A lobby group pushing for a third runway at Heathrow has been accused of distributing “incredibly misleading” leaflets to homes in west London — while receiving funding directly from the airport.
Back Heathrow recently sent out flyers suggesting that an expanded airport would be “greener,” claiming only the “cleanest and quietest” aircraft would fly from the site.
The leaflet campaign comes as Heathrow prepares to submit its long-awaited planning application by July 31 — a plan already backed by the Government, according to Sky News.
Back Heathrow describes itself as a local campaign group representing over 100,000 residents, but its newsletter does not disclose that it receives funding from Heathrow Airport. The group's website is similarly ambiguous, stating it was “initially launched with funding” from the airport and has “since grown” — without clarifying its current financial ties.
A disclaimer at the bottom of each page reads: “Back Heathrow is a group of residents, businesses and community groups who have come together to defend the jobs that rely on Heathrow and to campaign for its secure future.”
Heathrow Airport has not disclosed how much it contributes to the campaign but says it has always been transparent about funding the project.
Back Heathrow is led by former Labour MP for Gloucester Parmjit Dhanda, who also sits on the party’s National Policy Forum, which helps shape Labour policy. The group's accounts name a second director, John Braggins, a former campaign adviser to Tony Blair.
Its most recent filings show the organisation holds £243,961 in cash reserves.
In the newsletter, executive director Mr Dhanda responds to a question about sustainability.
He writes: "We can build a cleaner, greener and smarter airport - using more sustainable aviation fuel, ensuring only the cleanest and quietest aircraft fly here, reduce stacking in our skies and modernise our airspace to cut emissions in flight."
But campaigners have rejected Back Heathrow's environmental arguments as "myths".
Climate activist and aerospace engineer Finlay Asher described the emissions savings from sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) as "highly debatable" and that usage of these fuels is "relatively low".
"Air traffic growth at Heathrow will wipe this out," he said. "There is no policy in place which prevents older generation aircraft from being operated out of any airport."
Regarding Back Heathrow's claims about reducing "stacking", where aircraft are left waiting over an airport to land, Mr Asher said: "Adding more aircraft to the sky won't make this easier."
Heathrow Airport announced plans earlier this month to raise its capacity by 10 million passengers a year, before a third runway is built, and to increase charges paid by passengers to finance the development.
A Heathrow spokesperson said: "Back Heathrow represents tens of thousands of local people who want to make their views known on the importance of Heathrow to their communities and livelihoods today and into the future.
"We have always been clear that, alongside individual residents, local business groups and trade unions, we provide funding for Back Heathrow to provide a voice for local people who historically have not been heard in the debate about expanding Heathrow."
On behalf of the campaign group, Mr Dhanda said: "At Back Heathrow we are proud of our link to Heathrow Airport (the clue is in the name).
"We have always been open about the fact that we receive support from the airport and that they helped set the organisation up to balance the debate about expansion at a time when the voices of ordinary working people from the diverse communities around Heathrow were not being heard."
"Back Heathrow also receives support from trade unions, local businesses and residents from amongst the 100,000 registered supporters it now has.”
