The politics of HS2 are tough for Boris Johnson, particularly since so many Tory MPs hate the £100 billion-plus price, the destruction of historic
The politics of HS2 are tough for Boris Johnson, particularly since so many Tory MPs hate the £100 billion-plus price, the destruction of historical pasture and woodland and the perceived hurt to their rural constituents.
However the greater political consideration for Boris ‘another-blue-brick-in-the-red-wall’ Johnson is the notion of whether or not at present’s modified model of HS2 is seen as an upgrading or downgrading of the portion north of Birmingham.
His colleagues insist the brand new plan shall be central to his guarantees to rework each the infrastructure and the prospects of the North.
They declare what is going to occur is that HS2 to Manchester and Leeds – what is called HS2b – shall be rather more carefully built-in into the so-called Northern Powerhouse.
As I perceive it, that is about ensuring the high-speed line is a part of a brand new community of railway strains ‘connecting all of the northern cities’ (within the phrases of a authorities supply).
So HS2 to Birmingham shall be given the inexperienced gentle. HS2a from West Midlands to Crewe may even be authorized. And HS2b shall be reworked as a part of a bolder regeneration scheme, a form of ‘rather more jam tomorrow’ for elements of England north of Birmingham.
It’ll all sound formidable. However provided that shovels-in-the-ground work on these Northern Powerhouse initiatives is years away, various belief shall be wanted that one more southern PM gained’t in the end betray the North (once more).
PS. You might keep in mind that the Northern Powerhouse is the kid of former chancellor George Osborne. However he can anticipate little gratitude or reward from Boris Johnson.
And I’m informed he could have no enhanced function in these formidable new plans.
The purpose is that Dominic Cummings, the PM’s chief aide, blames Osborne – amongst others – for the large HS2 price over-runs, which have seen its estimated price treble to greater than £100 billion.
Here’s what a ‘Quantity 10 supply’ says about him: ‘Osborne is a kind of most responsible of blowing tens of billions on HS2 and it might be felony to let him wherever close to any main challenge ever once more.’
Robert Peston is ITV’s Political Editor. This text initially appeared on his ITV information blog.