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Rishi Sunak confirms HS2’s Manchester leg will probably be scrapped
Considered one of Rishi Sunak’s predecessors has attacked the choice to scrap the northern leg of HS2 to Manchester, saying the prime minister had “thrown away 15 years of cross-party consensus” and made future infrastructure initiatives a lot more durable.
Conservative former prime minister David Cameron condemned the choice as shedding a “once-in-a-generation alternative”.
Mr Sunak used his Conservative Social gathering convention speech to vow to place the £36 billion of financial savings right into a raft of different transport schemes.
He additionally unveiled radical plans to stamp out cigarette-smoking for future generations, saying plans for a UK smoking ban by elevating the authorized smoking age by one yr yearly. It means a 14-year-old right this moment won’t ever legally be capable of purchase a cigarette.
Nonetheless, it’s understood one other of Mr Sunak’s predecessors, Liz Truss, will vote in opposition to the plan, elevating the prospect of different right-wingers making an attempt to affix her in blocking it.
The PM additionally pledged to crack down on the sale of disposable vapes to kids, saying extra have to be performed to limit their availability to under-18s.
The Unbiased first revealed secret talks to scrap the hyperlink past Birmingham.
The place the £36bn will go: Disused station to reopen and extra initiatives
Extra particulars have emerged of the place the £36bn the prime minister says is saved from HS2 will probably be spent, writes Simon Calder.
Rishi Sunak mentioned in a social media clip that the variety of trains between Leeds and Sheffield will quadruple. At current there are 5 off-peak trains every method per hour. The frequency is ready to extend to twenty – or one each three minutes.
The disused Victoria station in Sheffield, which closed within the early Nineteen Seventies, will probably be reopened because the hub for brand new traces north and south of the town.
The federal government’s Community North map exhibits initiatives as far south as Devon and Kent – extending a rail hyperlink from Plymouth by a couple of miles to Tavistock, and bettering a busy street junction on the A2 London-Dover street.
Jane Dalton4 October 2023 17:29
Sunak slates ‘mismanagement’
Mr Sunak slated the “mismanagement” of the London finish of the challenge as he introduced the road will run to Euston in central London, somewhat than terminating at Outdated Oak Frequent within the capital’s western suburbs.
He mentioned the brand new plan for Euston will save £6.5 billion on HS2’s imaginative and prescient, with a brand new growth zone across the station for companies and houses.
The Prime Minister mentioned: “The administration of HS2 will now not be accountable for the Euston website.
“There have to be some accountability for the errors made, for the mismanagement of this challenge.”
A brand new terminus at Euston, one among London’s central rail hubs, had been resulting from open between 2031-36, however this part of the challenge has been delayed by two to 3 years.
Jane Dalton4 October 2023 17:10
5 of the strangest convention moments
From Toploader to the house secretary standing on a canine’s tail:
Jane Dalton4 October 2023 16:50
Andy Avenue posts reflection on Sunak’s HS2 announcement
Maryam Zakir-Hussain4 October 2023 16:13
Sunak has made ‘flawed choice on HS2’, says David Cameron
In a uncommon intervention, former Tory PM David Cameron attacked Mr Sunak’s choice on HS2 – saying he had “thrown away fifteen years of cross-party consensus” and made future infrastructure initiatives a lot more durable.
Mr Cameron mentioned it might “gas the views of those that argue that we are able to now not suppose or act for the long-term as a rustic” and mentioned his personal authorities had helped “achieved historic, cross-party assist”.
He added: “At present’s announcement throws away fifteen years of cross-party consensus, sustained over six administrations, and can make it a lot more durable to construct consensus for any future long-term initiatives.
“I remorse this choice and in years to come back I believe many will look again at right this moment’s announcement and surprise how this once-in-a-generation alternative was misplaced.”
Maryam Zakir-Hussain4 October 2023 15:58
Sunak flawed to ‘tear up’ coherent HS2 plan, says Burnham
Better Manchester mayor Andy Burnham was comparatively restrained in his condemnation of Rishi Sunak – saying it had been a “extremely irritating week” saying it “can’t be proper” to ditch HS2’s northern leg.
