A huge broke out over the future of Heathrow today following reports that Rachel Reeves is preparing to give her support to a third runway.It was claimed that the Chancellor will pledge to give her backing to the £14 billion expansion of the west London hub as well as a second runway at Gatwick and a major increase in capacity at Luton airport in a bid to kick-start economic growth.
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00:00Heathrow, historically, has been Europe's preeminent airport. I think we may have been,
00:05at risk of being, or may even have been now, overtaken by other airports. So it is critical
00:12we make sure we maintain Heathrow's status and, you know, if that requires a third runway, then
00:19I don't think we should be standing in the way of it. It's something conservative governments
00:23have supported in the past. You talked earlier about inaccurate online speculation.
00:28I just wanted to read this tweet from the conservative former chair, Sir Jake Perry,
00:36who tweeted yesterday, the Southport attack trial starts today and of course it's overshadowed by
00:41Trump's inauguration. This is a calculated and cynical move by the Labour government to bury
00:46bad news behind international headlines. As Shadow Home Secretary, does the government set court dates?
00:54No, it doesn't set court dates. Listing is a matter for the independent judiciary
00:58and they would have listed this case to be heard starting on Monday of this week.
01:02Right. So what do you think of Jake Perry, your former colleague's tweet? Was it inaccurate?
01:07I believe it was inaccurate, yes. Unintentionally, I'm sure.
01:10Unintentionally? How do you do an unintentionally inaccurate tweet?
01:15Well, sometimes people make mistakes and it sounds like that was one of those.
01:18Right. Okay. Finally, I want to ask you about Heathrow Third
01:22Runway. Chancellor expected to announce her support for a third runway Heathrow airport.
01:28There have been, obviously, the Conservatives were quite keen on it for a while. There were
01:32environmental concerns, etc. We need growth. Where do you stand on a third runway at Heathrow airport?
01:39Well, it's something the Conservatives have supported in the past. We believe in economic
01:43growth and that means investing in infrastructure. Heathrow, historically, has been Europe's
01:49preeminent airport. I think we may have been, at risk of being or may even have been now,
01:53overtaken by other airports. So it is critical we make sure we maintain Heathrow's status. And,
02:01you know, if that requires a third runway, then I don't think we should be standing in
02:07the way of it. It's something Conservative governments have supported in the past.