A campaign group supporting the construction of a third runway at Heathrow Airport has come under fire for distributing “highly misleading” leaflets to residents in west London, critics have claimed.
The organisation, Back Heathrow, which receives funding from the airport itself, has posted promotional materials to households near Heathrow, asserting that the expansion could lead to a “greener” airport. The leaflets suggest only the “cleanest and quietest aircraft” would operate at an expanded Heathrow.
The controversy arises as Heathrow Airport prepares to submit its long-awaited planning application for the third runway by 31 July, following renewed government backing for the scheme.
Environmental campaigners and local residents argue that the claims made by Back Heathrow are not supported by existing aviation policy or science.
Critics say the campaign group fails to make clear its financial backing from the airport in both the newsletter and its official website.
Although the group’s website mentions it was “initially launched with funding from Heathrow Airport”, it does not disclose the current level of support.
However, Back Heathrow told Sky News it has “always been open” about its funding, pointing to a standard footer on its website stating the group’s mission to protect jobs and campaign for Heathrow’s future.
Who is Behind the Back Heathrow Campaign?
Back Heathrow describes itself as a grassroots movement representing over 100,000 local residents.
The group is led by former Labour minister Parmjit Dhanda, who served as MP for Gloucester from 2001 to 2010 and now sits on Labour’s National Policy Forum.
The second director, John Braggins, is a former campaign adviser to former Prime Minister Tony Blair.
According to the latest company accounts (year ending 30 June 2024), the organisation had five employees and held over £243,000 in cash reserves.
Campaign Claims Raise Greenwashing Concerns
In the group’s recent newsletter, Mr Dhanda argued that Heathrow can become “cleaner, greener and smarter” by promoting sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), modernising airspace to reduce stacking, and ensuring only low-emission aircraft operate at the airport.
However, these claims have been met with scepticism. Aerospace engineer and climate campaigner Finlay Asher, co-founder of Safe Landing, a group of aviation professionals advocating for environmental reform, dismissed the statements as “myths”.
Mr Asher questioned the feasibility of only allowing newer, quieter planes to operate at Heathrow, pointing out there is “no policy in place” to ban older aircraft models.
He also criticised the reliance on SAF, calling the potential emissions savings “highly debatable” and noting that usage remains “relatively low” across the aviation sector.
“Any emissions reductions will be completely offset by continued air traffic growth at Heathrow,” he said.
On the issue of reducing aircraft stacking—a common problem at busy airports—Mr Asher argued that adding more flights would worsen, not alleviate, congestion.
Heathrow Third Runway Sparks Environmental and Political Tensions
As Heathrow Airport moves forward with its third runway plans, concerns are growing around transparency, environmental impact, and local health.
A previous study by University College London (UCL) revealed that long-term exposure to aircraft noise could increase the risk of heart attacks for those living near airports.
The debate over Heathrow’s expansion continues to pit economic and infrastructure ambitions against pressing environmental and public health concerns.
With the planning submission deadline looming, scrutiny over the messaging—and funding—behind pro-expansion campaigns like Back Heathrow is only set to intensify.
