The Conservative Party pledged on Monday 5 October to "do whatever it takes" to get a third runway built at Heathrow, intensifying a political row that has already pushed the expansion timeline back to 2039. There is no immediate change for travellers using the airport this week.
In a speech to the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham, shadow chancellor Andrew Griffith said a future Conservative government would legislate to "sweep away the blockers to getting the infrastructure our country needs built", explicitly naming Heathrow's third runway as part of a wider growth agenda. "The next Conservative government will do whatever it takes to end the delays and boost capacity by backing the third runway," Griffith said, according to his prepared remarks reported by the BBC and the Independent.
The intervention comes after Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he had an "open mind" on whether Heathrow should get a third runway, with Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander telling last week's Labour Party conference in Liverpool that the decision was ultimately "a matter for London and Londoners", as reported by LBC. That stance has exposed a rift within government over an expansion Heathrow itself has said it wants to secure planning permission for by 2029, with the runway not operational until 2039 at the earliest.
The Independent and the BBC both confirmed the content of Griffith's speech ahead of its delivery, standard practice for UK party conference remarks released to broadcasters in advance. Heathrow has pushed for successive governments to back expansion for more than a decade, and the airport is due to hold a public consultation on its latest proposals between 27 October and 22 December this year.
Monday's pledge does not commit a future government to any binding timetable, and with the current Labour government yet to confirm its own position, Heathrow's third runway remains a political argument rather than a construction project. No construction has begun and none is expected imminently regardless of the outcome of this dispute.
What this means for your journey: today's announcement has no effect on flights, security or terminals at Heathrow this week, and any runway would not open before 2039 even under the most favourable scenario. If you're travelling to or from the airport soon, our /public-transport/ guide covers the Elizabeth line, Heathrow Express and coach options, and our /parking/ guide has advice on booking ahead for cheaper rates.