In the news, January 2025

Expanding UK airports won’t deliver economic growth
We responded to news that Rachel Reeves is in support of airport expansions including a third runway at Heathrow.

• Our analysis found that airport expansion would cancel out carbon savings of clean power plan.
• We produced a briefing showing airport expansion will not deliver the growth the government wants.
• Alex Chapman wrote an article showing how the Chancellor’s airport expansion plans don’t add up.

We received extensive news coverage and mentions in the House of Commons:

• Dr Alex Chapman and Chaitanya Kumar spoke to the Financial Times (twice), the Guardian (2, 3, 4, 5), the Independent, Sky News (twice), the Mirror, Channel 4 News and BBC Three Counties (twice).
• Our research showing the climate impacts of airport expansion was covered by the Guardian (2, 3, 4), CityAM, Bloomberg, BusinessGreen, the New Statesman, and the Huffington Post. Previous NEF aviation research was also mentioned in Bloomberg.
• Our reaction showing the flawed economic assumptions of airport expansion was covered by the BBC, the Daily Express, the London Standard, the Conversation and the London Review of Books.
• Our research was also mentioned in the House of Commons by Sian Berry MP and Nadia Whittome MP. It was also mentioned by Adrian Ramsay MP on BBC Breakfast, John McDonnell MP on Times Radio and Daisy Cooper MP in a column for the Herts Advertiser.

Government urged to offer interest-free loans to unlock housing retrofit boom
BusinessGreen covered our report on how the government can deliver a retrofit revolution

EU points way to competitive future to catch US, China rivals
Sebastian Mang spoke to Reuters.

“You cannot sort out poverty and the climate crisis if you have most of the global resources hoarded by a few individuals.“
Fernanda Balata spoke about the need for an extreme wealth line on Novara Live.

Labour faces costs of £50bn to replenish affordable housing after right to buy, report says
The Guardian mentioned our research showing that 40% of homes bought under right-to-buy are now owned by private landlords.

Shaping the developments of the future
Our report on the car-dependency of new build housing developments was mentioned in the Herald.

Danny Sriskandarajah: ​“It is no wonder young people are losing hope”
NEF’s chief exec was interviewed about his new book, Power to the People, in the New Statesman.

What economists say about the UK’s outlook for 2025
Lydia Prieg contributed to the Financial Times’ annual survey of economists.

Enough growth to please chancellor — but a reckoning looms on tax
Lydia Prieg spoke to the Times about the challenges facing Rachel Reeves.

MHCLG reveals plans to tackle ​‘hope value’ to boost housebuilding
Our report on the impacts of scrapping‘hope value’ was mentioned in Inside Housing.

“I think the prize is immense if we pull it off.“
Chaitanya Kumar spoke to LBC News about Labour’s clean power plan.

Is protectionism replacing free trade?
Our chief exec Danny Sriskandarajah discussed global news events on the BBC World Service.

Who’s afraid of rent control? Not disabled people
Abi O’Connor was quoted in Inside Housing about the affordability crisis for renters.