A Labour MP has voiced opposition to expanding Heathrow Airport, arguing that building more runway capacity would undermine the government’s efforts to reach its net zero climate goals.
Barry Gardiner, former shadow climate change secretary, criticized the potential expansion, especially as Chancellor Rachel Reeves suggested the government could support the construction of a third runway at the London airport. “I think Rachel is wrong to pit decarbonising the economy against economic growth. Decarbonisation is the growth of the future,” Gardiner said, emphasizing the importance of sustainable economic growth.
Reeves, in an interview with the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg, argued that “sustainable aviation and economic growth go hand in hand” but refrained from commenting on specifics about the government’s expansion plans. She did, however, note that the third runway would reduce congestion by allowing flights to land directly instead of circling London.
Reeves is expected to deliver a key speech this week focusing on the government’s economic growth agenda. Over the weekend, the government revealed plans to speed up housing and commercial developments near train stations, alongside relaxing environmental impact assessments for certain projects.
While some within Labour support expansion, including MP Dan Tomlinson, who noted the party’s commitment to both economic growth and clean energy by 2030, Gardiner remains skeptical. He argues that while technological advancements like sustainable fuel and electric planes may offer some solutions, the aviation sector cannot continue to grow if the government is serious about meeting climate targets. “Climate experts have concluded there is no way to reach net-zero carbon emissions without limiting the aviation sector,” he stated.
The debate around Heathrow expansion is not new. Senior Labour figures, including Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, have previously opposed plans for a third runway, while the aviation industry and business leaders have long supported it.
Miliband, when asked if he would resign if the third runway were approved, dismissed the idea, calling the suggestion “ridiculous.”
London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who won re-election in 2024 on an anti-expansion platform, has also reiterated his stance, expressing concern about noise pollution and carbon emissions and suggesting any future expansion would need substantial mitigations.
At present, there is no formal application for the third runway, and Heathrow’s CEO has indicated that the company would require a “clear steer” from the government by the end of 2025 to move forward with plans.
The third runway proposal has a long history. It was first introduced in 2007, approved by the Labour government in 2009, but later scrapped by the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition in 2010. The plan was revived by Theresa May’s government in 2016, only for the Court of Appeal to rule in 2020 that the decision was unlawful due to climate considerations. The Supreme Court later overturned that ruling.
