HS2’s northern leg scrapped: What’s being planned instead – and has London been snubbed? October 5, 2023 It seemed unthinkable not long ago, but Rishi Sunak scrapped the Manchester leg of HS2 – and said it will be replaced by hundreds of new projects. The scrapping means everything past the London to Birmingham leg, which is already under construction, will be torched, with the PM citing ballooning costs for pulling the plug. [...]
Sunak faces backlash from Johnson and Cameron over HS2 axing – as he’s reported to the police in Scotland October 5, 2023 Rishi Sunak has faced criticism from his predecessors in Number 10 for losing a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” by cancelling the northern leg of HS2. The Prime Minister defied senior Tories and business leaders to scrap HS2 from Birmingham to Manchester saying “the facts have changed” and the cost of the high-speed rail scheme had “more than [...]
Five things we learned from Tory conference: The return of Farage and Trumpification October 5, 2023 This week, top Tories, councillors, activists and party members gathered in Manchester for their annual get-together. With journalists also swarming the panel events, hotel receptions and late night bars, there was little that went unreported. But amid the not-so warm white wine, dodgy dance moves, and endless speeches, there were a few things that became [...]
Sunak strips HS2 bosses of London Euston responsibility: ‘There must be accountability for mistakes made’ October 4, 2023 HS2 Ltd has been stripped of responsibility for Euston station as there “must be some accountability for the mistakes made”, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said. Rishi Sunak used his speech at the Conservative Party conference to confirm that the high-speed railway will reach the central London station after developing a plan that will generate cost [...]
‘Done the unthinkable’: HS2 northern leg scrapped, Rishi Sunak confirms in Tory conference speech October 4, 2023 The northern leg of HS2 from Birmingham to Manchester has been scrapped, Rishi Sunak has announced. The Prime Minister confirmed the decision to axe the route as he made his keynote speech at the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester today. Sunak said: “I am ending this long running saga. I am cancelling the rest of [...]
Rishi Sunak refuses to say if HS2 to Manchester is being scrapped – six times October 3, 2023 Rishi Sunak has refused to confirm whether HS2 to Manchester is being scrapped six times while being grilled in a live interview. The Prime Minister insisted to BBC Breakfast he had “absolutely not” given up on the multi-billion pound rail scheme which has dominated the Conservative Party Conference. “We’ve got spades on the ground on [...]
Sunak failed to hand over pandemic WhatsApp messages to Covid inquiry – reports October 3, 2023 Rishi Sunak has told the Covid-19 inquiry that he is unable to provide WhatsApp messages from his time as Chancellor during the pandemic because he failed to back them up, it has been reported. The Prime Minister wrote in his witness statement that he does “not have access” to the messages because he changed his [...]
‘The lower the better’: Truss tells Tory conference corporation tax should be at 19 per cent October 2, 2023 Corporation tax should be slashed to 19 per cent and “if we can get it lower the better”, Liz Truss has said. The former Tory leader, who left office after just 49 days last year following a calamitous mini-budget which sent markets spiralling, called for action to “change the agenda” and prevent British businesses being [...]
Dorries by-election: Can Labour or Lib Dem flip Mid Bedfordshire? October 2, 2023 Ahead of a by-election to replace Nadine Dorries as MP, Labour and the Lib Dems have fought a fierce battle for the soul of Mid Bedfordshire.
Brexit not end of the City, Badenoch to insist October 2, 2023 Brexit is not the end of the City of London, Kemi Badenoch is expected to say in a speech at Conservative Party conference. Business and trade secretary Badenoch is set to rail against critics “relentlessly wanting to talk down our country” and will claim: “Our political opponents are obsessed with viewing every problem as Brexit.” [...]