Labour’s HS2 confusion

Who knew a high-speed rail network involved so many U-turns? It’s not just the government who are flip-flopping on HS2 expansion: anything they can do, Labour can do better! The Opposition have now tried three different positions in 48 hours on suggestions that HS2’s planned route could be cut back. On Sunday, frontbencher Pat McFadden claimed that Labour was now not committed to completing the full original route on HS2, saying to Laura Kuenssberg: ‘I want to see what this costs and we’ll make those decisions when it comes to the manifesto.’

Only a few hours later, Shadow Security Minister Dan Jarvis seemed to shift the line, telling the BBC’s Westminster Hour that: ‘I have to say the notion that HS2 might continue but not come in to Euston just seems absolutely ridiculous.’ This was then followed on Monday by Nick Thomas-Symond’s claim on Radio 4’s PM that Labour would ‘build HS2 in full… both to Manchester and indeed the eastern leg to Leeds.