Most Londoners and voters across the country was to see Heathrow expand so London’s growth can fly. My government must get on with it, says

Britain has been debating where and how to expand airport capacity for almost 60 years. The Roskill Commission began its work in 1968. A child born when a Labour government first approved a third runway at Heathrow is now old enough to be leaving secondary school. Yet successive governments have failed to deliver, and Heathrow, the UK’s only hub airport, remains full.

The Prime Minister was right to say that Londoners’ voices must be heard in the debate about Heathrow expansion. Having been born and raised in south-west London, I know first-hand the difference Heathrow makes to our communities. It is not only the UK’s gateway to the world; it is one of London’s greatest economic assets and the largest single-site of employment in the country.

In Mitcham and Morden, businesses depend on the global connectivity Heathrow provides. The airport links local firms to customers, markets and investment opportunities across the world. Every year, Heathrow serves around 85m passengers, supporting tourism, trade and inward investment while connecting people and businesses to destinations that no other UK airport can serve at the same scale.

Expanding Heathrow is exactly the sort of ambitious, privately financed infrastructure project Britain needs. Heathrow already spends more than £1 billion each year with suppliers across London, nearly 70 per cent of them small and medium-sized businesses. The proposed £33bn investment would unlock opportunities far beyond west London, creating work for companies and supply chains in every nation and region of the United Kingdom. At a time when economic growth is the government’s central mission, this is an opportunity we cannot afford to ignore.

Building something that lasts

My dad worked on buildings, and I grew up understanding the pride that comes from building something that lasts. Builders leave behind the homes, schools, hospitals and infrastructure that shape communities for generations. That is why I welcome the government’s commitment to vocational education and new technical qualifications. But there is little point training a generation of skilled workers if we are unwilling to give them major projects to build.

There is little point training a generation of skilled workers if we are unwilling to give them major projects to build.

According to Heathrow, expansion would support more than 108,000 jobs, including over 17,500 during construction, alongside 5,000 apprenticeships and traineeships. Those opportunities could transform lives, particularly for young people looking to develop valuable skills and build long-term careers, and is why a third runway is backed by trade unions such as Unite and GMB. If we are serious about growth, productivity and opportunity, we must also be serious about delivering the projects that make them possible.

London is a global city, but its success benefits the whole country. A strong hub airport connects businesses from Newquay to Newcastle, Ilford to Inverness, with customers and opportunities around the world. Yet while Britain has spent decades debating a third runway, our competitors have kept building. Earlier this year, Istanbul overtook Heathrow as Europe’s busiest and best-connected airport. Every route Heathrow cannot accommodate is a route that may be attracted elsewhere, along with the investment, jobs and trade that follow it. The status quo is not a neutral choice; it carries a cost.

None of this means expansion should proceed at any price. A project of this scale must be shaped by the communities that will live alongside it. Heathrow’s consultation, which begins at the end of October, provides an important opportunity for Londoners to make their voices heard and help shape the future of the project.

The government has set four clear tests: that expansion drives economic growth across the country, is compatible with our climate commitments, meets air-quality obligations and minimises noise impacts. These are not optional extras. They are essential conditions that Heathrow must satisfy before any planning consent can be granted. I believe those tests can be met, and I will continue to hold Heathrow to account every step of the way.

The Prime Minister has spoken about overcoming a national mood that says Britain can no longer build or deliver major projects. Heathrow expansion offers a chance to prove otherwise. It is an opportunity to show that Britain still has the confidence to invest, compete and create opportunity for future generations.

This summer, polling found that 68 per cent of people living around Heathrow support expansion. After decades of debate, delay and missed opportunities, the time has come to move from discussion to delivery. I stand by with my cement mixer to swing into action as soon Heathrow expansion is approved.