Rachel Reeves clashes with Sadiq Khan over third Heathrow runway as she hits out at people who 'always say no' to growth
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The Chancellor has hit back in the escalating row with Sir Sadiq Khan and other senior Labour figures over Heathrow expansion. Rachel Reeves on Wednesday said if Britain wants a strong economy the answer “can't always be 'no'” to projects that will create growth.
In a speech next week, Ms Reeves is expected to support the proposed third runway at Heathrow and endorse expansion at Gatwick and Luton Airports, despite fierce opposition from some within her own party. The Mayor of London has threatened legal action if the expansion goes ahead.
Sir Sadiq, who has said he is against any airport growth due to the UK’s net zero goals, also argued that Gatwick getting permission to operate a second runway would destroy the west London airport’s argument for needing another of their own. At a Bloomberg event at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Ms Reeves said she would not comment on "speculation", but pointed out that the Government has already taken "big decisions" by backing expansion plans at London City and Stansted Airports.
She added: "This was the problem with the last government - that there was always somebody that said: 'Oh yes, of course we want to grow the economy but we don't like that investment, we don't like that wind farm, we don't like those pylons, we don't like that airport, we don't want that housing near us'.
