Senior union figures with access to the government have been working with BAA, the airports operator, to promote controversial plans for a third runway at Heathrow, although the official consultation ended six months ago.

Unite, the UK’s largest union, has been lobbying government officials. Charlie Whelan, a former adviser to Gordon Brown, is now political director of Unite and plays a key role in liaising with No 10.

While the union, which is one of Labour’s biggest donors, enjoys easy access to government, opponents of Heathrow have repeatedly had their requests for meetings with ministers turned down.

John Stewart, chairman of Hacan ClearSkies, an antiexpansion group, said: “It is clear that the unions have got privileged access to the government because they’re telling them the story they want to hear.

“The same ministers say they want to take a balanced view. These meetings give the lie to that.”

Ruth Kelly, who last week announced she is to step down as transport secretary, recently played host to a senior Unite official at the Department for Transport and she was understood to be “very positive” about expanding Heathrow.

Unite has 75,000 members in the aviation industry and is a founding member of Future Heathrow, the lobby group campaigning for a third runway.

Steve Turner, Unite’s national secretary for aviation, said: “We’ve got relationships with government itself at the highest levels ... and I use those to promote our aviation interests.” News of Unite’s meeting with Kelly emerged amid signs that ministers have decided to build a third runway, even though the officials are still reviewing consultation responses.

The transport department confirmed that Kelly had met a senior Unite official but insisted that the runway was not discussed as it would have been “against protocol”.

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