Rachel Reeves tells Sadiq Khan he can’t block Heathrow’s third runway as she names target date: Live – UK Times

Chancellor Rachel Reeves said she would back the expansion of Leeds Bradford Airport if the owners produced plans.

The Chancellor, who represents Leeds West and Pudsey, had previously opposed a new terminal at the site.

But she told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “If Leeds Bradford came back with plans to expand, I would support those, because I think that things have changed significantly in the last few years, and the Cabinet supports these plans.

“We’ve already, as a Government, signed off expansion at Stansted and City Airport, because we know that we need the economic growth, and we know that sustainable aviation and economic growth go hand in hand.”

Sadiq Khan can’t stop the government’s planned Heathrow expansion from going ahead, Rachel Reeves has said.

The London mayor has been a vocal opponent of the plan to build a third runway at the London airport.

But speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, the chancellor said: “I’ve got huge respect for Sadiq, but on this, I disagree with him, and we as a government have to make decisions in the national interest”.

Asked if he can stop the expansion from happening, she said: “No. There can be judicial reviews, but we are confident that this airport expansion will happen, that we will get the third runway built.

“And indeed, alongside the announcements yesterday, we are reforming the planning system to reduce the number of judicial reviews”.

Challenged on payroll statistics that showed employment fell by 47,000 last month, Ms Reeves said business groups backed her plans for growth. “They said the announcements that I made were smart announcements. They backed these plans to go further and faster on delivering economic growth,” she said.

After it was put to her that major supermarket chains were collectively shedding thousands of jobs, MS Reeves said others were hiring.

“There will be many jobs created an estimate of 100,000 jobs from a third runway at Heathrow, 6000 jobs through the announcement I made around an investment zone in Wrexham and Flintshire. Yesterday, the IMF have revised up the growth forecast for the UK for this year”

Speaking to LBC, the chancellor said: “This is a nationally significant project that can increase our growth as a country can help Great British businesses export all around the world. It can help entrepreneurs wanting to access new markets.

“Heathrow is our only hub airport in the UK. 60% of freight goes from Heathrow. 70% of long haul flights go to Heathrow. But we are missing out to airports in Amsterdam and in Frankfurt, where they have embraced expansion.

“We haven’t built a new runway in Britain since the 1940s we can’t carry on like this. If we want to be a well connected, global country, then we need to make these investments, and that is what this government are going to do.”

Speaking to LBC, the Chancellor said: “Well, I recognise that there were difficult decisions in the budget.

“Last year, I inherited a 22 billion pound black hole in the public finances. And I’ve always been clear, and I’ve said it so many times, that I will never play fast and loose with the public finances.

“I have to return that stability to the economy, and that did mean difficult decisions on spending, welfare and tax.”

There have been previous reports Energy Secretary Ed Miliband would resign over the third Heathrow runway as he has opposed the proposal for years.

Asked whether Energy Secretary Ed Miliband was fully behind the plans, Ms Reeves replied: “Yes, we are all united as a Cabinet backing these plans.

“We know that we have to grow our economy, we can’t keep saying no to big infrastructure projects.”

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said yesterday he is against the decision to build a third Heathrow runway, pointing to impacts on the environment and those who live nearby.

Asked about this, Ms Reeves told Sky News: “I’ve got huge respect for Sadiq, but on this issue, I believe, I know that sustainable aviation and economic growth go hand-in-hand.

“There’s been huge changes in how we fly in recent years; Engines becoming more efficient to reduce carbon emissions, but also this government introduced at the beginning of this year, a mandate for sustainable aviation fuel.

“That can cut carbon emissions from flying by 70%.”