Political correspondent
Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary Ed Miliband has refused to say whether he is personally in favour of the expansion of Heathrow airport.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced the Labour government would support the airport plans for a third runway last month, in pursuit of her economic growth agenda.
As Labour leader in 2010, Miliband reversed his party’s support for Heathrow expansion over concerns about the environmental impact of it.
Pushed on whether he has changed his mind, Miliband said: “I am part of the government and I abide by collective responsibility.”
“I was part of the decision-making process and the decision is as Rachel Reeves set it out,” he said, adding he was “not obfuscating” when pressed on his previous stance and the fact he did not attend the chancellor’s announcement on Heathrow.
Collective responsibility is the rule that the Cabinet must act as one on government decisions.
Miliband later told the Today programme a final decision on Heathrow expansion is “some years off”, adding the proposal will need to meet carbon budgets and local environmental standards to be approved.
“I do support what the government is doing, which is that we’ve asked Heathrow to come forward with their plans,” he told Sky News.
“But it’s really important to say these have got to meet strict carbon budgets and local environmental standards and then an assessment will be made about whether a third runway can do that… We have carbon budgets in which any of those plans have to sit.”
Miliband attended a Cabinet away-day on Friday, where ministers discussed efforts to boost economic growth and reform public services.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves told colleagues Heathrow was “exactly the sort of model to boost growth for Britain and we need to move further and faster,” according to a Downing Street statement.
Those close to Miliband say there would be little point in resigning over Heathrow, given that a final decision is still some years away and there are pressing priorities within his portfolio, which he wants to address such as his commitment to clean energy.
The energy secretary has also refused to state his personal position on the Rosebank oil field, another project he has previously opposed for environmental reasons.
He argued that he has “different responsibilities” now as a government minister than he did in opposition, when he described the development as “a colossal waste of taxpayer money” and “economic vandalism”.
There will be a “proper process”, he said, so the decision is made in a “fair and objective” manner.
Neither were resignation issues, Miliband said, adding “What I’m about is making a massive difference now – this is the fight of our time”.
He said he “utterly reject[s]” that there is a choice between economic growth and net zero, arguing that clean energy provides “the biggest economic opportunity of the 21st century” for jobs and the planet.
On energy bills he said “I fear bills will keep rising” unless there was a transition to “clean home grown power we control”.
Miliband was also asked about the launch of a consultation on plans to ensure all rental properties have an energy performance certificate (EPC) rating of C or above.
He accepted adding extra insulation to rented accommodation would increase bills for landlords, who may pass that cost onto tenants in the form of higher rents.
However, Miliband said the move was the “fair” thing to do and was backed by tenants’ associations worried about damp, mouldy homes and high energy bills.
