three children, had gone to state schools.

BBC: UK Politics

Instead, she said, she wanted to "take the politics out of aviation" and work with the government to come up with a cross-party aviation policy.

BBC: Labour scraps plan for third runway at Heathrow Airport

Geoffrey Vero, chairman of the Surrey Heath Conservative Constituency Association, who wants the bill to be delayed, told the BBC's Daily Politics it was costing the party votes, and some supporters were no longer prepared to help out with canvassing.

BBC: A gay wedding