Rachel Reeves on day two of the World Economic Forum in Davos. (Image: Getty)
has hinted she could face down Cabinet ministers in a bid for expansion amid a push for growth.
The Chancellor is expected to use a speech on growth next week to support a proposed third runway at the West London Airport and endorse expansion at Gatwick and Luton Airports.
She said, “The answer can’t always be no” when asked about internal Labour opposition to airport expansions.
At a Bloomberg event at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the Chancellor was challenged on whether Heathrow expansion would cause problems with London Mayor and Energy Secretary
She said: “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’.
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“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.”
The plans will face fierce resistance from environmental groups and senior Labour figures including Sir Sadiq and Mr Miliband have previously spoken out against a third runway at Heathrow.
Sir Sadiq won a third term in 2024 on a platform of opposing any expansion of airports in the capital.
Even Prime Minister Sir voted against Heathrow expansion in June 2018.
Opponents of airport expansion claim boosting flights would be damaging for the environment.
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”.
Singapore Airlines Airbus A380 landing at Heathrow (Image: Getty)
Heathrow’s third runway project secured parliamentary approval in June 2018 but has been delayed by legal challenges over the environmental impact, and the pandemic.
There is currently no Development Consent Order application for the scheme, and it is up to Heathrow if it submits one.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has a deadline of February 27 to make a decision on whether to allow Gatwick to bring its existing emergency northern runway into routine use.
She has a deadline of April 3 to decide on Luton Airport’s bid to raise its cap on passenger numbers.