Rachel Reeves has indicated her support for building a third runway at Heathrow Airport, arguing that it would have environmental benefits such as reducing the number of planes circling London.
Ahead of a major speech on economic growth this week, the Chancellor defended the expansion of Heathrow Airport and said there was “huge investment” in more sustainable aviation.
Speaking to the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg on Sunday, Reeves did not deny that she was planning to announce the Heathrow expansion in her speech on Wednesday.
“This government has already signed up to expand London City Airport and Stansted Airport. Reeves told the BBC: Both decisions, again, were decisions that were postponed by the previous government. “We are progressing and achieving, and this will be good for investment and trade in our country and also good for families who want to take cheaper holidays as well.”
Asked about previous comments made by Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, about the impact of the third runway on the city’s air quality and progress towards the UK’s net-zero targets, Reeves said: “A lot has changed in terms of aviation.”
She added that “the third runway will mean that instead of circling London, flights can land at Heathrow” and that more sustainable aviation fuels “will change the carbon emissions generated by aviation”.
“A lot has changed in aviation, and sustainable aviation and economic growth go hand in hand,” the Chancellor added.
Speaking to Trevor Phillips on Sky News on Sunday, Reeves said any announcement about airport expansion would be made with “full collective ministerial responsibility”.
But she added: “This government has already signed off on housing and data center infrastructure projects to support the AI and technology industry. We have supported onshore wind developments. We have supported a number of developments to bring growth to our country again.”
“Decisions that were on the desks of previous ministers, but those decisions were either blocked or stalled, and as a result we haven’t had the economic growth and investment that our country deserves to create those good jobs.”
The Guardian reported last week that Energy Secretary Ed Miliband warned his Cabinet colleagues that expanding the airport would likely put the UK in breach of its legally binding carbon budget, which keeps the government on track to meet its goal of net-zero emissions for 2050.
Meanwhile, a leaked cost-benefit analysis from the Treasury suggested that sustainable fuel could increase the cost of a single economy air ticket by £37.80 by 2040. It stated that 75% of the costs of using more sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) would be passed on to Consumer.
Currently, aircraft use highly polluting kerosene as their jet fuel. They can cut their emissions by up to 80% by using biofuels made from feedstocks, cooking oils or crops, but this takes up huge amounts of land and uses crops that could be used for food instead.
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch said on Sunday she would support building a third runway at Heathrow Airport.
“I’ve had to vote on this before and I voted for the third runway. What I want to do is make sure it’s done in the right way,” she told Sky.
“I think we need to make sure we provide the infrastructure and what ifs Heathrow Airport If we believe that the third runway can be delivered within the specified parameters, then I think we should be honest and do the right thing.
