Labour split as Rachel Reeves poised to back third runway at Heathrow in bid for economic growth
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Chancellor, who has warned the recent rising cost of borrowing underlined the need for ministers to go ‘further and faster’ in search of growth, could even face legal challenge from Sadiq Khan. Labour is split over plans to back a hugely controversial third runway at Heathrow as Rachel Reeves scrambles to boost the UK’s flatlining economy.
![[Expanding Heathrow would be ‘catastrophic’, environmental groups have claimed, amid reports that Chancellor Rachel Reeves is preparing to back a third runway at the airport (Steve Parsons/PA)]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/21/09/a3261f3124825eb524f93d28c56034e9Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzM3NTM0OTQ2-2.8576006.jpg)
The chancellor is poised to support the expansion of the London airport, a move long opposed by her cabinet colleague Ed Miliband. On Tuesday the Labour mayors of London and greater Manchester hit out at the plans, which one Labour peer described as “madness”.
![[Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has voted against a third runway in the past (Henry Nicholls/PA)]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/21/13/b3a0e040ae693fe4e9f3f2d5a2c6ce9fY29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzM3NTUyODk1-2.78756011.jpg)
The government could even face legal action from London mayor Sadiq Khan, after it emerged he said last week that if Heathrow came back “with plans for a new runway that was supported by the government, I wouldn’t hesitate to launch, with partners and colleagues, another legal challenge’”.
As well as publicly endorsing Heathrow’s much-postponed plan for a third runway, the government is reportedly set to approve a second runway at Gatwick and an application for Luton airport to double its capacity. Cabinet ministers including Sir Keir Starmer, Mr Miliband, the energy secretary, and Steve Reed, the environment secretary, have all previously opposed Heathrow’s expansion.
But last week Ms Reeves said the rising cost of borrowing and falling value of the pound underlined the need for ministers to go “further and faster” in search of economic growth. As well as a cabinet clash, the move would set Ms Reeves on a collision course with climate campaigners, who have consistently rallied against a third runway.
