UK PM Burnham Declines to Back Heathrow Third Runway, Casting Doubt on £49 Billion Expansion

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham declined to support a third runway at London's Heathrow Airport, signaling he could block an expansion approved by predecessor Keir Starmer. Asked repeatedly in a BBC interview on September 27, 2026, ahead of Labour's annual conference in Liverpool, Burnham said the matter is "principally" for London and that differing views from the consultation must be taken seriously. Starmer's government approved Heathrow's £49 billion ($65 billion) expansion plan last year, including the third runway, as part of efforts to demonstrate commitment to UK economic growth. The third runway has been debated for decades, with successive governments backing or blocking it. The current plan requires burying part of a major highway near London and demolishing hundreds of homes, making it a contentious issue in the capital.