The chancellor says the airport is at "the heart of the UK's openness as a country" and a third runway could lead to 100,000 more jobs.

Chancellor also vows bat tunnels will not be used in UK infrastructure projects as she defends new growth measures

Britain's Labour government will back plans for a third runway at London's Heathrow Airport, finance minister Rachel Reeves said on Wednesday, saying the project could create over 100,000 jobs. Reeves said in a speech that the case for a third runway at Heathrow - Britain's busiest hub - was stronger than ever and that it would help boost economic growth.

Good morning. Rachel Reeves delivered her big speech on growth. It contained a number of measures: some good (the Oxford/Cambridge arc tops that list), some bad (the third runway at Heathrow) and some added to give the list of growth initiatives the appearance of a more even regional distribution (the regeneration of Old Trafford).

British finance minister Rachel Reeves spelled out her plans to revive the country's slow-moving economy on Wednesday, adding to recent pledges to reform investment and planning rules with a commitment to back airport expansion at Heathrow.

Rachel Reeves has vowed to slash red tape and go for growth in a quest to make working people feel “better off”.