The Chancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to publicly announce her support for the expansion of Heathrow in an upcoming speech. Despite this only being speculated about, it is already drawing criticism from climate and community activists, and her own party.
Bloomberg reported on Tuesday that she would support a third runway as a series of measures aimed at boosting the UK’s economic fortunes.
Although the focus has been on Heathrow, both Luton and Gatwick are also expected to be mentioned in an upcoming speech.
‘We will miss out on crucial investment into Britain’
The planned expansion of Heathrow has always been controversial, but the Labour government’s call could draw the most criticism as it appears to directly conflict with its plans to reach net zero by 2050.
Ms Reeves told Sky News: “When the last government faced difficult decisions about whether to support infrastructure investment, the answer always seemed to be no.
“We can’t carry on like that, because if we do, we will miss out on crucial investment here into Britain.”
Her indication that she values economic growth over climate commitments has angered green activists.
Jenny Bates from Friends of the Earth said: “A decision to green-light another runway at Heathrow would be hugely irresponsible in the midst of a climate emergency.
“Not only would these expansions bring worse air pollution and noise disturbance for local people, but approving them would also contradict the government’s own climate advisors.”
Local opposition to the third runway
Justine Bayley lives in Harmondsworth, a village that would have half its houses bulldozed if existing plans went ahead. She also chairs the Stop Heathrow Expansion residents’ group.
She says that the move would be disastrous for local communities, as several villages would be demolished in the construction.
Heathrow’s proposed expansion plans would demolish houses in Harmondsworth and remove the village of Longford
Reeves would face opposition from within her own party
Sir Sadiq Khan, who won a third term as Mayor of London partly on a platform of opposing expansion of the capital’s airports, said his views “haven’t changed.”
He told the London Assembly: “What Londoners know and the Government knows is the aviation sector is important for growth, jobs and prosperity, but we face a climate crisis and a climate emergency.”
The Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, who has been vocal in opposing the Heathrow’s expansion in the past, told the PA news agency that the Government can meet both its growth and net-zero missions – and that he wouldn’t resign over the issue.
What would existing plans mean?
Another runway could see the number of flights at Heathrow jump from 480,000 a year to more than 700,000, adding to noise and air pollution.
Building the new runway would involve diverting rivers, moving roads and rerouting the M25 through a tunnel under the new runway, also causing further disruption for locals.
This isn’t the first time it has been discussed
The Labour government first approved a third runway in 2009, with the then Prime Minister Gordon Brown saying it was needed for economic reasons.
The plan was later scrapped by the coalition government of 2010. David Cameron said he ruled out a Heathrow expansion: “No ifs, no buts”.
However, MPs voted in favour of the third runway in 2018, only for it be paused once again in February 2020 by the Court of Appeal, who ruled the decision to allow the expansion was unlawful because it did not take climate commitments into account.
But recently, the Supreme Court reversed its decision to block plans for the third runway.
Luton and Gatwick set to be expanded
Despite Heathrow being the subject of most speculation, Gatwick and Luton are closer to decisions being made for their expansion.
Both expect to see their Development Consent Orders (DCOs) confirmed this year, with Gatwick in February and Luton in April.
A DCO is like planning permission for a large infrastructure project that involves an extensive public consultation period.
This could set a precedent for a Heathrow application being confirmed, but as of yet, there it has now submitted a DCO.
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HeadlineChancellor criticised for ‘catastrophic’ support for a third runway at Heathrow
Short HeadlineChancellor criticised for 'catastrophic' support for Heathrow expansion
StandfirstRachel Reeves is said to back the expansion to boost economic growth
The Chancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to publicly announce her support for the expansion of Heathrow in an upcoming speech. Despite this only being speculated about, it is already drawing criticism from climate and community activists, and her own party.
Bloomberg reported on Tuesday that she would support a third runway as a series of measures aimed at boosting the UK’s economic fortunes.
Although the focus has been on Heathrow, both Luton and Gatwick are also expected to be mentioned in an upcoming speech.
‘We will miss out on crucial investment into Britain’
The planned expansion of Heathrow has always been controversial, but the Labour government’s call could draw the most criticism as it appears to directly conflict with its plans to reach net zero by 2050.
Ms Reeves told Sky News: “When the last government faced difficult decisions about whether to support infrastructure investment, the answer always seemed to be no.
“We can’t carry on like that, because if we do, we will miss out on crucial investment here into Britain.”
Her indication that she values economic growth over climate commitments has angered green activists.
Jenny Bates from Friends of the Earth said: “A decision to green-light another runway at Heathrow would be hugely irresponsible in the midst of a climate emergency.
“Not only would these expansions bring worse air pollution and noise disturbance for local people, but approving them would also contradict the government’s own climate advisors.”
Local opposition to the third runway
Justine Bayley lives in Harmondsworth, a village that would have half its houses bulldozed if existing plans went ahead. She also chairs the Stop Heathrow Expansion residents’ group.
She says that the move would be disastrous for local communities, as several villages would be demolished in the construction.
Heathrow’s proposed expansion plans would demolish houses in Harmondsworth and remove the village of Longford
Reeves would face opposition from within her own party
Sir Sadiq Khan, who won a third term as Mayor of London partly on a platform of opposing expansion of the capital’s airports, said his views “haven’t changed.”
He told the London Assembly: “What Londoners know and the Government knows is the aviation sector is important for growth, jobs and prosperity, but we face a climate crisis and a climate emergency.”
The Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, who has been vocal in opposing the Heathrow’s expansion in the past, told the PA news agency that the Government can meet both its growth and net-zero missions – and that he wouldn’t resign over the issue.
What would existing plans mean?
Another runway could see the number of flights at Heathrow jump from 480,000 a year to more than 700,000, adding to noise and air pollution.
Building the new runway would involve diverting rivers, moving roads and rerouting the M25 through a tunnel under the new runway, also causing further disruption for locals.
This isn’t the first time it has been discussed
The Labour government first approved a third runway in 2009, with the then Prime Minister Gordon Brown saying it was needed for economic reasons.
The plan was later scrapped by the coalition government of 2010. David Cameron said he ruled out a Heathrow expansion: “No ifs, no buts”.
However, MPs voted in favour of the third runway in 2018, only for it be paused once again in February 2020 by the Court of Appeal, who ruled the decision to allow the expansion was unlawful because it did not take climate commitments into account.
But recently, the Supreme Court reversed its decision to block plans for the third runway.
Luton and Gatwick set to be expanded
Despite Heathrow being the subject of most speculation, Gatwick and Luton are closer to decisions being made for their expansion.
Both expect to see their Development Consent Orders (DCOs) confirmed this year, with Gatwick in February and Luton in April.
A DCO is like planning permission for a large infrastructure project that involves an extensive public consultation period.
This could set a precedent for a Heathrow application being confirmed, but as of yet, there it has now submitted a DCO.
