Sunak set to scrap northern leg of HS2 to Manchester
Jordan Pettitt / PA Media
Rishi Sunak is expected to overrule the concerns of Tory grandees, business and northern leaders by announcing a scrapping of HS2 to Manchester after being presented with plans from the Treasury.
A package appeared to have been signed off by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt on Monday amid suggestions the pill could be sweetened by improvements for northern infrastructure.
Downing Street insists that “no final decisions” have been made as the Conservative Party holds its annual conference in Manchester, with Cabinet sign-off expected before an announcement.
A spokesman for Mr Hunt did not deny plans surrounding axing the northern leg from Birmingham had been drawn up in the Treasury, carefully saying: “A decision will be announced in due course.
“It’s not the Treasury’s announcement … it’s for the Prime Minister.”
No 10 said that some reports on the plans were “incorrect”, but did not set out which details were wrong and did not deny that a Cabinet meeting would be arranged.
In response to the reports, Plaid Cymru Westminster leader, Liz Saville Roberts MP said: “After months of embarrassing wrangling by this chaotic Tory government, it is now confirmed that HS2 won’t link to north Wales from Crewe.
“The whole ‘England-and-Wales’ sham excuse has fallen apart entirely. This is now clearly, undeniably, a project that benefits England only.
“That means Wales is owed billions from the Birmingham-London link. Westminster no longer has any excuses to deny what Wales is owed.”
Designation
Last week, as speculation grew about the northern phase of HS2 being axed, the Welsh Government again urged Westminster to reconsider its designation as an England and Wales project.
Not a single inch of track is being laid in Wales, but it was argued that there would be benefits, including reduced journey times when the £180 billion project reached Crewe.
Earlier this year Tory ministers announced that construction of HS2’s Birmingham to Crewe section (phase 2a) and the Euston terminus in London would be delayed by at least two years to reduce costs.
The estimated delivery date for HS2’s phase 2b western leg from Crewe to Manchester had been put within the range of 2035 to 2041 and the bill for phase 2b is still going through parliament.
According to the Welsh Government changing the projects designation to an England-only project could mean an extra £5bn for Wales.
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Its saying now also in the Tory rags its been abandoned to Manchester and the money will be spent in the North of England i wonder will Wales get any money more money now some how i doubt it and the odious Tory toads who have seats in Westminster and in Cardiff bay will be silent and not stick up for Wales the name QUISLINGS comes to mind
One Man and his Ego…
Rishi Ji might have to do the American ‘last man in Saigon’ helicopter evacuation off the roof of the conference centre to get out of Manchester…
Are we witnessing the last days of the Tory party…
Liz Truss picking up Rishi Ji’s votes, surely this black hole is about to collapse on its self. Vote of no confidence GE and a new government for the new year…
Quick before Field Marshall Grant Strangelove Schnapps causes World War Three…
Have they been serving Welsh mushrooms in the HofC Tory canteen because they are all dangerously Barking Mad !
Is Wales still going to benefit from the Birmingham to London line now it’s not going to Crewe (in England, but apparently to our benefit, according to the Tories)?
Or can we have our Barnett Consequential now?
You’re thoughts please, Welsh Conservative MPs and ASau?
#InactionMan
Put him back in his box, this one is faulty and his uniform does not fit…
Nation.cymru seems to be emulating the English elite’s Anglo-centricism in referring to “northern infrastructure”, when from an UK perspective places like Liverpool and Manchester are obviously in the south.
Chancellor flew there didn’t he?
Rishi Sunak, the then Chancellor of the Exchequer fails to hand over his WhatsApp phone messages from Covid time and glibly states that he did not back up his messages!
Mr Eat Out to Peg Out behaves like a common criminal with a burner phone, some 10,000 deaths attributed to him and that’s it?
What the hell are the security services of this country for?