Labour set to vote against third runway at Heathrow
3 min read
Labour is preparing to vote against Theresa May's plans for a third runway at Heathrow Airport.
A spokesman for Jeremy Corbyn said the Government's proposals do not currently pass the four tests Labour has set on climate chage, noise pollution, aviation capacity and regional connectivity.
The development is yet another headache for Theresa May, who will now be forced to rely on the votes of the SNP and DUP to get the controversial project through the Commons.
And in another blow for the Prime Minister, former Transport Secretary Justine Greening told her that taxpayers will be forced to pick up the tab if the runway plan falls through.
The Government formally gave its backing to the third runway on Tuesday, with Transport Secretary Chris Grayling saying it would deliver a massive boost to the UK economy.
A crunch Commons vote on the new runway is set to take place later this month, and Conservative MPs will be whipped to support it.
But Mr Corbyn's spokesman said: "We're in favour of airport expansion in the south-east, but it has to meet these four tests. So far from what we've seen it looks as though the existing proposals don't do that."
At Prime Minister's Questions, Putney MP Ms Greening, who is firmly opposed to the new runway, confronted Mrs May directly and accused the Department for Transport of leaving taxpayers liable if the controversial project ends up being shelved.
“Heathrow have played an absolute blinder with the DfT," she said.
Ms Greening added: "They’re a privately-owned company that now have DfT policy to give them an active monopoly status. Better still for them they’ve somehow managed to get a poison pill clause agreed by the DfT that means the taxpayer has to cover all their costs if things go wrong.
“Isn’t this the worst kind of nationalisation - the public sector and taxpayers owning all of the Heathrow downsides and risks but the private sector owning all of the upside and financial returns?”
Theresa May shot back, however, saying a boost to Heathrow "demonstrates this government’s commitment to delivering the jobs and major infrastructure that this country needs to thrive".
And she insisted that the expansion of the airport would be "fully financed by the private sector", rejecting claims that a 2016 "Statement of Principles" signed between the DfT and Heathrow's owners could end up hitting taxpayers in the pocket if plans fall through.
"The Statement of Principles is clear that it does not give Heathrow Airport Ltd the right to claim any costs or losses from government should their scheme not proceed," she said.
That claim was later challenged by Ms Greening in a point of order, with the former Cabinet minister accusing DfT officials of having "misinformed the Prime Minister" about the deal.
She cited a clause in department's 2016 agreement with Heathrow which says the airport's owners can "pursue any and all legal and equitable remedies" in the event that ministers back an alternative scheme or withdrawal their backing for expansion.
A DfT spokesperson said: “The Government has made clear that it believes a new northwest runway at Heathrow is the best scheme to deliver the economic and connectivity benefits this country needs.
“It will be privately financed and the costs will not fall on the taxpayer."
The spokesperson added: "The point around potential financial liability has been taken out of context from a non-legally binding document, which makes clear that it gives Heathrow no legal right to any costs or losses from Government should their scheme not proceed.”
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