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Senior Labour MS calls for UK Government to rectify HS2 injustices

17 Oct 2024 4 minute read
Counsel General Mick Antoniw

Emily Price

A senior Labour MS has called for the UK Government to rectify injustices over HS2 funding for Wales and reclassify the rail scheme as an England only project.

The high speed rail line was classified as an England and Wales scheme by the previous Conservative UK government despite it not crossing the border.

The classification meant no consequential cash was released to Wales by the Treasury using the controversial Barnett formula.

This is usually determined based on whether the UK Government increases or decreases funding for departments that cover devolved areas.

‘Whim’

Former Counsel General Mick Antoniw told Nation.Cymru: “The reason HS2 funding is important is because it is part of that constitutional financial structure.

“It is not a whim, something the UK government can give or take at its discretion or fancy  – it is a constitutional commitment that needs to be formally recognised.

“There is a need to respond as a UK Government by rectifying the breach. I can fully understand an incoming UK Labour Government, which has undoubtedly inherited and appalling economic mess, saying we have to draw a line somewhere on past abuses in order to move forward. If so they should say this.”

Amount

With a Labour Governments now at both ends of the M4, fresh questions have been raised about whether Wales will ever receive the money it is owed.

It was previously calculated that Wales has missed out on around £4bn from HS2, but more recently the Welsh Government estimated the figure to be £350m.

We asked Mr Antoniw how much he thought Wales was owed for HS2 – but he said the question of the funding was about “much more” than just the amount.

He said: “Essentially it is about the integrity of the funding formula for the distribution of wealth around the UK.

“Barnett is clearly outdated, but it is still an important mechanism until such time as it is replaced with an updated needs based formula.

“It is also not an England to Wales formula but one for the regions of England also who benefit from it.”

Wales former chief legal advisor says the idea that England is subsidising Wales is a “rather cynical nuance” that shouldn’t be promoted “so heavily”.

He said: “We are part of the UK as a devolved government, as is Scotland and Northern Ireland but also as are the large regions of England which have their own forms of devolved local government which benefit from the formula also.

“It is part of the glue that keeps the United Kingdom together and gives purpose to its continuance.”

The Welsh Government has been accused of changing its expectation of HS2 consequential payments after Labour won the General Election.

Minister’s in Cardiff Bay say the new estimation – in the millions instead of billions – reflects the amount already “spent and committed” to the project.

‘Cheated’

Mr Antoniw says there is an urgent need for recognition that the previous Tory Government “cheated Wales” out of the funding it was entitled to.

He said: “This funding would make an enormous difference to the development of our Transport infrastructure in Wales.

“An infrastructure that the Tories starved of funding prior to its devolution prior and subsequent to the Wales Act 2017.

“What is really important for the future is that HS2 is formally recognised as and England project, and that there is a commitment to ensuring that Wales as with Scotland and Northern Ireland gets its fair share of funding.

“Of course I want the past to be compensated and hope UK Government will recognised its responsibilities here, but equally it is important that we restore constitutional integrity and honesty to the future funding arrangements as we go forward.”

‘Bigger prize’

In the Senedd on Wednesday (October 16), Cabinet Secretary for Transport Ken Skates said that focusing purely on the £350m figure for HS2 “risks losing the bigger prize”.

He promised a “pipeline of enhancements” that could amount to much more.

Speaking in the Chamber, Mr Skates said: “And I am absolutely focused on developing a mutually-agreed pipeline of enhancements through the Wales board, to ensure that we get improvements right across Wales in rail infrastructure.

“We’ll be meeting, I’m pleased to say, next month, as a Wales rail board. Ministers from UK Government, and I, will be agreeing on that pipeline of enhancements and then once we get legislation through at Westminster, we will see the creation of Great British Railways.

“And through Great British Railways, and the Wales unit that will be right at the heart of that organisation, we will have control over the funding of enhancements to the Wales network.”


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Gwyn Hopkins
Gwyn Hopkins
22 days ago

The fraudulent classification of HS2 as an England – Wales project although not an inch of it will be in Wales, to stop Wales from having a very substantial Barnett consequential, is absolutely appalling. None of it will be in Scotland either and, quite rightly, it is not designated as an England – Scotland project so Scotland will get a Barnett consequential. This is shocking, blatant discrimination against Wales and clear favouritism shown towards Scotland.

Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
22 days ago

Bandwagon time…

Karl
Karl
22 days ago
Reply to  Mab Meirion

Like his fake indy call to get elected. This man is a chancer.

Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
22 days ago
Reply to  Karl

Solicitor Politicians !

How many Thompson Twins are there?

Last edited 22 days ago by Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
22 days ago
Reply to  Mab Meirion

Who was the driving force behind closed lists…?

Y Cymro
Y Cymro
22 days ago

Welsh Labour are toothless. Their whimper will fall on deaf ears as usual. Like with the Tory party where we had a Welsh Secretary David TC Davies actually attacking Wales rather than defending now have Jo Stevens doing the very same claiming the £4 billion consequential owed effectively ended with its cancellation. She’s a sellout. We should make a stand. This money is rightfully ours. It’s been stolen. But the irony is. Welsh Labour are at culpable. See in 2005 the UK Government offered the then Welsh Assembly the devolution of rail infrastructure and the then Welsh Labour Government refused… Read more »

Steffan Gwent
Steffan Gwent
22 days ago

Wales seems to have become like Schrodinger’s cat in the theoretical quantum physics experiment where it was simultaneously alive and not alive. The HS2 funding rip off and false promises of NHS cross border treatment really do need a reality check after 25 years of Labour lies.

Annibendod
Annibendod
22 days ago

I’m afraid that Mick Antoniw’s position on this matter cannot be defended. Wales’ Labour MP’s stood in the lobby to vote through the bill that made HS2 an “England and Wales” project, thus denying us access to OUR money. Shame on them. It’s no good Labour Senedd members decrying the unfairness without calling out their colleagues who helped inflict that on us. What is more, Mick Antoniw, for all the softened language in which he couches it, makes the case for fiscal transfers within the UK as a progressive good and part of the purpose of the State. This is… Read more »

CapM
CapM
22 days ago

“Of course I want the past to be compensated and hope UK Government will recognised its responsibilities here, but equally it is important that we restore constitutional integrity and honesty to the future funding arrangements as we go forward.” This looks like the – Penny or the Bun – choice and Mr Antoniw is hoping for the Bun and won’t push his Party for the penny. The bun being a recognition, which will not be a guarantee, by his Party that it will do what it’s supposed to do regarding future Barnett etc funding. The Penny being over £3 500… Read more »

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