A handy coincidence for the Tory campaign to stop Nigel Farage in Thanet that the government is to announce £12 million of extra funding for HS1 services to the heart of the constituency today. Whether or not they will be painted in traditional colours has yet to be confirmed. UKIP are off on one:

It just goes to show what #UKIP can do by bringing attention to an area. No to £80bn on HS2. Yes to £12m on HS1. Even before taking office!

— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) March 12, 2015

Tory sources insist the wheels were set in motion months ago and the plans are simply on track: “These things don’t happen overnight”. But what was their real loco-motive?