Northern newspapers unite as part of backlash against PM’s scrapping of HS2’s eastern leg
Boris Johnson is facing a backlash from MPs, mayors and a coordinated local newspaper campaign as he’s poised to scrap the eastern leg of the HS2 rail project between Birmingham and Leeds.
The prime minister is this week expected to confirm a watering-down of plans for both HS2 and a new Leeds to Manchester rail line.
Ahead of an anticipated scaling back of the projects, likely to be confirmed when the government’s “Integrated Rail Review” is announced on Thursday, Mr Johnson has been hit by anger from northern politicians.
Tracy Brabin, the Labour mayor of West Yorkshire, wrote to the prime minister to urge him to stick with delivering HS2’s eastern leg “in full”, as well as to build a new rail line from Leeds to Manchester.
Following reports that the Leeds-Manchester section of the £39bn Northern Powerhouse Rail project will be delivered through upgrades to existing track, rather than a new line via Bradford, Ms Brabin wrote: “The government has a choice to make.
“It can choose to unlock the potential of the North, or it can let us down once again, limiting your levelling up ambitions.”
South Yorkshire mayor Dan Jarvis said ministers were “either serious about levelling up or not” and warned that those he represents “will not be fooled by half-measures and spin”.
Conservative MP Kevin Hollinrake, who represents Thirsk and Malton in North Yorkshire, told the i newspaper that scaling back rail plans would show the government is “not willing to put our money where our mouth is”.
Labour’s Naz Shah, MP for Bradford West, said: “This is Boris pulling the whole damn rug from under our feet and ripping up the floor behind him.”
The eastern leg of HS2, from Birmingham to Leeds, is set to be scrapped
Shadow transport secretary Jim McMahon accused ministers of attempting to “quietly back out” of infrastructure schemes that they had “committed to dozens of times”.
In his Conservative Party conference speech last month, Mr Johnson vowed: “We will do Northern Powerhouse Rail, we will link up the cities of the Midlands and the North.”
In February last year, on HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail, Mr Johnson told MPs: “Both are needed, and both will be built – as quickly and cost-effectively as possible.”
As well as the backlash from politicians, a string of northern newspapers have published the same front page on Tuesday calling for the government to deliver on Northern Powerhouse Rail and HS2 in full.
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One of those newspapers, the Manchester Evening News, said on its website: “Today the North calls on government to finally put its money where its mouth is.
“With ministers poised to release their long-delayed plan for railway investment this week, we warn it is time to replace rhetoric with reality where the north of England is concerned.
“Enough’s enough. The prime minister has been prepared to use chronic central government neglect of northern England to his political advantage. It is time to keep his side of the bargain.
“Where rail investment is concerned, that does not mean a smattering of piecemeal upgrades dressed up as a transport revolution, ready for deployment on leaflets at the next election.
“It means new inter-city lines to and across the North, a move supported both by Northern leaders and the Conservative manifesto.”
The Manchester Evening News was joined in the campaign by five other newspapers; The Gazette in Teesside, The Journal and The Chronicle in Newcastle, the Huddersfield Examiner and the Hull Daily Mail.
At a Downing Street news conference on Monday, the prime minister advised people to “wait and see” the results of the Integrated Rail Review on Thursday.
But he said it would be “absolutely fantastic” for the North, the North East, the North West, and the Midlands.
Four people have been arrested by police investigating cyber attacks targeting M&S, Co-op and Harrods.
A 20-year-old woman and two males, both aged 19, and a male aged 17, were detained in London and the West Midlands this morning as part of a National Crime Agency (NCA) operation.
They were arrested at their homes on suspicion of Computer Misuse Act offences, blackmail, money laundering and participating in the activities of an organised crime group.
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Electronic devices were seized from the suspects and are currently being analysed by forensic experts.
M&S halted online orders, and shelves were empty in shops after the cyber attack on the retailer earlier this year.
The initial hack into the retailer’s systems took place in April through “sophisticated impersonation” involving a third party.
Disruption is expected to continue at the retailer until the end of this month.
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Mickey Carroll in May answered why M&S cyber attack was so bad.
