‘Shrouded in secrecy’: Labour’s shadow economic minister insists they cannot commit…

September 19, 2023, 12:04

Labour’s shadow economy minister, Tulip Siddique, refused to confirm whether the party would support HS2.

Nick Ferrari challenged Labour’s Tulip on her party’s conflicted position: “Your campaign co-ordinator, Pat Macfadyen, said the party would not commit to the project until the full costs were known…but Nick Thomas-Symonds said Labor would build HS2 in its entirety.

Election campaign co-ordinator Pat Macfadyen said changes to the proposed cost of HS2 left Labor on the fence: “When this started, a price of around £30bn was set. These prices have not been raised since 2019 – we have seen a significant amount of inflation since That moment.”

Read more: HS2 ‘may not run to Euston’ as passengers disembark six miles away in new plans to scrap part of troubled railway line

Nick Ferrari said: “We have a senior Labor politician saying: ‘No, let’s see what the costs are’. And there’s another politician saying: ‘No, we’re committed.'” What is the real way here?”

“The real trajectory is that politicians – particularly from the Labor Party – are becoming increasingly frustrated with the government’s full inability to explain what is happening with HS2,” Tulip replied.

High-speed rail plans originally saw a direct link between Manchester, Birmingham and Euston, but revised plans could see passengers disembarking six miles west of central London, at the new Old Oak Common station.

Tulip described the railway project as having “inflated costs”, saying: “There may be a real reason why the government is being cautious about this. We need to know the full cost, the full practicalities.”

Read more: Andrea Leadsom admits up to £12bn has already been spent on HS2

She continued: “Will you describe us as the responsible opposition if we commit this without knowing the full numbers? I do not think you will do that.”

Nick replied: “No, well, I wonder why your colleague Nick Thomas Symonds says he’s fully committed to it?”

“We all want HS2 – I think that’s the truth.” Tulip insisted.

“Nick Thomas-Symonds is very frustrated. It would make a huge difference to people in the north, but the government won’t tell us the details properly. It’s shrouded in secrecy. That’s why we’re very frustrated.”

Read more: The Government has been accused of ‘major rail betrayal’ as minister refuses to commit to HS2 arrival in Manchester