Rachel Reeves warns Sadiq Khan she will defeat London mayor’s bid to sabotage Heathrow expansion
Rachel Reeves warns Sadiq Khan she will defeat London mayor’s bid to sabotage Heathrow expansion
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Chancellor and the mayor of London at odds over controversial plans to add third runway to Heathrow. Rachel Reeves has told London Mayor Sadiq Khan she is certain to defeat his bid to sabotage her Heathrow expansion scheme. Asked if Mr Khan was able to stop to her third runway plan, the Chancellor replied: ‘No.’ The capital’s Labour mayor could mount a legal challenge, she said, but he would not prevail in the end.
![[Heathrow Airport’s expansion has been mooted for years but made little progress]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/30/08/e090dfd61e3baa33dda09fda8179256eY29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzM4MzExODcx-2.50148043.jpg)
Ms Reeves’ defiant comments came after Mr Khan effectively put himself at the head of a campaign to stop the Heathrow expansion project. He said he was willing to use ‘any tool in the toolkit’ to succeed. Ms Reeves told the BBC: “I have huge respect for Sadiq but on this I disagree with him. As a government we have to make decisions in the national interest.”.
Asked if Mr Khan could block the Heathrow scheme, she said: “No. There can be judicial reviews but we are confident that this airport expansion will happen and that we will get the third runway built.”. When it was put to her that the London Mayor was equally sure he can prevent the plan, the chancellor stuck to her guns.
She said campaigners had lost a similar legal objection to Heathrow expansion on environmental grounds several years ago and - and the argument had moved even further in her favour in the intervening period. “Since then sustainable aviation fuel and the efficiency of engines makes this a better proposition,” said Ms Reeves.
