The airport operator BAA has used an elaborate network of lobbying and PR groups, headed by senior Labour figures with access to the government, to promote its controversial plans for a third Heathrow runway.

Among the Labour insiders recruited to front pro-aviation lobby groups are Brian Wilson, a former industry and energy minister, and Lord Soley, a former chairman of the parliamentary Labour party.

Jo Irvin, now a member of Brown’s inner circle in Downing Street, not only headed BAA’s public affairs department but also fronted one of the prime lobby groups backing Heathrow expansion.

Another Labour apparatchik, Stephen Hardwick, was closely involved in the same lobby group, as well as being employed as director of public affairs for BAA.

Opponents of the third runway claim the links between BAA and the government have given it an undue influence over aviation policy. John McDonnell, a Labour MP, said: “BAA dominates the government’s aviation policy. There have been a number of front organisations over the years that have promoted aviation. They are all funded by the industry and are largely paid lobbyists.”

Details of BAA’s lobbying groups – and its close links to government – are now to be examined by a parliamentary inquiry into lobbying.

It comes after a Sunday Times investigation last week revealed that BAA and the government “fixed” environmental targets while researching the impact of a third runway.

BAA funds two key groups – Future Heathrow, led by Soley, and FlyingMatters, which is headed by Wilson and has also investigated opponents of expansion.

Their precursor was Freedom to Fly, which was set up at a time when BAA was concerned that its arguments for more air travel were not being given the same prominence as those of environmental groups, which were warning of the dangers of growing carbon emissions.

The group was chaired by Brenda Dean, the Labour peer, and was supported by other aviation companies, including British Airways, and unions. The director was Irvin, who is now a special adviser in Downing Street on trade unions.

Freedom to Fly, which was closed after the 2003 aviation white paper was published, was followed by Future Heathrow, the lobby group headed by Soley. As well as BAA, the group’s backers include British Airways, the pilots’ union Balpa and the London Chamber of Commerce.

Earlier this year, during the consultation on a third runway at Heathrow, the group held a reception in a dining room at the Commons to lobby MPs about the benefits.

Ruth Kelly, the transport secretary, was among the guests mixing with BAA executives and other senior figures from the aviation industry.

BAA is also one of the biggest backers of FlyingMatters, contributing £48,000 in 2007-08. The lobby group operates from offices a short stroll from Westminster where it campaigns for airport expansion and investigates groups opposing BAA’s plans.

Last year a FlyingMatters investigation found that Uttlesford district council had spent £228,000 in legal fees on opposing BAA’s plans to expand Stansted.

Michelle Di Leo, director of FlyingMatters, said: “The terms of the debates on aviation were being set by those opposed to a growth in air transport. Our main objective is to rebalance the public debate.”

She said the information about Uttlesford district council was released in response to a freedom of information request from FlyingMatters and it was legitimate to examine the use of public funds.

She added that groups opposing airport expansion were well funded and it was reasonable to question the source of those funds.

The aviation industry uses Whitehall as a key recruiting ground for new personnel. Tom Kelly, who was Tony Blair’s chief spokesman, was appointed BAA’s public affairs director last year.

Julia Simpson also left Downing Street last year, where she worked as an adviser to Blair, to become British Airways’ head of corporate communications.

The lobbying firms used by British Airways – Brunswick and Lexington – also have close links to Labour. Alan Parker at Brunswick is a friend of Gordon Brown, and Mike Craven at Lexington was formerly chief media spokesman for the Labour party.

William Dinan, of Spinwatch, which campaigns for more transparency about lobby groups, said such groups – including environmental campaign groups – should be required by law to disclose their backers and the amount of funding they were receiving.

He has given evidence to the lobbying inquiry being conducted by the Commons public administration committee and is to submit further written evidence on BAA’s lobbying network this week.

Joss Garman, a spokesman for Plane Stupid, which is campaigning against the third runway, said: “It was always extraordinary that a government which claims to be concerned about climate change would even consider building a third runway at Heathrow. Now, as a light is shone into the murky corners of the lobbying process, we’re beginning to understand how it was that Brown put his credibility at risk.”

A BAA spokesman said the groups FlyingMatters and Future Heathrow were broad-based coalitions and the company’s involvement was disclosed on their websites. He said the groups worked to promote the social and economic benefits of airport expansion.

Soley, who is paid £28,000 a year by Future Heathrow, said his group had relatively meagre resources when compared with the groups campaigning against airport expansion. He said detailed questions should be asked about the sources of their funding.

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