HS2 cancellation slammed

The government’s decision to scrap the northern leg of the HS2 rail infrastructure project is “a huge act of levelling down”, said TUC general secretary Paul Nowak after prime minister Rishi Sunak confirmed he would axe the Birmingham to Manchester route.

GMB general union head of research and policy Laurence Turner said: “We can’t rebalance the economy or fix the railway capacity crisis without HS2.” And RMT rail union general secretary Mick Lynch said Sunak risks “putting the country in the slow lane”.

Nowak called on ministers to convene an emergency summit bringing together HS2, key contractors, trade unions and mayors in the devolved authorities, and said the northern leg can still go ahead “if the political will is there”.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham called on the Labour party to “seize this golden opportunity” by reversing the cancellation and making a clear commitment to both the Manchester and Leeds spurs of HS2.