UK cabinet split over allowing third runway at Heathrow

Sir Keir Starmer’s cabinet is split over whether to allow a third runway at Heathrow, leaving the contentious scheme in a holding pattern as Britain’s busiest airport looks to press ahead with growth plans. Bosses at Heathrow, which handles more than 80mn passengers a year, are putting the final touches to their first expansion plan since the pandemic, but will not include a third runway at this stage, said people familiar with the matter. Downing Street and the Department for Transport said they were “open-minded” about a third runway, but only if it satisfied four tests: delivering growth across the country, meeting climate obligations and complying with air pollution and noise considerations. But one political aide said the cabinet was divided. “It’s no secret that there isn’t universal backing for the third runway, it’s just not a priority right now. [Energy secretary] Ed [Miliband] is the most obvious example of someone who is anti, but there are others who are uncomfortable about expanding Britain’s biggest airport,” the person said. Heathrow’s leadership is publicly committed to the third runway, but uncertainty over whether the government will approve the project is one factor holding back a decision. Others include financing and a recent change in ownership, after Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund and French private equity group Ardian agreed to buy stakes this year. For now there is a “catch-22”, according to industry and government figures. The airport’s bosses are unlikely to formally begin the costly planning process for a new runway without knowing ministers would support it. But ministers said they were waiting for Heathrow to trigger that process before making a firm decision. <br/>