The British cabinet is divided over allowing a third runway at Heathrow Airport.

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Sir Keir Starmer's cabinet is divided over whether to grant Heathrow a third runway, leaving controversial plans on hold as Britain's busiest airport is expected to press ahead with growth plans.

Executives at Heathrow Airport, which handles more than 80 million passengers a year, are finalizing plans for its first expansion since the pandemic but will not include a third runway at this stage, people familiar with the matter said.

Downing Street and the Department for Transport have said they are open to a third runway, but only if it meets four tests: delivering national growth, meeting climate obligations and adhering to air pollution and noise considerations.

But a political aide said the cabinet was divided. It's no secret that there is no universal support for a third runway, and it is not a priority at the moment. [Energy secretary] ed [Miliband] Although this is the most obvious example of opposition, there are also people who are uncomfortable with the expansion of Britain's largest airport, the official said.

Heathrow Airport's leadership is publicly committed to a third runway, but uncertainty over whether the government will approve the project is one factor hindering a decision. Other changes include a capital raise and a recent change in ownership after Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund and French private equity group Ardian agreed to buy a stake this year.

Industry and government figures suggest there is a catch-22 at the moment. Airport bosses won't formally start the costly planning process for a new runway without knowing the Minister will support it. But ministers said they were waiting for Heathrow Airport to begin the process before making a firm decision.

Ed Miliband and Anneliese Dodds voted against a third runway at Heathrow Airport in 2018. Rasid Necati Aslim/Anadolu via Getty Images

Of the four tests, a senior government official said: It is a very difficult test and rigorous, but it depends on the company. [Heathrow] Explain whether this can be achieved.

Heathrow Airport is hoping ministers will back building a third runway after Rachel Reeves signaled in June that the Labor government could back the project, which has been the subject of political debate for nearly two decades. I have no intention of opposing expanding airport capacity. “I want Heathrow to become a hub for European travel,” the Prime Minister said.

Downing Street later said the Prime Minister was not opposed in principle to new runways, longer runways or more people flying.

A third runway was first proposed for economic reasons by the last Labor government in 2003, but subsequent Conservative governments pushed ahead with the plan but failed. Several prominent Labor politicians, including Miliband and London Mayor Sadiq Khan, and environmental campaign groups strongly opposed it.

They argue that the massive expansion of the aviation sector is incompatible with the UK's legally binding target to reach net-zero carbon emissions, as aviation is one of the most difficult industries to decarbonize.

Sadiq Khan speaking at a protest against Heathrow Airport's third runway in 2015 Chris Ratcliffe/Getty Images

There is no mention of Heathrow or its expansion in Labour's election manifesto. In the last House of Commons vote on a third runway at Heathrow Airport in 2018, seven current cabinet members, including Starmer, voted against it.

The others were Miliband, Steve Reed, Lisa Nandy, Darren Jones, Anneliese Dodds and Hilary Benn. An additional 14 members of the current cabinet voted in favour.

Last July, Reeves pledged to review the national policy framework for critical infrastructure within a year.

Alistair Watson, planning and partner at law firm Taylor Wessing, said the government needed to immediately clarify its position on Heathrow as the UK's airport expansion policy framework, which supported Heathrow's third runway in 2018, is due to be reviewed. He said it would be.

One influential Labor member said: I've changed the wording to make it sound more positive, but there is no agreement that this is true. [a third runway] Given that you have a cabinet minister who doesn't want it and the Mayor of London will be campaigning against us, that's what they will do.

There are still substantial obstacles in terms of noise and pollution that cannot be overcome in west London, the councilor added.

The aviation industry has received a boost in recent months with the government approving the expansion of London City Airport as part of an investment summit last month and promoting the expansion of London Stansted Airport.

A Miliband spokeswoman declined to comment. Transport for London said Khan had committed to opposing the expansion of Heathrow.

Heathrow Airport said economic growth means adding to the airport's capacity, while improving and upgrading existing infrastructure to ensure capacity, while potentially providing a third runway subject to rigorous testing for carbon, noise and air quality. He said he plans to review his options.

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