There are rumblings from Labour mayors in the North of England that the scope of Northern Powerhouse Rail, a major series of high speed city links, will be pared back. Ministers did nothing this morning to ease those fears…
The project was announced by Osborne in 2014 and seen huge delays since. Reeves talked it up and Labour promised to deliver it speedily – it was meant to appear in the Spending Review, and then Conference, and then the Budget. It did not and ministers now say news will come early this year…
Transport minister Keir Mather and Heidi Alexander both dodged direct questions in the Commons today on whether the scope of NPR would be reduced. DfT sources have previously briefed that it will now be a phased series of projects. With Labour facing several black holes going into the year shaving billions off the NPR would be an easy cash save. Northern authorities fear an HS2-style rundown. They would be furious…
Kemi Badenoch defended her decision not to force Tory councils to hold elections in May, telling GB News:
“It is Conservative policy that we should have elections, but I’m not a dictator. You know Nigel Farage, no one else makes any decisions, he’s a one-man band.”