Another Burnham U-turn as Chancellor confirms backing for Heathrow's third runway opposed by PM when he was Manchester mayor

See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source Published: 09:38 EDT, 8 September 2026 | Updated: 09:41 EDT, 8 September 2026 Andy Burnham appears to have committed yet another U-turn after his Chancellor vowed to keep government support for Heathrow's third runway project.John Healey confirmed to the Commons today that Labour backs the project despite the change of prime minister.But it may raise eyebrows given Mr Burnham's previous attacks on the scheme going back years.In January last year the then Manchester mayor branded it a 'model for an ever-overheating UK economy'.In June former chancellor Rachel Reeves said she was determined to get 'spades in the ground' for the third runway in the current Parliament, and for it to be built by 2035.And today her successor told MPs: 'After years of delay, years of indecision, years of often vexatious challenge, we have given the go-ahead to this project quite simply because the economic case stacks up and will help bring growth.' John Healey confirmed to the Commons today that Labour backs the project despite the change of prime minister. But it may raise eyebrows given Mr Burnham's previous attacks on the scheme going back years. In January last year the then Manchester mayor branded it a 'model for an ever-overheating UK economy'Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL) wants to obtain permission to build a full-length, 3,500-metre runway, which would require the M25 motorway being moved. The plans to expand the UK's largest airport, which the Government previously described as 'critical to national growth', have long been opposed by climate experts and the Mayor of London, Lord Khan of Tooting. Mr Burnham has also opposed it for almost a decade. In 2018 he said: 'I'm against a 3rd runway at Heathrow because of need to limit national levels of aviation. 'We should use spare capacity at Manchester and Birmingham instead.'The following year he warned that the expansion would 'trap infrastructure spending inside the M25 for 10 years' at the expense of the north.Last year, when he warned of the economy overheating he added: 'I would ask the government to pause on this one to talk to northern MPs, talk to northern mayors, and come up with a plan that if it goes ahead, we can demonstrate that it's not at the expense of essential investment in northern infrastructure.' In 2018 Mr Burnham said: 'I'm against a 3rd runway at Heathrow because of need to limit national levels of aviation'After Istanbul surpassed Heathrow as Europe's busiest airport in July, the west London airport argued that 'the case for expansion has never been clearer'.The airport said it was 'operating at capacity' and that its expansion plans 'will ensure the country gets the infrastructure it needs to stay competitive and will deliver all-important economic growth'.Estimated to cost £33billion, including £1.5billion to move the M25 to build the runway, the scheme is expected to be fully privately financed.It would see Heathrow's capacity increase to 756,000 flights and 150 million passengers per year.