London — Burnham Won't Back Heathrow's £33bn Third Runway

Prime Minister Andy Burnham declined on Sunday to say whether he supports a third runway at Heathrow, a £33bn expansion that Heathrow itself now says could slip four years past its original 2035 target, according to the BBC. Heathrow indicated on Saturday the project may not be operational before 2039.

Speaking on Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg, Burnham said: "I think principally, it's a matter for London and Londoners." He added that "it's not right for me to just jump straight in on the back of the consultation," pointing to an ongoing government consultation on the scheme.

Why Is the Runway Timeline Slipping?

Heathrow conceded over the weekend that meeting the original 2035 opening date would be increasingly difficult without further steps to simplify the planning process, the BBC reported. The airport now says it hopes to secure planning permission by 2029 and open the runway "within a decade" of that date — a schedule that pushes the practical completion window to 2039. The Department for Transport called the original timeline "always... ambitious" and said it would keep working with stakeholders "at pace."

The expansion would raise Heathrow's flight cap from 480,000 movements a year to 720,000, or nearly 2,000 flights a day on average, per the BBC. Construction would require demolishing hundreds of homes, diverting rivers, and rerouting a section of the M25 motorway through a tunnel.

What Is Burnham's Position, Exactly?

Burnham's comments mark a shift from his stance as Mayor of Greater Manchester, where he opposed the runway over concerns it would delay transport investment in the north of England. On taking national office he described himself as "open-minded" on the scheme. Ahead of his first Labour Party conference as prime minister, he said: "There's a consultation but there are different views and you have to take those views seriously in coming to a decision," the BBC reported.

Former Chancellor Rachel Reeves had championed the runway as part of a growth push, backing the project in January 2025 with the original 2035 target.

Who Backs the Project and Who Opposes It?

Heathrow, in response to Burnham's remarks, said: "We agree with the prime minister that local voices must be heard. We know from consistent polling over the last decade that communities support our plans for expansion and support is only growing over time," according to the BBC.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham backed the scheme in financial and labor terms: "A third runway at Heathrow is essential and we need to get going with it. This is more than just infrastructure. It's about investing in the workforce, securing the future of good, unionised jobs and a guaranteed market for UK steel." The GMB union has also backed expansion.

Opposition comes from environmental campaigners, local resident groups, and Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, the BBC reported. Estimates cited in the coverage put job creation from the project at 100,000, alongside the airport's framing of a "major boost" to the UK economy — figures Heathrow and project backers have used to argue for the £33bn outlay.

What Happens Next for the £33bn Project?

The consultation Burnham referenced is the mechanism through which the government will weigh public and stakeholder input before any final decision. Burnham has signaled he will wait for that process to conclude rather than state a position now, a stance that leaves the runway's political backing — and its financing and construction timeline — unresolved heading into his first Labour conference as prime minister.

What to Watch

• The outcome of the government's Heathrow consultation and whether Burnham states a position afterward.
• Whether Heathrow's revised timeline of planning permission by 2029 and opening "within a decade" holds, given the airport's own acknowledgment of planning-process hurdles.
• Any shift in position from Mayor of London Sadiq Khan or from Unite and GMB as the consultation proceeds.
• Department for Transport statements on simplifying the planning process, which Heathrow says is needed to avoid further delay.

The BBC's original report is available here.

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