Controversial plans to build a new runway at Gatwick have been backed by Labour leaders - but the party's MP has still not clarified her position.

Crawley Labour Party has joined business leaders in backing a new runway.

Opponents say it will wreck the environment and swamp local services. But Crawley MP Laura Moffatt, whose husband supports the proposal, has yet to make her views known.

Those against another runway fear a legal agreement which bans construction until 2019 may be breached.

Mrs Moffatt missed the important pro-Gatwick rally and march through the centre of Crawley a fortnight ago.

During the rally, the backbencher and former nurse was attending a seminar on cancer care in the United States.

But her husband Colin was pictured waving a pro-Gatwick placard on the march.

Since then, Mrs Moffatt's constituency team has voted by 3-1 in favour of expansion at its annual general committee meeting but the MP was not present.

A spokesman at her office said: "Laura was not at the meeting.

"She had other commitments so could not vote."

Mrs Moffatt attended the Great Gatwick Debate organised by Sussex Enterprise several weeks ago and asked questions at the meeting. But she left before a show of hands could be counted.

Her only statement on the issue has been to the effect that she is waiting to hear how the people of Crawley feel before making a stand.

Crawley town councillor and chairman of the Labour Party branch Robert Hole said: "We are in favour of the Government's 30-year transport infrastructure plan and we support option 1."

This means the Labour members are backing a close parallel runway, which is what BAA recently announced as one of its favourite schemes.

But Mr Hole added that the support is there only if the plan includes provision for more housing and better surface transport.

"We welcome the opportunity presented in the consultation document and recognise that a close parallel runway meets the goals of sustainable development, with negligible addition to the noise footprint."

The group is opposing any other option due to concerns over environmental damage and disruption to the town.

Meanwhile, many Labour town councillors are vehemently against Gatwick expansion.

Councillor Jim Smith and his wife Brenda founded the One's Enough anti-runway campaign and heckled speakers at the pro-airport rally.

Members of the local Deanery Synod discussed the question of rescinding the 2019 agreement.

It passed a motion calling the possibility of rescinding the legal agreement which forbids any new construction at Gatwick until August 2019 "unethical and a cause of great distress to people."

One of the synod is the Rev William Campen, who lives at the rectory in Charlwood, the village closest to the airport.