Keir Starmer flip-flops on HS2 again as he refuses to commit to reversing Rishi Sunak’s decision and build train line’s northern leg if he becomes PM
Sir Keir Starmer today refused to commit to reversing Rishi Sunak’s decision to axe HS2 if he replaces him in Downing Street.
The Prime Minister has massively downgraded the rail project by scrapping its northern leg between Birmingham and Manchester.
Mr Sunak has faced a fierce backlash for junking the key part of the train line, but Sir Keir did not confirm whether he would restore the northern leg if Labour wins power.
It appeared to mark yet another U-turn for the Labour leader on HS2.
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.
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’.
Sir Keir Starmer refused to commit to reversing Rishi Sunak’s decision to axe HS2 if he replaces him in Downing Street
The Prime Minister has massively downgraded the rail project by scrapping its northern leg between Birmingham and Manchester
Yet Sir Keir then shied away from the commitment in recent weeks when speculation began that ministers were about to scrap the northern leg.
Speaking to ITV News Calendar today as part of a round of interviews with regional media, the Labour leader declined to commit to building the Birmingham to Manchester leg or the already-abandoned eastern leg to Leeds if he becomes PM.
‘Well, firstly, what a fiasco,’ Sir Keir said, in response to Mr Sunak confirming the end of the Manchester leg in his Tory conference speech yesterday.
‘After 13 years of failure to grip this project, they’ve now cancelled it, millions of pounds wasted and lots of promises broken.
‘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.’
He added: ‘I can’t commit to reverse the decision of yesterday. ‘
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.
‘They are already making plans to release the land that was necessary for the next stage of the project, cuts into contracts.’
Mr Sunak has promised to use £36billion in savings from scrapping the Birmingham to Manchester part of HS2 on other transport projects across the country.
But the Government has since been ccused of ‘misleading’ the public after an apparent pledge to reopen a railway line as part of the announcement was dropped 24 hours later.
Documents published on Wednesday revealed that the Leamside Line in Northumberland would be reopened using the money saved by axing HS2 north of Birmingham, the Northern Echo reported.
According to the newspaper, a document listing benefits to the North East stated: ‘The Leamside Line, closed in 1964, will also be reopened.’
But all reference to the line appeared to have been removed by Thursday.
Transport minister Richard Holden told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the Government was now only ‘committed to looking into it’.
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 – so I welcomed it.
‘Misleading the Northern Powerhouse Partnership and northern public (is) not a good way to build trust.
‘I’m writing to (rail minister) Huw Merriman today and will seek clarification urgently.
‘The Leamside Line is integral to Northern Powerhouse Rail and must be built in full.’
The 21-mile route runs between Pelaw, Gateshead and Tursdale, County Durham. It was closed as part of the Beeching cuts.
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