Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has opposed a third runway at Heathrow, The London Standard can reveal.
She made clear she was against expanding the west London airport when she was the city’s deputy mayor for transport.
Another runway could see the number of annual flights at Heathrow jump from 480,000 to more than 700,000 with the impact on climate change, noise blighting London communities and air pollution.
But Ms Alexander is the eighth Cabinet minister who has opposed another runway at Heathrow, as has Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
She did a joint interview with Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan with Reuters, which was streamed live on November 11, 2020, during which she was asked if the Heathrow expansion plans should be ditched and airports closed given the impact of the Covid pandemic.
Ms Alexander responded: “Sadiq may want to say something on this issue - we have been clear with our opposition to a third runway at Heathrow.
“ But we have also, as far as I’m concerned quite aware of the importance of aviation to our economy and it is what makes London a global city.
“So I think that would be premature to be talking about closure of airports.”
Ms Alexander replaced Louise Haigh as Transport Secretary last year, sparking suggestions that she may be more amenable to backing a third runway as Ms Haigh had stressed the environmental challenges to the development.
But she would have to “U-turn” on her previous opposition to a bigger Heathrow as would 16 other ministers who alongside the PM voted against the expansion when it was being pushed through by the Conservative government in June 2018.
The extra runway was also opposed then by the current Environment Secretary Steve Reed, Net Zero Secretary Ed Miliband, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy and Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn.
Ms Reeves’ deputy Darren Jones, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, her sister Cabinet minister Ellie Reeves, and development minister Anneliese Dodds, who all also attend Cabinet, also voted against a bigger Heathrow six years ago, as did nine other ministers.
Sir Sadiq is a strong opponent of a third runway.
A Government source said on Ms Alexander’s comments: “"Heidi was reflecting the view of the Mayor of London and City Hall in her capacity as Deputy Mayor of Transport for London on a previous Heathrow expansion scheme.
"As Secretary of State she will consider any proposals brought forward on their merits and in line with existing processes."
Ms Reeves has declined to confirm she backs a third runway but has said the Government’s growth mission “trumps other things” which was seen as a signal that she would support a bigger Heathrow.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, she insisted the Government would make “pro-growth decisions in the national interest” and that “the answer can’t always be ‘no’” when it comes to major developments.
But Green peer Baroness Jenny Jones has warned the Government against “eco-stupidity and eco-ignorance” on a third runway.
She added: “I just don’t see why they would do a U-turn when we all know that it is really bad for residents and the planet.”
Six years ago, 94 Labour MPs opposed to go-ahead for expanding Heathrow in a showdown vote on the National Policy Statement on Airports, but it was approved by 415 votes to 119.
Labour MPs who voted against the expansion included Industry Minister Sarah Jones, Emma Reynolds, Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Foreign Office ministers Catherine West and Stephen Doughty, Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook, Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood, Children and Families Minister Janet Daby, Education Minister Stephen Morgan and Food Security Minister Daniel Zeichner.
Mr Pennycook, the MP for Greenwich and Woolwich who was on the media round on Thursday, appeared to need convincing to back another runway, stressing it would need to be within net zero targets and saying his opposition was on record.
