Chancellor John Healey announced today that the Labour government will continue to support the expansion of Heathrow Airport, including the construction of a third runway. The decision was confirmed in the House of Commons and signifies a shift from previous positions held by prominent Labour figures, including Prime Minister Andy Burnham.
Healey stated that the economic case for the project "stacks up and will help bring growth," emphasizing that after years of delays and challenges, the government has given the project the go-ahead. The expansion plans, estimated to cost £33 billion, include moving the M25 motorway to accommodate a new 3,500-meter runway. Heathrow Airport Limited anticipates the project will increase the airport's capacity to 756,000 flights and 150 million passengers annually. The expansion is expected to be privately financed.
This endorsement may attract scrutiny due to past opposition from key figures. As Manchester mayor, Andy Burnham repeatedly voiced concerns about the Heathrow expansion. In January of the previous year, he described the project as a "model for an ever-overheating UK economy." Prior to that, in 2018, Burnham stated his opposition was due to the need to limit national aviation levels and suggested utilizing spare capacity at Manchester and Birmingham airports instead. In 2019, he warned that the expansion would divert infrastructure spending to within the M25 at the expense of northern England. He reiterated calls for the government to pause the project and consult with northern MPs and mayors to ensure it did not come at the cost of essential investment in northern infrastructure.
Former Chancellor Rachel Reeves had previously indicated a commitment to "get spades in the ground" for the third runway within the current Parliament, with a target completion by 2035. The project has also faced opposition from environmental advocates and the Mayor of London, Lord Khan of Tooting.
Heathrow Airport Limited has argued that the case for expansion has become more compelling, especially after Istanbul surpassed Heathrow as Europe's busiest airport in July. The airport maintains that it is operating at capacity and that expansion is crucial for maintaining national competitiveness and driving economic growth.