RUNWAY SUCCESS

Heathrow Airport expansion could spark surge for salmon and whisky exports Boost for trade welcomed - but Scottish Greens blast 'climate vandalism'

- BY ANDREW QUINN

A THIRD runway at Heathrow will boost Scotland's economy by sparking a surge in whisky and salmon exports, Rachel Reeves has claimed.

The Labour Chancellor announced yesterday the UK Government was now in favour of expanding London's busiest airport.

Reeves faces massive opposition from within Labour and from environmental campaigners amid fears the new runway will lead to an increase in the UK's carbon emissions.

But she is backing the plan as part of her mission to boost economic growth.

Reeves said the move would boost other parts of the UK, picking out Scotch whisky and Scottish salmon as industries that would have "increasing trade opportunities" .

She said: "According to the most recent study from Frontier Economics, a third runway could increase potential GDP by 0.43 per cent by 2050.

"Over half, 60 per cent, of that boost would go to areas outside of London and the south-east in creating increasing trade opportunities for products like Scotch whisky and Scottish salmon - already two of the biggest British exports out of Heathrow."

Reeves's announcement came during a speech at an engineering firm in Oxford about kickstarting economic growth across the UK.

The plan for a third runway received parliamentary approval in 2018 but has been delayed by legal challenges and the pandemic. The airport still needs legal approval from the Department for Transport to go ahead with the expansion. It has said it would not continue developing the scheme without Government support.