Heathrow: Sadiq Khan ‘remains opposed’ to third runway
Sadiq Khan has confirmed he “remains opposed” to a third runway at Heathrow Airport, putting him on a collision course with Chancellor Rachel Reeves.
The mayor of London responded to Reeves’ announcement of the government’s backing for the UK’s only hub airport to expand its facilities during her economic speech on Wednesday.
Khan said: “I remain opposed to a new runway at Heathrow airport because of the severe impact it will have on noise, air pollution and meeting our climate change targets.”
He added: “I will scrutinise carefully any new proposals that now come forward from Heathrow, including the impact it will have on people living in the area and the huge knock-on effects for our transport infrastructure.
“Despite the progress that’s been made in the aviation sector to make it more sustainable, I’m simply not convinced that you can have hundreds of thousands of additional flights at Heathrow every year without a hugely damaging impact on our environment.”
Addressing journalists, business leaders and cabinet ministers at Siemens Healthineers in Oxfordshire, Reeves argued: “Heathrow is at the heart of the UK’s openness as a country, it connects us to emerging markets all over the world, opening up new opportunities for growth.
“As our only hub airport Heathrow is in a unique position, and we cannot duck the decision any longer.
“So I can confirm today that this government supports a third runway, and is inviting proposals to be brought forward by the summer.”
A third runway could cost tens of billions of pounds, and would take upwards of a decade to complete – with plans set to face opposition from environmental campaigners who argue against aviation due to its carbon emissions.
But the Chancellor insisted “our clear expectation is that any associated service transport costs will be financed through private funding” and that the new runway would be “delivered in line with our legal environmental and climate objectives”.
Energy secretary Ed Miliband – who previously said he considered resigning over Labour’s support for the third runway, and is now responsible for the government’s net zero agenda – did not attend the Chancellor’s speech.
He told a Commons committee on Monday any aviation expansion must not breach the UK’s carbon budgets, including the 2050 target to cut emissions by 100 per cent on 1990 levels.
Labour first proposed expanding Heathrow in 2009, under Gordon Brown’s premiership, and the airport secured Supreme Court backing for the plans in 2020, despite MPs including Keir Starmer being opposed and having voted against the move.