Cabinet members and regional mayors have voiced opposition to the expansion of major airports
Rachel Reeves is reportedly set to announce plans for a third runway at Heathrow (Image: Getty)
A civil war has erupted in the Labour Party after it was reported that Rachel Reeves plans to approve a third runway at Heathrow Airport and an expansion of operations at Gatwick.
In a speech next week, the Chancellor is also expected to support more flights at Luton.
The Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, and Mayor of London, Sir Sadiq Khan have voiced opposition to more runways at Heathrow and Gatwick.
Mr Burnham told Times Radio: “I don’t think it’s a good idea if it comes at the expense of infrastructure investment in the north of England.”
The Mayor has also said that the move would trap growth in London.
READ MORE: Rachel Reeves leading economy to ‘doomed loop’ as borrowing soars
Sir Sadiq Khan has voiced opposition to the expansion of London airports (Image: Getty)
The Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, and Cabinet members Ed Miliband, Hilary Benn, Darren Jones, Lisa Nandy, Steve Reed and Ellie Reeves voted against an expansion of Heathrow while in opposition.
Sir Sadiq has had a long-standing opposition to airport expansion around the capital, citing a negative impact on air quality, noise and London’s ability to reach net-zero by 2030.
In August, the Mayor told our sister site MyLondon that he was “concerned” about the Government’s approval of more flights at London City Airport.
The annual passenger cap at the international travel hub in the East of the capital would increase from 6.5million to 9million after plans received the green light.
READ MORE:
‘Worst of socialism’ – Kemi Badenoch blasts Starmer’s education plans in PMQs [REPORT]
‘Rachel Reeves, your economy is crashing down around everyone in Britain’ [OPINION]
No escape from Labour tax raids as cost-of-dying rockets too [OPINION]
Ed Miliband has voted against the expansion of Heathrow previously (Image: Getty)
Trending
Ms Reeves would not be drawn on the speculation regarding her plans for Heathrow, Gatwick and Luton at a Bloomberg event at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday, but said: “This was the problem with the last Government – that there was always somebody that said, ‘Oh yes, of course we want to grow the economy but we don’t like that investment, we don’t like that wind farm, we don’t like those pylons, we don’t like that airport, we don’t want that housing near us’.
“But the answer can’t always be ‘no’ and that’s been the problem in Britain for a long time, that when there was a choice between something that would grow the economy and anything else, anything else always won.”
“Now, of course, there are other things that matter, but when we say that growth is the number one mission of this Government, we mean it, and that means it trumps other things.”
Most Popular Comments