Cabinet ministers heap pressure on Burnham over Heathrow Airport as Chancellor says expansion can drive growth

Several senior ministers have publicly backed expanding Heathrow, increasing pressure on Andy Burnham as Labour weighs the proposal. The disagreement matters because the Government sees airport capacity as a possible source of jobs and economic growth, while critics have raised concerns about concentrating investment in the South East and increasing aviation.

Chancellor John Healey said the Government supports a third runway, and Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said ministers were working to advance the plans. Heathrow Airport Limited is seeking approval for a 3,500-metre runway that would require moving the M25. The Government is reviewing consultation responses before a decision under four tests; a Commons vote is expected next year, though no timetable is fixed. Rachel Reeves has targeted completion by 2035, but 2039 is now suggested as the earliest possible date.