CBI head backs third runway for Heathrow "I'm not sure how much longer we can delay aviation capacity decisions, because we could have built a third runway the amount of time we've spent discussing it," Sir Mike said. It's been going on, what, five, six years? But from my personal perspective, it's a no-brainer However, his personal views appear to be slightly at odds with the CBI itself. Last Thursday, the CBI released its response to the Howard Davies-led review into airport capacity, stressing that it was open to whatever solution could gain cross-party support and lead to speedy growth. The CBI remains the only business group that does not unequivocally back an enlarged Heathrow as the way to deliver such growth. Sir Mike also warned of the dangers to the UK economy of the increasingly negative rhetoric on immigration. In his first interview since taking the helm of Britain's biggest business organisation last month, Sir Mike said that economic migration had provided real benefits to the UK, but that the "language used in some quarters" was detracting from Britain's attractiveness to overseas students and workers. The CBI president, who is also chairman of BT and deputy chairman of Barclays, said that business has a clear role to play in ensuring the right image is projected of the UK's willingness to welcome skilled migrants on the world stage, in part to help fill the increasing skills gap.