Priti Patel and Nigel Farage dance at Tory Party conference
Rishi Sunak is expected to finally confirm he will scrap the HS2 rail link to Manchester as Tory MPs are divided over the home secretary’s controversial speech.
Weeks afterThe Independent revealed he wanted to axe the northern leg of the line, the prime minister is set to confirm it as part of a speech today in which he will also attack the last 30 years of “broken politics”.
He will argue he is the political leader to take the tough decisions necessary for the good of the country, while also accusing Labour of wanting “power for the sake of power” and being “everything that is wrong with our politics”.
It comes as Suella Braverman’s fiery speech on Tuesday has divided opinions after she attracted comparisons to Enoch Powell for claiming a “hurricane” of immigration would sweep across Britain.
Grant Shapps rushed to her defence as the Cabinet minister told Times Radio this morning, saying, “she makes the absolutely correct point we’ve already seen a lot of movement,” while Alicia Kearns, the Conservative MP who chairs the foreign affairs select committee, said Ms Braverman had “crossed the line”.
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Mordaunt has warmed up the crowd at the Tory Conference for the prime minister as the closing of her speech resembles a battle cry.
“Stand up and fight,” she said, as applause and cheers erupt. “Stand up and fight for Scotland, for Wales, for Northern Ireland, and for England.”
Maryam Zakir-Hussain4 October 2023 11:41
Penny Mordaunts piles criticism on Starmer
Penny Mordaunt has continued her colleagues’ mockery of Keir Starmer for “not standing up for anything”.
She said: “Starmer will do anything and say anything to win an election. And that is where his ambition ends.”
(Danny Lawson/PA Wire)
Maryam Zakir-Hussain4 October 2023 11:38
Maryam Zakir-Hussain4 October 2023 11:37
Penny Mordaunt takes stage
Penny Mordaunt has now taken the stage ahead of the prime minister’s speech in 15 minutes.
(Danny Lawson/PA Wire)
Maryam Zakir-Hussain4 October 2023 11:26
Our politics and Whitehall editor Kate Devlin is at the Tory conference awaiting the PM’s long-awaited speech.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain4 October 2023 11:22
Sunak to deliver speech shortly
The prime minister will deliver his keynote speech at the Tory Party conference at 11.40am.
The most highly anticipated topic is of course his plans with the HS2 northern link, which his defence secretary Grant Shapps confirmed will be on Rishi Sunak’s agenda this morning.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain4 October 2023 11:20
‘Ministers are scrapping the important parts of HS2 for short-term political advantage’
As train drivers belonging to the Aslef union walk out for the 15th time since last summer, travel correspondent Simon Calder is at London Waterloo – normally the busiest rail station in the UK – to record his daily travel podcast.
After analysing the intractable rail dispute, he turns to the future of HS2.
“Meanwhile in Manchester, the prime minister is set to announce trains cancellations from Manchester to Birmingham – not just of all trains today, but of all high-speed in the future, as Rishi Sunak axes the important parts of HS2.
“Ministers aren’t stupid. They know HS2 is nothing to do with getting from Birmingham to London 20 minutes quicker.
“It is all about unlocking capacity – allowing more regional, more local, more freight trains to run because you get all the high speed trains off the Victorian rail infrastructure and on to this new high speed network.
“It is to the enduring discredit of the politicians who have demolished what was supposed to be the great infrastructure transformation of the 21st century for Britain that they have decided to take it apart in the interests of political short-term advantage.”
Maryam Zakir-Hussain4 October 2023 11:00
Private firms could have stumped up £20bn to save HS2
The Tory mayor Andy Street – believed to be considering quitting the party over the HS2 decision – said yesterday he had spoken with a number of private sector companies including Siemens, Arup and EY who were willing to help the government deliver the project.
The Independent understands that Mr Street believes the private sector could have stumped up £20bn to save the northern leg.
Adam Forrest4 October 2023 10:52
Tory business minister slams mayoral candidate Susan Hall
The business minister Nus Ghani has attacked the Tory mayoral Susan Hall over her claim that British Jews should be frightened of Labour mayor Sadiq Khan.
She told a fringe event: “Have we not learnt anything from Zac Goldsmith’s similar attempt … that ended in abject failure?”
Goldsmith, the former Conservative London mayoral candidate, denied that he attempted to link Khan to antisemitism.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain4 October 2023 10:30
Rumours Tory mayor Andy Street is on resignation watch
There are rumours that the Conservative mayor for the West Midlands, Andy Street, is on resignation watch ahead of Rishi Sunak’s cuts to HS2.
On Tuesday Mr Street said axing HS2 to Manchester would be “an incredible political gaffe” which would let opponents accuse Mr Sunak of having decided to “shaft the North”.
Amid the rumours he could quit, a spokesperson for Mr Street said: “We intend to listen to the PM’s speech and respond accordingly.”
It was claimed yesterday that the Euston phase of HS2 had been reinstated after a behind-the-scenes threat by the mayor to quit if it was axed.
West Midlands mayor Andy Street
(PA)
Maryam Zakir-Hussain4 October 2023 10:20