Gail Downey: UK Correspondent on Heathrow's new runway, and the storm that continues to threaten the UK and Ireland

Europe's busiest airport may be adding a new wing, as the Chancellor suggests the possibility of a third runway at Heathrow. 

An announcement is expected next week for the London airport, as part of plans to boost the UK economy. 

Clean up is underway across the UK and Ireland after storms left millions of people without power. Two people died in separate incidents when their cars were hit by falling trees.

UK and Europe Correspondent Gail Downey joins the show to discuss these issues and the second storm heading their way. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Gail Downey is our Europe and UK correspondent. Morning to
you go. Real problems here with the big cleanup too
after the big storms across the UK.

Speaker 2 (00:08):
Yes, it's actually we now have a second storm on
its way which has begun to affect southwest of England,
so places like Devon and Cornwall. So the cleanup operation
continues in Northern Ireland, Wales and parts of western England
and of course the Irish Republic as well. We're are
the worst affected and two people died in separate incidents

(00:31):
when their cars were hit by falling trees. In Northern Ireland.
Seventy five thousand people are still without power and the
energy companies are saying it could take up to ten
days to complete repairs needed. As I say, this isn't
the end of the bad weather. The new storm now
is called Harmonia, and that's also leaving thousands of homes
without power today at Palmas, the Coast Guard is saying

(00:56):
to people please please stay away from the coast because
of the crashing waves. Conditions out at sea are described
as really really bad.

Speaker 1 (01:05):
To Jal that just sounds absolutely horrendous. The whole world's
changing with the weather systems I really feel for you
people there, but there's some good news possibly with Heathrow
Airport possibly getting a third runway.

Speaker 2 (01:18):
Well, this has come out of an interview done by
the Chancellor Rachel Reeves. This week the government is expected
to make an announcement as part of plans to boost
the UK economy, and part of that announcement it looks
like it could be talk of a third runway at Heathrow.
So the government's already approved the expansion of London City

(01:38):
Airport and also Stanstead Airport, stan said, which is more
popular for holiday flights. And now she's announced Rachel Reeves
and said they're looking at backing the expansion of Heathrow,
saying that sustainable aviation and economic growth go hand in
hand and that rather than circling London flights can land.
Of course, the environmentalists are concerned about this. What she

(02:00):
says is sustainable fuel was changing the carbon emissions from flying.
But not everyone's going to be happy. Environmental groups, as
I mentioned, residents living near the airport and even some
labor MPs, including the Prime Minister when he was in opposition,
have all voiced concern. In the past. London's Mayor said

(02:21):
he khn't said he was still opposed to a third runway,
and he would actually support a legal challenge if the
government did back proposals for the third runway.

Speaker 1 (02:29):
See I've always thought he throw ahead more than two runways. Anyway.
It's one of the biggest airports I've ever been to.

Speaker 2 (02:36):
It's absolutely huge, isn't it. And it's something like a
plane lands every three minutes, lands or takes off every
three minutes. It is constantly busy. And that's the thing
that local residents, people living near the airport really really
don't want any more any more runways.

Speaker 1 (02:54):
No, that's always the case, isn't the goale Not in
my backyard. No prisons, no shopping malls, no airport to
know anything really just lead me alone to my piece
and quite all the very best scale. Thank you so much.
With all those storms you're confronted with over there, I
really feel for all of the people of the UK
that may well be listening on iHeartRadio Gail Downey, our
Europe and UK correspondent for.

Speaker 2 (03:15):
More from early edition with Ryan Bridge.

Speaker 1 (03:17):
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