Labour appears ready to instruct its MPs to block the government over its Heathrow expansion plans unveiled yesterday, despite getting backing from Unite the union.
The move, which goes against Labour's long-held support for airport expansion in the south east of the country, was hinted at by the opposition's spokesman who told reporters the initial assessment of the government's proposals suggested they would not pass the party's four tests.
They are that any expansion meet the UKs capacity demands; does not breach noise and air pollution obligations; allows the UK to meet its climate change targets in their entirety and supports growth across the whole country.
The spokesman declined to say which of the four the proposals did not meet, saying there were "several" areas that it failed on. "We are sceptical on the basis of what we've seen so far," he added.
That would put Labour leadership at odds with Unite, which yesterday urged MPs to back the plan for a third runway at Heathrow.
General secretary Len McCluskey said it "answers the demands of many Unite members across the UK – for more skilled, well-paid and sustainable jobs.
"Expansion will deliver these jobs and growth to every nation and region of the UK, whilst Heathrow deliver on the work they have been doing to address environmental concerns; all at a critical time for UK workers."
A threat has also been mounted by former Cabinet minister Justine Greening, who tore into the proposals during Prime Minister's Questions today, dubbing them "the worst kind of nationalisation".
The Putney MP claimed the proposals put forward meant the Department for Transport had given Heathrow "an active monopoly status".
"They have somehow managed to get a poison pill clause agreed by the DfT that means the taxpayer has to cover all their costs if things go wrong," she told the Commons.
"Isnt this the worst kind of nationalisation – the public sector and taxpayers owning all of the Heathrow downsides and risks and the private sector owning all of the upsides and financial returns."
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