Rachel Reeves has suggested Heathrow Airport’s third runway could be built and in use by 2035.
The Chancellor insisted “we want to see spades in the ground in this Parliament” despite fierce opposition from Cabinet ministers and London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan.
She said: “We have asked Heathrow to come forward with plans by this summer, and then we want to grant that development consent order by the end of this Parliament, so we can get the diggers in the ground to get this project up and running.”
Pressed when flights would take off from the airport, the Chancellor added: “I think we can get that done in a decade.”
Asked if this meant planes would be using the new runway by 2035, Ms Reeves responded: “That is what we want to achieve and that is what Heathrow wants to achieve.”
London Mayor Sadiq Khan, Labour MPs and environmentalists are opposed to the London airport’s expansion because of its risk to the country’s climate goals.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband appeared to snub Ms Reeves’s announcement by failing to show up to her announcement on Wednesday.
Meanwhile Sir Sadiq said he will “use any tool in the toolkit” to block Heathrow’s third runway.
Asked about the Labour mayor’s objections, the Chancellor said: “I have huge respect for Sadiq, but on this I know that sustainable aviation and economic growth can, and do, go hand-in-hand.
“The way that we fly has changed hugely in recent years, engines have become so much more efficient, reducing carbon emissions and also sustainable aviation fuel is changing the way that we fly with a mandate that came in at the beginning of this year.”
Asked whether Mr 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.”
The government has backed the expansion of Heathrow Airport after years of heated debate, saying it could create 100,000 jobs.
The move, alongside potential confirmation of the expansion of other London airports including Gatwick and Luton, is likely to be met by fierce opposition.