The Labour mayor informed reporters: “I don’t see how one can take a plan … and mainly tear it up at a celebration convention. We now have not been consulted this week … I feel we had been entitled to raised than we’ve got had. I feel the town deserved extra respect.”
He mentioned Mr Sunak’s place to supply substitute funding for east-west hyperlinks was not “coherent” and “doesn’t ship Northern Powerhouse Rail in full”.
The Labour mayor mentioned it was “not an answer” and was solely “patching up” present hyperlinks.
Manchester Metropolis Council chief Bev Craig mentioned a lot of the substitute funding Mr Sunak introduced was “rehashed” and dismissed some pledges as “insinuations”.
She mentioned the North didn’t wish to be “hoodwinked within the promise of additional cash … with out it ever being lifelike”.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain4 October 2023 15:39
Sunak faces Liz Truss-led Tory revolt to cease his youth smoking ban
Rishi Sunak faces a Liz Truss-led Tory revolt to cease his plan to successfully ban the subsequent technology of younger individuals from smoking.
The PM has vowed to herald laws in order that the authorized age for purchasing cigarettes ought to rise yearly to cease children ever taking it up.
The Tory chief mentioned a vote on the proposal in parliament will probably be a “free vote” and it’s a “matter of conscience” for his personal MPs – admitting many within the occasion don’t like banning issues.
Ms Truss will vote in opposition to the plan, it’s understood – elevating the prospect of dozens of different right-wingers will be a part of her in bid to dam it.
She talked about the necessity to “cease banning issues” throughout her personal convention fringe speech.
It emerged on the Tory convention that round 60 Conservative MPs have now signed as much as Ms Truss’s pro-growth group, placing Mr Sunak’s majority in danger.
However Labour MPs will probably be whipped to assist the youth smoking ban, The Unbiased understands, which ought to assist guarantee it will get via parliament.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain4 October 2023 15:21
Gillian Keegan cries as Rishi Sunak shares his backstory in convention speech
Gillian Keegan was noticed tearing up throughout Rishi Sunak’s speech at Conservative Social gathering convention on Wednesday 4 October. The training secretary turned emotional because the prime minister mentioned his backstory and recalled a candy second he shared together with his grandfather when he first turned an MP. Mr Sunak additionally confirmed that the northern leg of HS2 will probably be scrapped and mentioned a lot of different insurance policies throughout his wide-ranging speech. He introduced he was changing A ranges with an “Superior British Commonplace” {qualifications} system, and can comply with New Zealand in tabling plans to boost the smoking age every year in Britain.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain4 October 2023 15:08
Andy Avenue: ‘Very disenchanted, however a superb compromise has been reached’
Andy Avenue will stay a member of the Conservative Social gathering regardless of Rishi Sunak’s choice to scrap the northern leg of HS2.
The West Midlands mayor, who’s essentially the most senior Tory exterior London, mentioned he thought of leaving the occasion over the “very disappointing” plan.
However, regardless of Mr Sunak cancelling the growth of the excessive velocity line past Birmingham, Mr Avenue mentioned “one situation doesn’t outline your membership of the occasion”.
And reacting to the information that HS2 will attain London’s Euston station versus the suburb Outdated Oak Frequent, Mr Avenue mentioned he had reached a “good compromise” with the PM.
Mr Avenue informed the BBC: “I did take into account whether or not I ought to proceed as a member of the Conservative Social gathering. And I’ve determined that I’ll proceed for a really clear cause.
“I’ve at all times been a conservative for 42 years on one situation doesn’t outline your membership of the occasion.”
Maryam Zakir-Hussain4 October 2023 14:58
Instructing unions hit again
Daniel Kebede, Basic Secretary of the Nationwide Training Union, mentioned: “Rishi Sunak is doubling down on pie-in-the-sky training insurance policies. He’s utterly out of contact with actuality.
“The federal government’s long-standing failure to hit its personal coaching targets, compounded by the haemorrhaging of academics resulting from excessive workload and beneath inflation pay, made the prime minister’s name in January for extra maths educating an not possible dream.”
“There isn’t a magic wand to create English and maths academics in ample numbers to teach 11-16 yr olds, not to mention at A-Stage too.”
Maryam Zakir-Hussain4 October 2023 14:48
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