Michael Gove has suggested HS2 could be derailed as the government considers up to £50bn in spending cuts. Capital investment for the high speed the railway line will be reviewed Mr Gove said, as he warned the Government has to make 'painful' decisions.
Ahead of their autumn budget, the Prime Minister and Chancellor Jeremy Hunt are said to be considering a raft of swingeing spending cuts and tax hikes to fill a gaping black hole in the nation's finances. Discussing the possible cuts on Times Radio's Sunday Morning with Kate McCann and Adam Boulton, the Levelling Up Secretary was asked why not cut HS2, the Government's major high speed rail line project to connect London to Manchester, via Birmingham, Crewe and Manchester Airport.
Read more:
Mr Gove said 'I am sure everything will be reviewed' before adding 'I do think HS2 is a significant investment…' On whether the project is still worth it, even without its eastern leg to Leeds, the Levelling Up Secretary said: "In a way your question is the answer, which is that we’ve already had to make economies.
"But I think long term capital investment in making sure this country is better connected is a good thing. And ideally, you don’t want to cut that long term capital investment because it helps contribute to economic growth and greater opportunity.
"But when we face the particularly economic problems that we have at the moment, I'm sure that some capital spending will be cut."
Mr Gove insisted people 'deserve the truth' which is 'as a result of different factors, including mistakes that were made at the mini-budget, we have got to make some decisions, which will be painful'. Conservative MP Michael Fabricant (Lichfield), a strong critic of HS2, retweeted Mr Gove’s comments, saying: "I hope it will not be too late to reconsider the line north of Birmingham through Lichfield."
Read next:
- Dad accused of murdering baby daughter denies lying to police and insists 'I did not cause these horrible injuries to my little girl'
- Woman took teenage son on revenge mission against her mum after complaining she had been frozen out of family will
- Man went to the doctor with sporadic back pain and gets horrifying diagnosis
- Manchester's lost burger bar loved as much for its cocktails 'paved the way for McDonald's'
- Student, 19, at centre of Fallowfield murder investigation named as family pays tribute to 'bubbly, lively, beautiful boy'
