New Times,
New Thinking.

  1. Politics
21 September 2013

Balls contradicts Miliband as he backs third runway over HS2

Asked to choose between a third runway at Heathrow and High Speed 2, Balls replies: "third runway". Miliband would say the reverse.

By George Eaton

The most significant line in Ed Balls’s Times interview today has gone strangely unnoted by the paper, which splashes on the news that he was part of a “macho Brownite cabal”.

Asked in a “quick fire” section whether he favours a “third runway or HS2”, the shadow chancellor replies: “third runway”. Why is that striking? Because it is the reverse of the answer that Ed Miliband would give. As Damian McBride’s memoir reminds us, Miliband “effectively threatened to resign from the cabinet” over the planned third runway at Heathrow, a move that successfully torpedoed the policy. Since then, shadow transport secretary Maria Eagle has said that the idea is “off the agenda” on account of Miliband’s past opposition.

On HS2, while Balls is increasingly sceptical of the new high speed line, warning that there will be “no blank cheque from a Labour Treasury”, Miliband remains personally supportive of the project, which was launched by Andrew Adonis, the party’s shadow infrastructure minister and man he has appointed to lead Labour’s economic growth review.

It has long been an open secret in Westminster that Balls believes Labour should prioritise airport expansion over HS2 but his decision to put this fact on record is significant.

Select and enter your email address Your weekly guide to the best writing on ideas, politics, books and culture every Saturday. The best way to sign up for The Saturday Read is via saturdayread.substack.com The New Statesman's quick and essential guide to the news and politics of the day. The best way to sign up for Morning Call is via morningcall.substack.com
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how Progressive Media Investments may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
THANK YOU

Content from our partners
The UK’s skills shortfall is undermining growth
<strong>What kind of tax reforms would stimulate growth?</strong>