New Heathrow Airport runway rumours spark backlash as minister drops major hint
Chancellor Rachel Reeves wouldn't directly answer a question on the expansion of Heathrow Airport - but dropped a major hint in emphasising her attitude to 'pro-growth' plans
Chancellor Rachel Reeves wouldn't directly answer a question on the expansion of Heathrow Airport - but dropped a major hint in emphasising her attitude to 'pro-growth' plansProposals have also been resisted by local communities whose villages face being destroyed or part-demolished by previous plans (
Image: SurreyLive - Grahame Larter)
Rumours of a new third runway at Heathrow Airport have sparked a flurry in Westminster - and Rachel Reeves has fuelled further speculation.
The Chancellor this morning dropped a major hint that she could back the expansion of Heathrow despite Labour allies' reservations about the scheme. She would not comment directly on speculation about a decision at the airport but she hit out at the last government for not backing pro-growth plans - including that they would say things like "we don't like that airport". And she added that the "answer can't always be 'no'" when it comes to approving plans in Britain.
She vowed to face down opposition to pro-growth policies amid speculation about the new runway and said she wanted to ensure any pro-growth measure "trumps other things". Backing an expansion of the west London airport could trigger a huge row with critics of the scheme including London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband.
Rachel Reeves has said she would face down opposition to pro-growth policies at a Bloomberg News eventSpeaking at a Bloomberg event at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the Chancellor emphasised her commitment to pro-growth policies. "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,'" she said.
"But the answer can't always be 'no' and that's been the problem in Britain for a long time, that 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."
Ms Reeves will reportedly use a speech on growth next week to back a proposed third runway at Heathrow, as well as supporting expansions of Gatwick and Luton airports. The expansion of Heathrow was approved by Parliament in 2018 but legal challenges by green campaigners, as well as the pandemic, have delayed the plans. Proposals have also been resisted by local communities whose villages face being destroyed or part-demolished by previous plans.
Be the first with news from Mirror PoliticsBLUESKY: Follow our Mirror Politics account on Bluesky here. And follow our Mirror Politics team here - Lizzy Buchan, Jason Beattie, Kevin Maguire, Sophie Huskisson, Dave Burke, Ashley Cowburn, Mikey Smith
POLITICS WHATSAPP: Be first to get the biggest bombshells and breaking news by joining our Politics WhatsApp group here. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you want to leave our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
NEWSLETTER: Or sign up here to the Mirror's Politics newsletter for all the best exclusives and opinions straight to your inbox.
PODCAST: And listen to our exciting new political podcast The Division Bell, hosted by the Mirror and the Express every Thursday.
Environmental groups yesterday said expanding Heathrow Airport would be "catastrophic". Alethea Warrington, head of aviation at climate charity Possible, said: "Approving airport expansions would be a catastrophic misstep for a Government which claims to be a climate leader. This huge increase in emissions won't help our economy, and would just encourage the small group of frequent flyers who take most of the flights, further worsening the UK's huge tourism deficit." She added that the Government should focus on supporting "affordable and low-carbon trains and buses".
Jenny Bates, transport campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said: "A decision to green-light another runway at Heathrow would be hugely irresponsible in the midst of a climate emergency and given 2024 was the first year to surpass the all-important 1.5 degrees threshold. It would also fly in the face of the Prime Minister's promise to show international leadership on climate change."
On the opposing side, EasyJet chief executive Kenton Jarvis welcomed reports that Ms Reeves plans to back the expansion of Heathrow. He told reporters: "We welcome the decisive action by the Government to grow the economy. We've always said that aviation, the industry, is an enabler of economic growth.
"When it comes to Heathrow, I've always thought Heathrow would fit our network of primary airports with great catchment areas. It would be a unique opportunity to operate from Heathrow at scale - because obviously right now it's slot-constrained - and give us an opportunity to provide lower fares for UK consumers that currently at Heathrow just have the option of flag carriers."
He batted away a question on whether the need to tackle climate change means the "uncomfortable truth" is that people need to fly less. Mr Jarvis said: "I don't think that is the uncomfortable truth. When you're living in the UK and you're living on an island, connectivity to the rest of Europe and beyond is essential for economic growth. I think it's a key driver, and therefore it's on the industry with innovation, with investments in new technology, with the introduction of Saf (sustainable aviation fuels), to strive to fly more fuel-efficiently."
ET breaks down Prince Harry’s U.K. tabloid court case win that includes a $12 million settlement and a historic apology.
Read more >> : Cick here
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
"It's just a date."
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Things took a deliciously messy turn.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Relatives of an 8-year-old boy and his mother who were murdered by a Connecticut drug gang are outraged that a man convicted in the killings was one of nearly 2,500 people whose drug-related prison…
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Elon Musk wasted no time taking shots at Donald Trump's Stargate initiative.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
O.J. Simpson's lawyer, Robert Shapiro, spoke on Sean 'Diddy' Combs' chances in court. Here's what he explained.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
The frontman looks to have made his final Celtic Park appearance
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
WETHERSPOONS is plotting to open its cut-price pubs abroad, The Sun can exclusively reveal. Boss Sir Tim Martin said the chain is considering franchises overseas after a string of successful partne…
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Star actress Jessica Alba took some time away from her fresh split to get a rush of adrenaline in New York City.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Safe and sound.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Twitter (X), Inc. was an American social media company based in San Francisco, California, which operated and was named for its flagship social media network prior to its rebrand as X. In addition to Twitter, the company previously operated the Vine short video app and Periscope livestreaming service
Twitter (X) is one of the most popular social media platforms, with over 619 million monthly active users worldwide. One of the most exciting features of Twitter (X) is the ability to see what topics are trending in real-time. Twitter trends are a fascinating way to stay up to date on what people are talking about on the platform, and they can also be a valuable tool for businesses and individuals to stay relevant and informed. In this article, we will discuss Twitter (X) trends, how they work, and how you can use them to your advantage.
What are Twitter (X) Worldwide Trends?
Twitter (X) Worldwide trends are a list of topics that are currently being talked about on the platform and also world. The topics on this list change in real-time and are based on the volume of tweets using a particular hashtag or keyword. Twitter (X) Worldwide trends can be localized to a Worldwide country or region or can be global, depending on the topic's popularity.
How Do Twitter (X) Worldwide Trends Work?
Twitter (X) Worldwide trends are generated by an algorithm that analyzes the volume of tweets using a particular hashtag or keyword. When the algorithm detects a sudden increase in tweets using a specific hashtag or keyword, it considers that topic to be trending.
Once a topic is identified as trending, it is added to the list of Twitter (X) Worldwide trends. The topics on this list are ranked based on their popularity, with the most popular topics appearing at the top of the list.
Twitter (X) Worldwide trends can be filtered by location or category, allowing users to see what topics are trending in their area or in a particular industry. Additionally, users can click on a trending topic to see all of the tweets using that hashtag or keyword.