Could Labour Build HS2 In Full If It Wins The Election?

Rishi Sunak could be poised to sign off more cuts to HS2, with an announcement expected this week. But if the prime minister does announce new cuts, he will do so with a rather large elephant in the room: the next general election.

- JON STONE

An election is expected to be held sometime next year, and after it is over, if the polls are to be believed, the Conservatives will no longer be in power. Will Sunak’s decisions on HS2, which will not see services run for many years, even make a difference if an incoming Labour government decides to take a different course?

The first question is whether Labour would even want to do things differently in relation to the high-speed rail project. There is good reason to think so. The party’s line for years has been that it will build HS2 in full, including the full original “Y” network, incorporating a spur up to Sheffield and Leeds. But an element of uncertainty was introduced just over a week ago when the party’s campaign coordinator, Pat McFadden, declined to commit to completing the project until the final costs were known.