The transport secretary has defended Rishi Sunak for insisting no determination had been made on scrapping a part of HS2 – regardless of the prime minister recording a video about his announcement days earlier.
Mark Harper advised Sky News he didn’t know “why people are getting so het up” on the problem, and work was performed “in advance”.
On Wednesday, the prime minister lastly confirmed that the northern leg of the high-speed line will probably be scrapped after weeks of hypothesis.
Politics Live: Mark Harper ‘proud’ of HS2 determination regardless of criticism
Although Mr Sunak had insisted no determination had been taken on the destiny of the Birmingham to Manchester leg, that declare was thrown into doubt after a video was posted on X, previously Twitter.
The clip – filmed in Downing Street earlier than the PM travelled to Manchester for the Conservative Party convention – outlined causes for axing the route.
Sky News has requested Downing Street whether or not one other model was filmed backing HS2, however they stated they weren’t conscious.
Mr Harper went on to say he was “proud” of the choice to chop again the challenge amid backlash from senior Tories together with former prime ministers David Cameron, Theresa May and Boris Johnson.
He stated they’re “absolutely entitled to their opinion” however the information have modified and the “costs of the project have escalated”.
The authentic projected value of HS2 was £33bn however this soared to greater than £100bn by some estimates.
In his speech on Wednesday, Mr Sunak stated axing section two would release £36bn for different transport initiatives within the North.
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The determination to chop HS2 has been closely criticised by northern leaders.
Liverpool Mayor Steve Rotheram stated he had spoken to Mr Harper about plans for transport within the space, however described authorities proposals as “jam tomorrow”.
He stated the financial savings from scaling again the challenge will not be seen for “many years, in some cases decades” – and a few of it’s “being proposed to be spent down South for potholes”.
With criticism persevering with to pile in, Mr Sunak remained defiant and refused to apologise to the individuals within the North.
Asked whether or not he would express regret, he advised Radio 4: “No. What I want to say to everybody is that what we’re doing is going to be better. It’s going to be better for our country.”
Source: information.sky.com”