Sir Keir Starmer: No Second Phase of HS2 if Elected
Sir Keir Starmer, leader of the Labour party, announced on Thursday that if he wins the next general election, he will not proceed with the second phase of HS2. Instead, he plans to utilize the savings from canceling part of the high-speed rail project to improve rail and transportation infrastructure across the North, aligning with Rishi Sunak’s strategy.
This decision marks a significant departure from Labour’s 2019 manifesto, raising concerns among MPs and activists. Critics argue that it reflects a lack of ambition within the party under Sir Keir’s leadership, especially after his commitment to maintaining numerous government policies.
During an interview with ITV regional news, Sir Keir explained his stance by highlighting Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s actions of canceling HS2 contracts and freeing up land intended for the Birmingham to Manchester leg of the project. These developments have made it impossible for Sir Keir to revive the project in its initial form. He stated, “Now, can I stand here and commit to reversing the decision on HS2? No, I can’t. They’ve just taken a wrecking ball to this project. They’ve blown a massive hole through it and are about to cancel contracts and reconfigure Euston station.”
Although unable to revive HS2, Sir Keir emphasized his commitment to pursuing Northern Powerhouse Rail. This project aims to establish a high-speed connection between Liverpool and Leeds, as well as upgrade the Manchester to Hull line via Sheffield.
The Labour conference, starting on Sunday, puts Sir Keir under considerable pressure to present radical policies that can solidify his lead in the polls ahead of the upcoming general election, anticipated to occur next year.
Denial of responsibility! Vigour Times is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
