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Cabinet split over backing for Heathrow expansion

Labour splits have opened up after it emerged Rachel Reeves is poised to reaffirm her backing for an expansion of Heathrow airport.

The Chancellor is expected to voice her support for airport expansion in the UK, including a third runway at Heathrow, as part of her attempts to show she is serious about fuelling growth in the economy.

While there is no live planning application from Heathrow to expand, the Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander is due to make a decision on both Gatwick and Luton in the coming months, with expectations high that she will grant them approval.

Back in June, Reeves said she had “nothing against expanding airport capacity”, adding that she wanted “Heathrow to be that European hub for travel”.

Asked about reports that she is prepared to voice her support for an expansion at Heathrow in the Commons on Tuesday, the Chancellor hinted that she was supportive, replying: “I’m not going to comment on leaks.

“But what I would say is this Government is absolutely committed to growing our economy and making this a great place for business to invest and trade in.”

But her support for its expansion has already sparked divisions within the Cabinet, with Net Zero secretary Ed Miliband previously opposed to such a plan and senior Labour figures, including London Mayor Sadiq Khan and Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham.

A No10 source told The i Paper: “The most committed environmentalists in the Cabinet are not onside yet. They are not there yet. But no one is on resignation watch.”

While in opposition in current Cabinet members Hilary Benn, Darren Jones, Lisa Nandy, Steve Reed and Ellie Reeves voted against Heathrow expansion, as well as Ed Miliband.

A spokeswoman for the Mayor of London told The i Paper: “The Mayor has a long-standing opposition to airport expansion around London – linked to the negative impact on air quality, noise and London’s ability to reach net-zero by 2030.”

Khan reportedly said on Tuesday night he “wouldn’t hesitate’ to launch another legal challenge.

It comes after Burnham warned an expansion of Heathrow risked “trapping” infrastructure investment in London and the South East at the expense of Manchester and the north.

“If you expand Heathrow as well as Gatwick and Luton … obviously that traps knock-on infrastructure investment in London and the south-east because you have to build more rail links, more road links to cope with the extra throughput through those airports. And effectively that diverts infrastructure investment away from the north and traps it in London and the south-east,” he told Times Radio.

Environmental campaigners have warned expanding the west London airport would be “catastrophic” for the environment and set back efforts to tackle climate change.

Alethea Warrington, head of aviation at climate charity Possible, said: “Approving airport expansions would be a catastrophic misstep for a Government which claims to be a climate leader.

“This huge increase in emissions won’t help our economy, and would just encourage the small group of frequent flyers who take most of the flights, further worsening the UK’s huge tourism deficit.”

Jenny Bates, transport campaigner at 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 and given 2024 was the first year to surpass the all-important 1.5 degrees threshold.

But Labour MP Chris Curtis and Co-Chair of the Labour Growth Group welcomed the move, insisting the Government needed to do “everything we can to get it fixed”.

“In my view that does include building a third runway at Heathrow. In an increasingly interconnected world having greater airport capacity is really important. I would welcome this announcement if the Chancellor does go on to make it,” he said.

“Heathrow’s expansion is an important part of a range of projects the Government can back to unlock growth and investment in this country.”

The Government has set four key tests for any airport expansion that relate to air pollution, noise, climate change and economic growth. Heathrow is expected to struggle to pass the tests on air and noise pollution.

A government official told The i Paper that there were “live development consent orders for Luton and Gatwick, and there is no such order for Heathrow”.



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