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| Unions write to Labour MPs urging them to back Heathrow expansion | |
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| Trade unions are preparing to ramp up their efforts to persuade Labour MPs to back expansion at Heathrow airport, putting them at odds with senior party figures including Jeremy Corbyn. | Trade unions are preparing to ramp up their efforts to persuade Labour MPs to back expansion at Heathrow airport, putting them at odds with senior party figures including Jeremy Corbyn. |
| Community, the union that represents iron and steel workers, wrote to all Labour MPs on Thursday calling on them to back the expansion if it is approved by the prime minister, Theresa May, next week. | Community, the union that represents iron and steel workers, wrote to all Labour MPs on Thursday calling on them to back the expansion if it is approved by the prime minister, Theresa May, next week. |
| However, figures at the top of the party remain strongly opposed to expansion on environmental grounds, including Corbyn and the shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, whose Hayes and Harlington constituency includes the airport. | However, figures at the top of the party remain strongly opposed to expansion on environmental grounds, including Corbyn and the shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, whose Hayes and Harlington constituency includes the airport. |
| In his letter, which was also sent to all MPs in the all-party parliamentary group on steel, Community’s general secretary, Roy Rickhuss, wrote: “Steel needs to be put at the heart of the government’s new industrial strategy, and trade unions need to be a key part of this. For the benefit of the UK steel industry, and the British economy, there must be sustained investment in major private infrastructure projects.” | In his letter, which was also sent to all MPs in the all-party parliamentary group on steel, Community’s general secretary, Roy Rickhuss, wrote: “Steel needs to be put at the heart of the government’s new industrial strategy, and trade unions need to be a key part of this. For the benefit of the UK steel industry, and the British economy, there must be sustained investment in major private infrastructure projects.” |
| A third runway, Rickhuss said, could “kickstart a pipeline of high profile work that keeps contracts coming in, and keeps jobs and families secure. We urge you to lend your voice to back Heathrow expansion.” | A third runway, Rickhuss said, could “kickstart a pipeline of high profile work that keeps contracts coming in, and keeps jobs and families secure. We urge you to lend your voice to back Heathrow expansion.” |
| Two of the country’s largest unions, Unite and the GMB, have also lobbied Labour MPs to vote though the expansion. Mick Rix, the GMB’s national officer for transport and distribution, said the union had also written to Labour MPs to promote Heathrow expansion. | Two of the country’s largest unions, Unite and the GMB, have also lobbied Labour MPs to vote though the expansion. Mick Rix, the GMB’s national officer for transport and distribution, said the union had also written to Labour MPs to promote Heathrow expansion. |
| “We’ve written to Labour MPs on numerous occasions making clear our longstanding support for Heathrow expansion and setting out the clear-cut case,” Rix said. “Our union’s policy is crystal clear and we’ve been campaigning on it for the best part of a decade. Long-awaited approval of Heathrow expansion would mean a vote in favour of jobs and a desperately needed boost for the UK economy.” | “We’ve written to Labour MPs on numerous occasions making clear our longstanding support for Heathrow expansion and setting out the clear-cut case,” Rix said. “Our union’s policy is crystal clear and we’ve been campaigning on it for the best part of a decade. Long-awaited approval of Heathrow expansion would mean a vote in favour of jobs and a desperately needed boost for the UK economy.” |
| Unite, Britain’s largest union and a key backer of Corbyn, has also long supported expansion and recently launched its own Unite4Heathrow website and Twitter account. | Unite, Britain’s largest union and a key backer of Corbyn, has also long supported expansion and recently launched its own Unite4Heathrow website and Twitter account. |
| Speaking to the Guardian during the Labour conference, Corbyn said he had never been a supporter because of the issues of noise and pollution across west London. | Speaking to the Guardian during the Labour conference, Corbyn said he had never been a supporter because of the issues of noise and pollution across west London. |
| However, the Labour leader has hinted he would be prepared to consider a free vote on the issue. “What I’ve discovered is whipping Labour when Labour doesn’t want to be whipped is not an easy thing to do,” he said. | However, the Labour leader has hinted he would be prepared to consider a free vote on the issue. “What I’ve discovered is whipping Labour when Labour doesn’t want to be whipped is not an easy thing to do,” he said. |
| McDonnell has been one of the most vociferous campaigners against expansion, both as a constituency MP and as shadow chancellor, arguing that the air in his area is “being poisoned by Heathrow airport ... They are the issues that I think will prevent the third runway going ahead.” | McDonnell has been one of the most vociferous campaigners against expansion, both as a constituency MP and as shadow chancellor, arguing that the air in his area is “being poisoned by Heathrow airport ... They are the issues that I think will prevent the third runway going ahead.” |
| Several other unions are also opposed, including the UK’s second biggest – Unison. RMT is also opposed and has historically called for further investment in high-speed rail connections as an alternative. | Several other unions are also opposed, including the UK’s second biggest – Unison. RMT is also opposed and has historically called for further investment in high-speed rail connections as an alternative. |
| Other local Labour MPs including Fiona Mactaggart, Steve Pound and Virendra Sharma are backers of a third runway, citing a promised boost to local employment and business opportunities. | Other local Labour MPs including Fiona Mactaggart, Steve Pound and Virendra Sharma are backers of a third runway, citing a promised boost to local employment and business opportunities. |
| The most recent YouGov poll of Labour MPs showed strong support for a third runway, with 80% agreeing with the statement: “Heathrow expansion is an important factor in Britain’s future ability to stay connected to the world post-Brexit.” | The most recent YouGov poll of Labour MPs showed strong support for a third runway, with 80% agreeing with the statement: “Heathrow expansion is an important factor in Britain’s future ability to stay connected to the world post-Brexit.” |