Westminster Activities

Protect our Economy

MP’s on College Green outside Westminster, saying “Protect our Economy”

Justine and Christian represented Stop Heathrow Expansion on College Green in Westminster on Wednesday, making our opposition to Heathrow Expansion clear during the Department for Transport hearings.

MPs join the campaign

Our MP, John McDonnell, joined MPs Munira Wilson (Twickenham) and Sarah Olney (Richmond Park) to support us. They were with others from the Labour Party and Green Party, trade unions and climate campaigners.

The Department for Transport wants to designate Heathrow's proposed third runway as a "Critical National Growth Infrastructure".

But is it really "critical" to expand airport capacity by bulldozing homes and businesses for more flights and holidays??

The Government is also supporting airport expansion at Gatwick, Luton and London City airport in the South East.

Will the third runway create new jobs?

Heathrow claims that expansion will create jobs and economic growth.

However, we believe that past experience of Terminal 5 tells a different story. When Terminal 5 opened, Heathrow’s workforce actually fell by around 3000 workers.

An automated third runway is unlikely to create the number of new jobs being claimed. Instead, many of the well-paid workers needed, would simply be drawn from other parts of Britain.

More emissions and pollution.

Heathrow is not the only airport seeking to expand. Around 20 other airports across the UK also have expansion plans. More airport expansion means:

  • More aircraft noise

  • More air pollution

  • More carbon emissions

The climate crisis is happening now.

The Government’s support for Heathrow

On Tuesday, the new Chancellor John Healey, MP for Rawmarsh and Conisbrough, spoke in support of Heathrow expansion in the House of Commons: "After years of delay, indecision and often vexatious challenge, we have given the go-ahead to this project quite simply because the economic case stacks up and will help to bring growth....".

This means we need to make our case to both the new Chancellor, and the Secretary of State for Transport Heidi Alexander - who will have the final say on Heathrow's proposal.

We need to show the Government that a third runway is NOT good for Britain - it primarily benefits Heathrow and its shareholders.

Transport Committee

Ruth Cadbury, the Labour MP for Brentford and Isleworth, is Chair of the Transport Committee. You can watch the next meeting on Tuesday 15th Sept 2026 at 4pm.

This will be the committee’s third meeting to discuss the Draft Heathrow Expansion National Policy Statement (HENPS). Previous meetings are also available to watch online https://parliamentlive.tv/ .

We will continue to make sure that MPs and the Government hear our message: Heathrow expansion is not the answer to Britains future.

SHE