As political betrayals go it's the biggest one we've seen

MAYOR'S FURY OVER POTENTIAL AXING OF HS2 LEG TO MANCHESTER

- HELENA VESTY

THE government is set to axe the HS2 leg to Manchester, according to reports.

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has now said that if the government goes through with abandoning the major rail build, 'as political betrayals go, it's one of the biggest we've ever seen! The Conservative government has in the last few days refused to deny it was considering axing the Birmingham to Manchester leg. Reports have since emerged that yet another northern section of the long-awaited rail project will be chopped.

The plans have been slammed by former Conservative prime ministers, however. Boris Johnson said suggestions the Manchester route could be chopped over cost concerns were 'desperate' and 'Treasury-driven nonsense' as he urged Rishi Sunak to deliver on the 2019 levelling-up pledge the Conservatives were elected on.

Yesterday, at the launch of the Bee Network which sees Greater Manchester's bus services be brought under public control by local leaders, mayor Mr Burnham made an 'eleventh hour' plea to the government.

"It's so frustrating" Mr Burhnam told the M.E.N. "Here we are, Greater Manchester itself doing something to improve transport services for people, we are levelling ourselves up.