Prime Minister Burnham Refuses Heathrow Expansion Backing, Citing London Concerns

Prime Minister Andy Burnham refused to endorse Heathrow Airport's third runway expansion project on Sunday, September 27, 2026, at the Labour conference.

Burnham stated the matter was principally for London and Londoners and that he awaited the outcome of a consultation. This position contrasts with Chancellor John Healey, who earlier this month told the Commons the government supports the project. The government led by former Prime Minister Keir Starmer also announced support for the expansion in 2025.

Heathrow Airport Limited now suggests 2039 as the earliest possible completion year, with planning permission finalized by 2029, a four-year delay from previous estimates. Burnham has a history of opposing the expansion, having labeled it a model for an ever-overheating UK economy last year. Burnham also pledged to present a plan for free social care, funded by dedicated tax rises, to the public at the next general election, due by mid-2029.

He acknowledged that current manifesto commitments constrain his ability to implement the overhaul in the current parliament. Burnham stated nothing is off the table for funding, including potential tax hikes, and described social care in England as as unfair as American healthcare. The Prime Minister arrived in Liverpool for his first Labour conference since becoming leader on July 20, 2026, promising a new direction for Britain.

He faces internal party unrest, including Housing Secretary Angela Rayner's criticism of Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood's immigration plans. Left-wingers have accused Burnham of ghosting them and jettisoning plans for wealth taxes. Chancellor John Healey admitted he might need to act on fuel duty, which would require finding billions from other tax rises or spending cuts. Burnham condemned recent masked immigration protests as unacceptable and ruled out an early general election.