Starmer Faces Labour Party Split Over Heathrow Airport Expansion Plan

(Bloomberg) -- Keir Starmer’s plans to green-light a third runway at London’s Heathrow Airport risk triggering a damaging split within his governing Labour Party amid concerns that extend into his own cabinet about its potential impact on the environment, growth and regional inequality.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The UK government is preparing to publicly signal support for a long-sought third runway at Heathrow, sign off on plans to bring the second strip at Gatwick into full-time use, and allow an increase in the capacity at Luton Airport, Bloomberg reported on Monday. But the cabinet is privately divided on the plans, according to people familiar with the matter who requested anonymity while discussing government splits. There are concerns about air and noise pollution and the UK’s ability to meet climate commitments, they said.

ADVERTISEMENT

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves is poised to announce all or some of the controversial decisions on airport expansion in a speech about growth that she’s due to make before the end of the month. With the economy flat-lining, Britain’s finance minister is on a drive to show how the Labour government — in power since July after 14 years in opposition — is committed to spurring growth by fast-tracking housebuilding and infrastructure projects from wind farms to airports.

Eight ministers who attend cabinet voted against the Heathrow plan in the House of Commons in 2018, including Starmer and Ed Miliband, whose energy portfolio includes responsibility for Britain’s drive toward “net zero” greenhouse gases. The others were Hilary Benn, Anneliese Dodds, Darren Jones, Lisa Nandy, Steve Reed and Ellie Reeves.

Live discussions on the projects have been taking place within government for months, according to one of the people. With Starmer’s advisers now supporting the policy, some ministers feel bounced by the Treasury into supporting the plans, they said, adding that others in government have serious doubts the projects will generate significant economic growth. There is also no credible evidence that the UK needs all three airport expansions, they said.

Reeves’ speech is still being finalized and is subject to change. Asked about the matter in the House of Commons on Tuesday, she said she wouldn’t comment on “leaks” before adding: “This government are absolutely committed to growing our economy and making this a great place for businesses to invest and trade in.”

Within the cabinet, Miliband’s past opposition is particularly well-known. As long ago as 2009, he threatened to resign from Gordon Brown’s then government over plans for a new runway at Heathrow, and ahead of the vote in 2018, he issued a statement on social media saying the proposal was “very likely” to make air pollution worse and the then Tory government had made “no serious attempt to square its climate change commitments with its support for the third runway at Heathrow.” A spokesman for Miliband declined to comment.

ADVERTISEMENT

A senior government official said Labour ministers should support the government’s core objective of economic growth, warning ministers with concerns on environmental grounds that opposing the policy would only see them join the blockers who had inhibited growth in the past.

But opposition within Labour extends outside the parliamentary party. London Mayor Sadiq Khan — who alongside environmental groups fought a lengthy and losing legal battle to stymie the plans last time around — remains opposed. “The mayor has a long-standing opposition to airport expansion around London – linked to the negative impact on air quality, noise and London’s ability to reach net zero by 2030,” his office told Bloomberg in a statement.

Meanwhile Labour’s mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, told Bloomberg: “I understand the need to move forward with growth projects but it can’t be at the expense of the North of England. That is not in my view the balanced growth that we need.”

Government decisions on expanding capacity at Gatwick and Luton must be made by Feb. 27 and April 3 respectively. While Heathrow emerged victorious from its court battles over the plans in late 2020, it’s yet to take them forward, and there is currently no outstanding application for a so-called development consent order for the new runway at Heathrow. Reeves is now expected to indicate the government would look favorably on one if it’s made.

Khan said last week that he would launch a fresh legal challenge if the government backs a third runway at Heathrow, raising the prospect of the Labour politician with the biggest individual mandate trying to block a flagship Starmer policy in the courts.

ADVERTISEMENT

Environmental groups also criticized the proposals, with Friends of the Earth calling it “hugely irresponsible” and WWF saying it would “send the UK’s carbon emissions skywards while leaving economic growth stuck on the runway.”

Another Labour MP against the plans said there is no climate test a runway can pass, and noted that the length of time required to build it means its economic benefits wouldn’t come until the next Parliament at the earliest, so it wouldn’t contribute to Labour’s promise to deliver the highest growth in the Group of Seven before the next election is due in 2029.

Nevertheless — there was also support within Labour. Chris Curtis MP, chair of the Labour Growth Group, which supports the building of more infrastructure, backed calls for a third runway at Heathrow telling the BBC his party is “determined to do everything that we can” to fix the economy “and in my view, that does include building a third runway at Heathrow.”

Business groups also backed the plans, with British Chambers of Commerce Director General Shevaun Haviland saying in a statement that expanding airport capacity was “vital” to UK growth and a “top priority” for business. “All three projects will help boost trade, attract international investment and bring huge benefits” to companies across the UK, she said.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

ADVERTISEMENT

©2025 Bloomberg L.P.