Leaked document shows HS2 delay will increase costs, says Labour
Labour says it has obtained a leaked document showing proposed delays to HS2 would end up increasing the cost of the project for the government.
Ministers announced last week that the construction of the northwest sections – from Birmingham to Crewe, then Crewe to Manchester – would be delayed by two years to spread the cost and save money.
But shadow transport secretary Louise Haigh said advice written by officials in the Department for Transport had “blown apart” the money-saving claim and “laid bare the consequences of the decision”.
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Brandishing the papers during an urgent question in the Commons, the Labour MP said: “[The transport secretary’s] chief justification was to balance the nation’s books. But here his own department admit what he will not – the delay itself will increase costs.
“They admit it will cost jobs, that construction firms could go bust. And they cannot rule out slashing high-speed trains serving Stoke, Macclesfield and Stafford all together.”
Ms Haigh also said officials warned about the London hub at Euston, saying trains could be forced to terminate on the outskirts of the capital instead until 2041.
“Is there anything more emblematic of this failed government than their flagship levelling up project that neither makes it to the north or to central London,” added the shadow minister.
“Isn’t it time the minister came clean? This absurd plan will hit jobs, hurt growth and cost taxpayers even more.
“Last year they crashed the economy and once again they are asking the country to pay the price… this announcement proves once and for all the Conservatives can’t fix the problem because the Conservatives are the problem.”
Rail minister Huw Merriman said the government did not comment on leaked documents.
But he added: “It is an entirely responsible government approach to balance the commitments that we make… [with] public spending pressures, as there are right now due to the help this government has given to those facing increased energy costs to the continued costs from the pandemic, and therefore to the impact on the amount of borrowing.
“Over £100bn is required each year, or was last year, in order to service the overdraft. That’s greater than the amount we spend on defence.
“It would be entirely irresponsible of any government to look at all of its portfolio without those figures in mind.”
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HS2 explained: What is it and why are parts being delayed?
The Birmingham to Crewe section of HS2 was due for extension between 2030 and 2034 to help boost transport in the north of England.
But last week, transport secretary Mark Harper said the window has now shifted to 2032 to 2036, while services will not extend to Manchester until the 2040s.
Mr Harper also hinted at delays to services coming into Euston.
The original price tag for the project back in 2009 was £37.5bn, but some estimates now put the cost at more than £100bn.
A planned extension to Leeds was already shelved in November 2021.
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The government announced delays to the construction of HS2 last week.
As well as facing criticism over the delays, the government was attacked for the method of its announcement.
Ministers snuck the news out in a written statement late on Thursday afternoon as parliament was ending its sittings for the week, rather than sending someone to the Commons to explain the decision.
Labour’s Ms Haigh said: “18 months ago they slashed Northern Powerhouse rail, they binned HS2 to Leeds, they sold out the north of England and here we are again – huge changes affecting billions in investment and jobs announced at 5pm on Thursday minutes before this House rose.
“We now know why the secretary of state was so desperate to dodge scrutiny.”
Mr Merriman apologised for the timing, accepting it was “discourteous to honourable members”.
“Super high-IQ revolutionaries” who are willing to work 80+ hours a week are being urged to join Elon Musk’s new cost-cutting department in Donald Trump’s incoming US government.
The X and Tesla owner will co-lead the Department Of Government Efficiency (DOGE) with former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.
And in a post on X, the official DOGE account put out a call to arms for people to sign up and help “dismantle government bureaucracy”.
The post said: “We are very grateful to the thousands of Americans who have expressed interest in helping us at DOGE.
“We don’t need more part-time idea generators.
“We need super high-IQ small-government revolutionaries willing to work 80+ hours per week on unglamorous cost-cutting.
“If that’s you, DM this account with your CV. Elon & Vivek will review the top 1% of applicants.”
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Elon Musk speaking at an event held at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate. Pic: AP Photo/Alex Brandon
In a reply to an interested party, Mr Musk suggested the lucky applicants would be working for free.
“Indeed, this will be tedious work, make lost of enemies & compensation is zero,” the world’s richest man wrote.
“What a great deal!”
When announcing the new department, President-elect Donald Trump said Mr Musk and Mr Ramaswamy “will pave the way for my administration to dismantle government bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure federal agencies”.
Mr Musk has previously made clear his desire to see cuts to “government waste” and in a post on his X platform suggested he could axe as many as three-quarters of the more than 400 federal departments in the US, writing: “99 is enough.”
At least 10 people have been killed after a fire broke out at a retirement home in northern Spain in the early hours of this morning, officials have said.
A further two people were seriously injured in the blaze at the residence in the town of Villafranca de Ebro in Zaragoza, according to the Spanish news website Diario Sur.
Two people remain in a critical condition following the blaze. Pic: AP
They remain in a critical condition, while several others received treatment for smoke inhalation.
Firefighters were alerted to the blaze at the residence – the Jardines de Villafranca – at 5am (4am UK time) on Friday.
Several residents were treated for smoke inhalation. Pic: AP
Those who were killed in the fire died from smoke inhalation, Spanish newspaper Heraldo reported.
The residence is home to 82 elderly residents.
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The blaze started in one of the rooms, Fernando Beltran, the national government’s top official in the region, told reporters.
All of the victims were elderly residents, he added.
Relatives wait for news outside the care home. Pic: AP
Fire crews, paramedics and police officers remain on site, said a spokesperson for the regional government of Aragon who confirmed the fatalities.
It took firefighters several hours to extinguish the blaze, they said.
The cause of the fire is unknown and is being investigated.
At least 10 people have been killed after a fire broke out at a retirement home in northern Spain in the early hours of this morning, officials have said.
A further two people were seriously injured in the blaze at the residence in the town of Villafranca de Ebro in Zaragoza, according to the Spanish news website Diario Sur.
Two people remain in a critical condition following the blaze. Pic: AP
They remain in a critical condition, while several others received treatment for smoke inhalation.
Firefighters were alerted to the blaze at the residence – the Jardines de Villafranca – at 5am (4am UK time) on Friday.
Several residents were treated for smoke inhalation. Pic: AP
Those who were killed in the fire died from smoke inhalation, Spanish newspaper Heraldo reported.
The residence is home to 82 elderly residents.
Read more from Sky News:
Mass displacement in Gaza – people unsure where to go
Donald Trump picks vaccine sceptic as health secretary
Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
The blaze started in one of the rooms, Fernando Beltran, the national government’s top official in the region, told reporters.
All of the victims were elderly residents, he added.
Relatives wait for news outside the care home. Pic: AP
Fire crews, paramedics and police officers remain on site, said a spokesperson for the regional government of Aragon who confirmed the fatalities.
It took firefighters several hours to extinguish the blaze, they said.
The cause of the fire is unknown and is being investigated.
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