UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ support for Heathrow’s third runway expansion faces criticism for contradicting Labour’s environmental promises.
Earlier this week, during her major speech announcing economic growth policies, Ms. Reeves argued that expanding Heathrow Airport is essential for connecting the UK internationally and creating new growth opportunities.
The Chancellor’s shift on the third runway has sparked disappointment within her party, with some accusing it of a desperate move.
Has Rachel Reeves turned her back on green growth?
By autumn 2021, Rachel Reeves was shadow chancellor, becoming the leading Labour figure appointed to lead her party’s executive plans for a green industrial transformation.
Labour’s grand vision is to advance renewable technologies to fuel Britain’s economic growth while tackling environmental concerns. The concepts of “green” and “growth” go hand in hand.
Last year at the Labour conference, the Chancellor stated,
“I will be a responsible chancellor. I will be Britain’s first green chancellor.”
A Labour government would invest £28bn annually in green energy transformation, generating job opportunities and boosting economic growth while protecting the world for future generations.
Last week, some members of her party believed Ms Reeves had given up her claim to be called Britain’s “first green chancellor” just seven months into her time in office.
In a recent address, the Chancellor backed the expansion of Heathrow Airport, which raised concerns among environmental groups about her commitment to green growth.
How did Labour members react to the green growth shift?
London’s mayor, Sadiq Khan, expressed his concerns about the expansion plans and climate change. He stated,
“In London, one of the poorest air quality areas is around Heathrow. I’m not sure how 300,000 more flights lead to better air quality.”
Other key Labour figures, including Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, voiced opposition in the cabinet, arguing that the proposal clashed with Labour’s green priorities and climate goal.
One Labour insider stated,
“The green part of the bargain has been dramatically de-emphasised. We no longer talk of the green route to growth.”
Another senior member from the party said, “If we do this, we might as well just forget climate change now.”
Why are environmentalists unconvinced by the Heathrow expansion?
Environmentalists were more cynical and tired than angry about the situation.
One environmentalist said,
“It was weirdly muted from the green lobby because everyone knows that a third runway at Heathrow is simply never ever going to happen.”
He continued that the policies were complicated and the project would take too much time, with planes not flying until 2040. Rerouting the M25 would be a significant challenge, and he warned that it could lead to breaching climate commitments, adding that the project would not contribute to the economic growth pledged by Chancellor Rachel Reeves.
What did Opportunity Green’s CEO say about sustainable aviation fuel?
Opportunity Green’s chief executive, Aoife O’Leary, has analysed the claims that sustainable aviation fuel is a “gamechanger,” as Ms Reeves describes, but argues it is nothing more than “a mirage.”
She added,
“Yes, these fuels are biofuels made from crops, cooking oils and other sources of plant biomass. But producing them takes up huge amounts of land, endangering food security and biodiversity.”
What did the New Economics Foundation say about Heathrow expansion?
Alex Chapman from the New Economics Foundation stated, “It is very concerning that the chancellor appears to be basing her support for Heathrow expansion on a figure from a report commissioned by Heathrow Airport.”
She pointed out that the methodology used in the report had previously been rejected as inadequate by the Department for Transport and was built on data provided by the airport itself.
Why is Rachel Reeves under scrutiny over a Heathrow report?
The Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, faced backlash as it was revealed that the report she used to support the third runway at Heathrow, claiming it would benefit the British economy, was presented by the airport.
Green groups and experts disputed Reeves’s claims that advancements in sustainable aviation fuel had been a “gamechanger,” arguing that the remarks were misleading and lacked sufficient evidence.