Expanding Heathrow ‘an illusion of economic growth’, says Labour donor
Expanding Heathrow ‘an illusion of economic growth’, says Labour donor
Share:
One of Labour’s biggest donors rubbished the plan to build another runway at Heathrow. Rachel Reeves’ plan to expand Heathrow airport as a key part of her bid to grow the economy - expected to be announced today - has been fiercely criticised by one of Labour’s biggest donors.
![[Chancellor Rachel Reeves will give a speech in Oxfordshire (Benjamin Cremel/PA)]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/28/23/222863818aa357b6a052d86e107b4dc3Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzM4MTkyMzkx-2.78820990.jpg)
Energy tycoon Dale Vince, who handed Labour £5m in the run up to the election, said building a new runway at Heathrow would be a mistake and provide “an illusion of growth”. It would take a decade to construct, cost £50bn and would make a nonsense of the government’s commitment to tackle climate change, Mr Vince said.
The green campaigner, who runs the Ecotricity energy company, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “It doesn’t matter how many runways we build - if we don’t get on top of the climate crisis all economies will suffer incredible damage.”. But Downing Street has insisted that its plans for stimulating the economy “go hand in hand” with environmental progress.
Mr Vince’s comments came ahead of a speech by chancellor Ms Reeves today in which she is expected to announce plans to expand Heathrow, Gatwick and Luton airports, create a new ‘Silicon Valley’ between Oxford and Cambridge, free up pension funds and slash red tape to boost the economy.
Asked what he thought of the proposed new third runway at Heathrow, the energy tycoon said: “I think it’s a mistake. Actually, I think it’s an illusion of growth. “It’ll take 10 years to build a runway, cost maybe £50bn. It’ll create the wrong kind of growth – we’ll be exporting tourism money abroad, creating a bigger imbalance than we already have, and it will come at the expense of our carbon-cutting effort.
