Rachel Reeves clashes with Sadiq Khan over third Heathrow runway & blasts ‘there’s always someone who says no to growth’
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RACHEL Reeves today clashed with Sir Sadiq Khan over Heathrow Airport as she declared that growth "trumps other things". The Chancellor stared down eco zealots and the London Mayor as she vowed to push ahead with making "pro-growth decisions in the national interest".
![[Rachel Reeves speaking at a conference.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/1400-friday-january-17-file-964348877.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
Ms Reeves is expected to formally confirm the expansion of Heathrow, as well as Gatwick and Luton airports, at a major speech on growth next week. At the Davos World Economic Forum this morning she said: "The answer can't always be 'no' and that's been the problem in Britain for a long time.
"When there was a choice between something that would grow the economy and anything else, anything else always won. "Now, of course, there are other things that matter, but when we say that growth is the number one mission of this Government, we mean it, and that means it trumps other things.
"And so we're making pro-growth decisions in the national interest.". A Labour civil war erupted this week as Ms Reeves' mission to expand aviation opportunities were revealed. Sir Sadiq threatened to lodge a legal challenge against the expansions, while Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said the move would trap investment in the South of the country.
Energy Secretary Ed Milliband is understood to be opposed to increasing air traffic because of its impact on Net Zero. He and seven other cabinet ministers, including Sir Keir Starmer, have previously voted against it. But more than 100 back-benchers who are members of the Labour Growth Group have supported the plan, calling it an “important project” to “unlock investment”.