The Co-op and Harrods were also subsequently targeted by hackers.
Paul Foster, head of the NCA’s National cybercrime unit described the arrests as a “significant step” in their investigation, which remains “one of the Agency’s highest priorities”.
He added: “…our work continues, alongside partners in the UK and overseas, to ensure those responsible are identified and brought to justice.”
The National Crime Agency is keen to “signal” to “future victims” the “importance of seeking support and engaging with law enforcement”, stating that “the NCA and policing are here to help”.
The NCA has also thanked M&S, Co-op and Harrods for their support in their investigations.
The arrests, which took place early on Thursday morning, were supported by officers from the West Midlands Regional Organised Crime Unit and the East Midlands Special Operations Unit.
Earlier this week, the chairman of M&S told MPs that the hack had been “traumatic” and like an “out-of-body experience”.
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Archie Norman, however, refused to be drawn on whether the retailer had paid any ransom.
“We are not discussing any of the details of our interaction with the threat actor, including this subject, but that subject is fully shared with the NCA,” he said.
It is estimated that the cyber attack will cost M&S up to £300m this year.
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Days after M&S was attacked, the Co-op was targeted and forced to shut down some internal systems.
Harrods was then hacked, and also had to shut some systems despite its website and shops continuing to operate.
Of those arrested, a 17-year-old British male and a 19-year-old Latvian male were from the West Midlands.
A 19-year-old man was from London and a 20-year-old woman from Staffordshire.
Royal Mail is to be allowed to scrap Saturday second-class stamp deliveries, under a series of reforms proposed by the communications regulator.
From 28 July, Royal Mail will also be allowed to deliver second-class letters on alternate weekdays, Ofcom said.
The post will still be delivered within three working days of collection from Monday to Friday.
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The proposals had already been raised by Ofcom after a consultation was announced in 2024, and the scale back was proposed early this year.
Royal Mail had repeatedly failed to meet the so-called universal service obligation to deliver post within set periods of time.
Those delivery targets are now being revised downwards.
Rather than having to have 93% of first-class mail delivered the next day, 90% will be legally allowed.
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The sale of Royal Mail was approved in December
The target for second-class mail deliveries will be lowered from 98.5% to arrive within three working days to 95%.
A review of stamp prices has also been announced by Ofcom amid concerns over affordability, with a consultation set to be launched next year.
It’s good news for Royal Mail and its new owner, the Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky. Ofcom estimates the changes will bring savings of between £250m and £425m.
A welcome change?
Unsurprisingly, the company welcomed the announcement.
“It is good news for customers across the UK as it supports the delivery of a reliable, efficient and financially sustainable universal service,” said Martin Seidenberg, the group chief executive of Royal Mail’s parent company, International Distribution Services.
“It follows extensive consultation with thousands of people and businesses to ensure that the postal service better reflects their needs and the realities of how customers send and receive mail today.”
Citizens Advice, however, doubted whether services would improve as a result of the changes.
“Today, Ofcom missed a major opportunity to bring about meaningful change,” said Tom MacInnes, the director of policy at Citizens Advice.
“Pushing ahead with plans to slash services and relax delivery targets in the name of savings won’t automatically make letter deliveries more reliable or improve standards.”
Acknowledging long delays “where letters have taken weeks to arrive”, Ofcom said it set Royal Mail new enforceable targets so 99% of mail has to be delivered no more than two days late.
Changing habits
Less than a third of letters are sent now than 20 years ago, and it is forecast to fall to about a fifth of the letters previously sent.
According to Ofcom research, people want reliability and affordability more than speedy delivery.
Royal Mail has been loss-making in recent years as revenues fell.
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In response to Ofcom’s changes, a government spokesperson said: “The public expects a well-run postal service, with letters arriving on time across the country without it costing the earth. With the way people use postal services having changed, it’s right the regulator has looked at this.
“We now need Royal Mail to work with unions and posties to deliver a service that people expect, and this includes maintaining the principle of one price to send a letter anywhere in the UK”.
Ofcom said it has told Royal Mail to hold regular meetings with consumer bodies and industry groups to hear their experiences implementing the changes.
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