The Government’s plans to build a third runway at Heathrow Airport have sparked a major U-turn from Energy Secretary Ed Miliband. The Labour politician, who previously threatened to resign over Heathrow expansion and voted against it in 2018, has now dropped his opposition and said he “supports what the Government is doing”.
In a series of interviews, Miliband stated that he would “abide by collective responsibility” on the issue, despite his longstanding concerns about the project’s impact on climate change and local communities. He acknowledged that any expansion plans would need to “meet strict carbon budgets and local environmental standards”, but insisted that the growth agenda and net zero agenda are “absolutely aligned”.
Miliband’s change of stance comes after Chancellor Rachel Reeves told Cabinet colleagues that supporting Heathrow expansion was “exactly the sort of model to boost growth for Britain”. The Energy Secretary had previously labelled the Rosebank oil field development as “climate vandalism”, but refused to comment on the project’s future, saying he would not “pre-empt” any decisions.
The shift highlights the tensions within the Cabinet, with Reeves and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer pushing for economic growth to take priority, while Miliband fights to maintain the party’s green credentials. As the Government grapples with the twin challenges of the economy and the net zero transition, Miliband’s U-turn on Heathrow has raised questions about Labour’s commitment to its environmental pledges.
