Political commentator Piers Pottinger has launched a scathing attack on Rachel Reeves' reported plans to back a third runway at Heathrow Airport.
Speaking to GB News, Pottinger claimed the Chancellor "has run out of ideas" and is "desperately trying to think of something".
The Chancellor is reportedly set to back a £14billion expansion of Heathrow Airport, which would add a third runway to Britain's busiest aviation hub.
Pottinger said: "It just shows that she's run out of ideas. Nothing that she's done is going to create growth. So she's desperately trying to think of something.
"So she latches onto the idea of an extra runway at Heathrow, which first of all, will take years before it'll actually happen.
"The second thing is, of course, Heathrow is actually owned, not, as you would expect by anyone, British.
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"It's entirely owned by overseas businesses Qatar, Spain, Canada and the USA. And actually, I think that's another point is that our major ports in my view, should not be owned by foreigners.
"From a point of view of national security our major ports, of which Heathrow is the biggest, should be owned by the British. "
He added: "It's not going to create growth in this country for the foreseeable future."
The plans, expected to be announced in a speech later this month, also include bringing a second runway at Gatwick into full-time use and increasing capacity at Luton Airport.
The Heathrow expansion could increase capacity by 260,000 flights annually.
The announcements are part of a broader package of measures aimed at boosting economic growth, which includes the £9bn Lower Thames Crossing project and a Universal Studios theme park in Bedfordshire.
The expansion plans face significant opposition from within the Labour Party, including Energy Secretary Ed Miliband.
Miliband's concerns stem from his responsibility for keeping the UK within its carbon budget and meeting net zero emissions by 2050.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has also voiced his opposition. A spokesperson for Khan told the Guardian: "The mayor has a longstanding opposition to airport expansion around London – linked to the negative impact on air quality, noise and London's ability to reach net zero by 2030."
The move is expected to be unpopular with many Labour backbenchers, both those representing constituencies near airports and those campaigning on climate action.
Environmental campaigners have reacted with strong criticism to the reported expansion plans.
Doug Parr, policy director at Greenpeace UK, said: "Resurrecting the idea of a third runway at Heathrow in the hope that a strip of tarmac will nudge up the UK's GDP smacks of desperation."
He added that the economic benefits were "dubious at best" while environmental costs were "certain."
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Speaking to GB News, Pottinger claimed the Chancellor "has run out of ideas" and is "desperately trying to think of something".
The Chancellor is reportedly set to back a £14billion expansion of Heathrow Airport, which would add a third runway to Britain's busiest aviation hub.
Pottinger said: "It just shows that she's run out of ideas. Nothing that she's done is going to create growth. So she's desperately trying to think of something.
"So she latches onto the idea of an extra runway at Heathrow, which first of all, will take years before it'll actually happen.
"The second thing is, of course, Heathrow is actually owned, not, as you would expect by anyone, British.
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"It's entirely owned by overseas businesses Qatar, Spain, Canada and the USA. And actually, I think that's another point is that our major ports in my view, should not be owned by foreigners.
"From a point of view of national security our major ports, of which Heathrow is the biggest, should be owned by the British. "
He added: "It's not going to create growth in this country for the foreseeable future."
The plans, expected to be announced in a speech later this month, also include bringing a second runway at Gatwick into full-time use and increasing capacity at Luton Airport.
The Heathrow expansion could increase capacity by 260,000 flights annually.
The announcements are part of a broader package of measures aimed at boosting economic growth, which includes the £9bn Lower Thames Crossing project and a Universal Studios theme park in Bedfordshire.
The expansion plans face significant opposition from within the Labour Party, including Energy Secretary Ed Miliband.
Miliband's concerns stem from his responsibility for keeping the UK within its carbon budget and meeting net zero emissions by 2050.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has also voiced his opposition. A spokesperson for Khan told the Guardian: "The mayor has a longstanding opposition to airport expansion around London – linked to the negative impact on air quality, noise and London's ability to reach net zero by 2030."
The move is expected to be unpopular with many Labour backbenchers, both those representing constituencies near airports and those campaigning on climate action.
Environmental campaigners have reacted with strong criticism to the reported expansion plans.
Doug Parr, policy director at Greenpeace UK, said: "Resurrecting the idea of a third runway at Heathrow in the hope that a strip of tarmac will nudge up the UK's GDP smacks of desperation."
He added that the economic benefits were "dubious at best" while environmental costs were "certain."
Find Out More...