After Andy Burnham attacked the proposals for a third runway at Heathrow on the eve of Labour Conference, the Transport Secretary has given it her tacit public backing. Asked in the Commons about the plans by Shadow Transport Secretary Richard Holden today, Heidi Alexander said:
“The government’s position on Heathrow expansion was set out in the draft Heathrow expansion national policy statement that we consulted on in the Summer. We’re working through those responses very carefully. He will know that this is a very significant privately-financed infrastructure project and it’s right that we look thoroughly at all the evidence including the independent economic analysis and looking at the evidence on the really strict tests on climate, noise and air quality. It’s entirely right that the prime minister wants to look closely at the detail of such a nationally significant project.”
The government back then said: “Expansion… has the potential to improve connectivity, strengthen resilience and support economic growth across the United Kingdom, with better connections and a third runway capable of boosting the UK economy and supporting more than 60,000 jobs.” Will Heidi get a hiding from Burnham for pushing the Starmerite position?
Krishnan Guru-Murthy asked John Healey: “Just finally, I mean Andy Burnham has been very clear he wants Britain back in the European Union in his lifetime. Do you?”
The Chancellor replied: “I’m older than Andy Burnham. I don’t expect to see that.”