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<\/p>\nRishi Sunak\u00a0defended his decision to axe the northern leg of HS2 against criticism from his predecessors today, saying the financial situation had changed since they were in power.<\/p>\n
The Prime Minister insisted he was right to pull the plug on the high-speed line north or Birmingham on cost grounds, despite a backlash from Tory MPs.<\/p>\n
He also faced attacks from previous PMs David Cameron, Boris Johnson and Theresa May. Mr\u00a0Cameron said the decision would fuel the view that Britain cannot act for the long-term and is ‘heading in the wrong direction’.<\/p>\n
But when asked about their criticism in an interview this afternoon with LBC Mr Sunak reiterated what he said in his conference speech on Wednesday, saying: ‘The facts have changed.’<\/p>\n
Mr Sunak\u00a0will face crunch Commons votes on HS2 as he battles to quell a Tory revolt amid claims a substitute project has already been ditched.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Rishi Sunak will face crunch Commons votes on HS2 as he battles to quell a Tory revolt amid claims a substitute project has already been ditched<\/p>\n
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The PM put downgrading HS2 at the heart of his conference speech on Wednesday, insisting it will free up \u00a336billion for other transport improvements<\/p>\n
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Keir Starmer has refused to commit to reversing Rishi Sunak’s decision to axe HS2 if he replaces him in Downing Street<\/p>\n
Government documents confirm that the PM will need to pass primary legislation after his decision to drop the Manchester leg.<\/p>\n
However, while there is the threat of a rebellion from Conservative MPs angry about the move, it also poses problems for Keir Starmer.<\/p>\n
The Labour leader has been accused of sitting on the fence about the scheme, refusing to commit to going ahead if he wins the general election.<\/p>\n
Prior to taking charge of his party, Sir Keir opposed the rail project in the House of Commons and called for it to be abandoned altogether.<\/p>\n
But Labour’s national policy forum blueprint for potential policies to put to voters at the next general election committed to building HS2 ‘in full’.<\/p>\n
Mr Sunak has been criticised by senior Tories including Boris Johnson, David Cameron and Theresa May over cancelling parts of HS2.<\/p>\n
But the defiant PM put the step at the heart of his conference speech on Wednesday, insisting it will free up \u00a336billion for other transport improvements.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
An accounting officer assessment released yesterday confirms that the ‘decision to cancel parts of the HS2 programme will require primary legislation’.<\/p>\n
That means there will need to be votes in Parliament, with Labour having to choose whether to oppose the plan or effectively wash their hands of the project by abstaining.\u00a0<\/p>\n
During a round of regional broadcast interviews yesterday ahead of the Labour conference kicking off, Sir Keir declined to commit to building the Birmingham to Manchester leg or the already-abandoned eastern leg to Leeds if he becomes PM.<\/p>\n
‘Well, firstly, what a fiasco,’\u00a0Sir Keir told ITV News’s Calendar.<\/p>\n
‘After 13 years of failure to grip this project, they’ve now cancelled it, millions of pounds wasted and lots of promises broken.<\/p>\n
‘I can’t stand here today and say to you that I’m committed to reversing that decision because they’ve blown such a big hole in the plan.’<\/p>\n
He added: ‘I can’t commit to reverse the decision of yesterday. ‘<\/p>\n
Pressed on whether he would make a decision on HS2 ahead of the general election, Sir Keir replied: ‘Look, I’m not committing to reversing that decision.<\/p>\n
‘They are already making plans to release the land that was necessary for the next stage of the project, cuts into contracts.’<\/p>\n
Labour has been in chaos over the issue of HS2 after it kept changing its stance.<\/p>\n
Last month, its policy over the high-speed line’s future changed four times within as many days.<\/p>\n
In a blueprint for the party’s next manifesto, it committed to building HS2 ‘in full’. This was contradicted within days when Labour’s election campaign co-ordinator Pat McFadden said the party would not commit to the project until it knew the full extent of the estimated cost overruns.<\/p>\n
Just a day later shadow minister without portfolio Nick Thomas-Symonds and transport spokesman Louise Haigh pledged the party would build HS2 ‘in full’.<\/p>\n
However, 24 hours later shadow Treasury minister Tulip Siddiq poured cold water on this by saying it ‘just wouldn’t be very responsible’ to commit to finishing HS2 without seeing the full costings.<\/p>\n
Former prime ministers David Cameron and Boris Johnson have publicly criticised Mr Sunak’s decision.<\/p>\n
Transport Secretary Mark Harper indicated yesterday that paying off contracts previously awarded for cancelled HS2 sections will cost hundreds of millions of pounds.<\/p>\n
More than \u00a32billion has already been spent on the Birmingham to Manchester leg which will now be wasted.<\/p>\n
Mr Sunak has promised to use \u00a336billion in savings from scrapping the Birmingham to Manchester part of HS2 on other transport projects across the country.<\/p>\n
But the Government has since been accused of ‘misleading’ the public after an apparent pledge to reopen a railway line as part of the announcement was dropped 24 hours later.<\/p>\n
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The Prime Minister has massively downgraded the rail project by scrapping its northern leg between Birmingham and Manchester<\/p>\n
Documents published on Wednesday revealed that the Leamside Line in Northumberland would be reopened using the money saved by axing HS2 north of Birmingham.<\/p>\n
According to the Northern Echo, a document listing benefits to the North East stated: ‘The Leamside Line, closed in 1964, will also be reopened.’<\/p>\n
But all reference to the line now appears to have been removed.<\/p>\n
Transport minister Richard Holden told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the Government was now only ‘committed to looking into it’.<\/p>\n
Henri Murison, chief executive of business group the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, wrote on social media platform X, formerly Twitter: ‘Yesterday we were led to believe this was happening \u2013 so I welcomed it.<\/p>\n
‘Misleading the Northern Powerhouse Partnership and northern public (is) not a good way to build trust.<\/p>\n
‘I’m writing to (rail minister) Huw Merriman today and will seek clarification urgently.<\/p>\n
‘The Leamside Line is integral to Northern Powerhouse Rail and must be built in full.’<\/p>\n
The 21-mile route runs between Pelaw, Gateshead and Tursdale, County Durham. It was closed as part of the Beeching cuts.<\/p>\n