Britain’s government has backed a tortured effort to build a third runway at Heathrow, Europe’s busiest airport, throwing its weight behind a decades-old proposal that has been beset by political, legal and environmental challenges.

Rachel Reeves is facing fierce opposition within Labour over her plans for a third runway at Heathrow Airport.

British finance minister Rachel Reeves is expected to back the expansion of Heathrow Airport on Wednesday, turning to the country's most controversial infrastructure project in her hunt for economic growth.

U.K. Treasury chief Rachel Reeves says that the new Labour government is backing the construction of third runway at London’s Heathrow Airport.

Rachel Reeves has told London Mayor Sadiq Khan she is certain to defeat his bid to sabotage her Heathrow expansion scheme. Asked if Mr Khan was able to stop to her third runway plan, the Chancellor replied: ‘No.’ The capital’s Labour mayor could mount a legal challenge, she said, but he would not prevail in the end.

Rachel Reeves confirmed plans for a third runway at London Heathrow Airport this morning, (Wednesday, January 29). The ambitious project has been backed by the airport itself, claiming it is the 'bold, responsible vision the UK needs to thrive in the 21st century'.

U.K. Treasury chief Rachel Reeves says that the new Labour government is backing the construction of third runway at London’s Heathrow Airport

Britain's Labour government will back the construction of a third runway at London's Heathrow Airport to boost trade and economic growth, finance minister Rachel Reeves said on Wednesday. Successive governments have dithered over whether to expand the site to the west of London,

In a major speech, the country’s top finance official pushed for faster economic growth, and supported a long-debated expansion at the London airport.

The third runway is part of its drive to lift the U.K. economy out of a long period of stagnation, Treasury chief Rachel Reeves said in a speech on Wednesday.

A Labour MP has called for Heathrow airport to be renamed after Queen Elizabeth II to mark a century since her birth. Adam Jogee (Newcastle-under-Lyme) said his proposal would be an suitable way of marking her “lifetime of service to the country and the Commonwealth”.