Rachel Reeves vows to ‘get spades in the ground’ for Heathrow expansion as Labour rush through plans

The move forms part of Labour's broader strategy to boost Britain's sluggish economy, with Reeves promising to make Britain "the world's best connected place to do business."

She said: "If you look at the forecasts from the Office of Budget Responsibility [OBR], the independent forecaster, they forecast that during the course of this Parliament, employment will rise and unemployment will fall.

"The announcement yesterday about the third runway at Heathrow could create 100,000 jobs. The investment zone that I announced yesterday in Wrexham and Flintshire with JCB and Airbus could create six thousand jobs.

"The investment by Prologis at East Midlands Airport could create two thousand jobs.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

• Inheritance tax seven-year rule changes ruled out by Reeves as Chancellor vows to ‘draw a line’
• Toby Young spearheads efforts against Starmer's free speech clampdown - 'Defend our values!'
• Nigel Farage speaks out on awkward ITV This Morning moment: ‘Look what they did to me!’

"So there's plenty of reasons to be optimistic about the ability of our economy to grow and create jobs, because this Government is serious about getting things built once again in Britain, not just talking about it, but delivering.

"For Heathrow, we want spades in the ground in this Parliament. We've asked the Heathrow to come forward with plans by the summer."

However, concerns have emerged about the project's timeline, with reports suggesting the third runway might not be operational until 2050.

When pressed about these delays on GB News, Reeves focused instead on the immediate steps, stating the Government wants to "get cracking and see those planes take off".

The expansion of Heathrow forms part of a wider economic growth strategy unveiled by the Chancellor.

Reeves also backed expansions at Luton and Gatwick airports, with decisions to be made by the transport secretary shortly.

Her plans include developing a "growth corridor" between Oxford and Cambridge, which she claimed could become "Europe's Silicon Valley" and add £78bn to the UK economy by 2035.

Other initiatives include redeveloping Old Trafford and reviving Doncaster/Sheffield airport.

The expansion plans face significant opposition from within Labour's own ranks, particularly among London MPs concerned about environmental impact.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has declared his outright opposition, citing "severe impact it will have on noise, air pollution and meeting our climate change target."