Labour mayors have been justified in their fears over the scope of ‘Northern Powerhouse Rail’ under Labour. It’s small fry…
The government has been throwing around all kinds of numbers today, for example: “Up to £40 billion a year could be injected into the British economy if productivity in the North was lifted just to the national average.” The key figure is actual spending of £1.1 billion over the spending review period on a feasibility study…
That is only £275 million per year. £1.1 billion is 3% of a Chagos Surrender Deal…
Heidi Alexander admitted this morning that not one metre of track will go down before the election. Mayors have been told to row in behind the announcement and Andy Burnham is too busy with his coiled leadership campaign to go big on something like NPR. The actual costs will come for whoever is in government after the next election…
Peter Mandelson has finally said sorry for believing Jeffrey Epstein over the paedophile’s victims. He told BBC Newsnight:
“Yesterday, I did not want to be held responsible for his crimes of which I was ignorant, not indifferent, because of the lies he told me and so many others. I was wrong to believe him following his conviction and to continue my association with him afterwards. I apologise unequivocally for doing so to the women and girls who suffered. I was never culpable or complicit in his crimes. Like everyone else I learned the actual truth about him after his death. But his victims did know what he was doing, their voices were not heard and I am sorry I was amongst those who believed him over them.”