Dehenna Davison, MP for Bishop Auckland, and Jake Berry, MP for Rossendale and Darwen, called for the PM to “crack on” with the Birmingham to Manchester route, after The Independent revealed that Mr Sunak and his chancellor Jeremy Hunt were in talks to axe phase 2. Their intervention came as Mr Sunak insisted that the UK was not a “laughing stock” despite uncertainty for businesses over HS2, while business secretary Kemi Badenoch admitted international investors had raised concerns.
As the Tory conference kicked off in Manchester Ms Davison – who resigned from the levelling up department only last month because of “debilitating” migraines – said: “It’s right we crack on and do it.” The influential Red Wall Tory told Times Radio: “My view is that it should be the toughest bit first, you do the northern bit first. So obviously we’re not quite sure fully what decision has been made yet – but I certainly hope it’s the right one and that the northern section is actually prioritised.”
Mr Berry, Tory chairperson under Liz Truss’s short-lived spell at No 10, said the Manchester to Birmingham section of the highspeed rail line “really matters” to people in the North. The senior MP, who represents the red wall seat of Rossendale and Darwen, said people were more worried about the potential loss of Northern Powerhouse Rail – the east-west projects across the Pennines – than HS2.
Bu hikaye The Independent dergisinin October 02, 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye The Independent dergisinin October 02, 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Courageous Brighton rock Man City to reach top four
Brighton staged a sensational late fightback to come from behind and send Manchester City to a fourth consecutive defeat with a pulsating 2-1 win at the Amex Stadium.
Doubt creeps in as England.stung at the death again
Another week, another heartbreak for England and now serious questions must be asked about the direction of the Steve Borthwick project.
'Guys on mopeds were beating up an Israeli... they were looking for Jews'
Football hooligans and ‘antisemitic hit-and-run squads' made for a volatile Amsterdam atmosphere, reports Barney Davis.
Inside 4B - the women's group going on ‘men strike'
Zoë Beaty meets an American who's become a symbol for the growing movement of females rejecting relations with men
Qatar to suspend mediation efforts on Gaza, say officials
Qatar has decided to suspend its key mediation efforts between Hamas and Israel, officials said yesterday, after growing frustration with the lack of progress on a ceasefire deal for Gaza.
Biden bears brunt of blame game among the Democrats
Fingers are pointing at the president after Donald Trump's sweeping victory - but some strategists argue other factors played a part in Kamala Harris's defeat, writes
Chief of staff dubbed ice maiden by Trump will keep 'clowns' out of Oval Office
Informal advisers that dogged first presidency to be got rid of
Coroner's warning of cancel culture after student suicide
A coroner has called on the government to examine the prevalence of \"cancel culture\" on university campuses, after ruling that a 20-year-old Oxford student took his own life after being \"ostracised\" by his peers.
'I did not know you could be born without a uterus'
Andreia Trigo is dedicated to helping others struggling with infertility because of her own diagnosis of MRKH syndrome
Healey says Ukraine war inspired son to join army
The defence secretary has revealed his son joined the army as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, saying the conflict is now “personal”.