Angela Rayner and Tory shadow home secretary Chris Philp have accused each other’s parties of losing control over immigration as they clashed over the recently published report on grooming gangs.
The deputy prime minister claimed the Tories “spiffed” £1m a day as they failed to successfully deal with immigration, which increased fourfold during their leadership.
Meanwhile, Philp said scandals must never be covered up because of the ethnicity of offenders – a key failing highlighted in the Casey report – and added that the report found that some offenders were asylum seekers.
Asked whether the government accepts that the small boats crisis is a public safety crisis, Rayner hit back by saying that the Conservatives’ Rwanda policy led to just four deportations.
Meanwhile, transport secretary Heidi Alexander has said she is drawing a “line in the sand” over the beleaguered HS2 rail project after years of badly negotiated contracts and multiple design changes.
“Billions of pounds of taxpayers’ money has been wasted by constant scope changes, ineffective contracts and bad management,” Ms Alexander told the House of Commons. “It’s an appalling mess. But it’s one we will sort out.”
She announced the findings of two reviews into what has gone wrong with the project, and said allegations of fraud by contractors to HS2 would be investigated “rapidly and rigorously”.
Key Points
- Rayner accuses Philp for Tories 'losing control of our borders'
- Tories 'spiffed' £1m a day in failing to tackle immigration, says Rayner
- Starmer to delay HS2 after ‘litany of failure’ under Tories
- HS2 branded 'appalling mess' by transport secretary
- UK made into a 'laughing stock' over delayed HS2 project
Nigel Farage calls for HS2 project to be scrapped
14:30 , Holly EvansNigel Farage has called for HS2 to be scrapped and for the money to be spent upgrading railway lines across the “entirety of the United Kingdom”.
The Reform UK leader said: “I have campaigned against this HS2 project ever since 2010, up and down the line. I never believed the original £35 billion price tag. Furthermore, it only would have benefited rich businessmen and driven businesses from the north of England to London. It would have had the opposite effect.
“Has the moment not come, rather than having another reset, to recognise this is a failure? Let’s scrap HS2, let’s use the tens of billions of pounds we can save in the next decade to upgrade railway lines across the entirety of the United Kingdom to the benefit of many millions, and spend the rest on other national priorities.”
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander replied: “We are not going to be a country that spends over £30 billion on rail infrastructure but then never sees a train running on it. We’ve already seen too much waste. I’m interested that he is advocating more.
“We also have significant capacity constraints between Birmingham and London. He seems not to want to do anything about that, but I think those two great cities in our country deserve a railway that’s fit for the 21st Century. I’m just sorry that he doesn’t.”
We should learn from high speed rail in France and Spain, says Labour MP
14:25 , Rebecca WhittakerChairwoman of the Transport Committee, Ruth Cadbury, thanked Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander for taking “decisive action” on addressing cost overruns on HS2 but also congratulated HS2 leadership on its skills and workforce innovation.
That said, the Labour MP for Brentford and Isleworth added: “Could I urge the Secretary of State to get her department to learn from countries like France and Spain that have managed to deliver extensive high speed rail projects to time and at a fraction of the cost of HS2 here in the UK?”
Ms Alexander responded: “She is right to recognise the excellent work that HS2 have done on both skills and workforce.
“We have over 300,000 people working on this project at the moment and opening up opportunity, be that in apprenticeships to the next generation, opening up opportunities through the supply chain.
“I think they have done good work on that, and I will heed her advice in learning from other countries about the speed and the ease with which they deliver infrastructure projects.”
Watch: MP asks Rayner to confirm country ‘will not blindly follow US into war' again
14:15 , Rebecca WhittakerShadow transport secretary admits HS2 was not 'perfect'
14:05 , Rebecca WhittakerShadow transport secretary Gareth Bacon, who sat on the Public Accounts Committee when the Conservatives were in government, admitted the party had made mistakes with the rail project.
He said the changes in 2023 to cut the legs north of Birmingham and creation of Network North were the result of failures by the Tories with the scheme.
He said: “We also recognise that the path that we took to reach that point was not perfect, far from it, and I will not today pretend that the Network North was not a product of mistakes we made in the handling of HS2, because it clearly was. As a country we must learn from those mistakes and we must not repeat them.”
Watch: Chris Philp claims illegal immigration has risen 30% since Rwanda policy was scrapped
14:00 , Rebecca WhittakerAngela Rayner and Chris Philp got into a fiery clash over immigration and housing during Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday (18 June).
Filling in for their respective party leaders, the pair flung jabs at one another as Philp accused Rayner of having a “brass neck” for saying that illegal immigration under Labour is under control.
The deputy prime minister called out what she said was the Conservatives’ “rubbish” and demanded an apology, with the speaker soon having to call for order during the heated exchange.
Philp then accused Labour of priorisiting “housing illegal immigrants over young people”, to which Rayner replied by slamming the Tories for “spiffing £1million up the wall” on asylum hotels.
MP says Wales is owed £5 billion
13:50 , Rebecca WhittakerLiz Saville Roberts MP for Dwyfor Meirionnydd said: “Tax payers are paying dearly for this appalling mess, even though we get no benefits whatsoever. Wales is no owed at least £5 billion. This isn’t going to go away, so when will we get our fair share.
The transport secretary reassured her that there will be a significant investment in Welsh railways that “hasn’t been seen for many years”.
Transport Secretary says Conservative Party should apologise for HS2 mistakes
13:45 , Rebecca WhittakerTransport Secretary Heidi Alexander welcomed the Conservative Party’s acknowledgement of its mistakes while in government, and said it should apologise.
Responding to shadow transport secretary Gareth Bacon, Ms Alexander said: “I was pleased to hear him acknowledge that mistakes had been made on HS2 by the previous government. I think he described the path as not being perfect, Mr Speaker, I would go as far as saying it has been a shambolic mess.
“He did strike a sombre note in his remarks, I would ask him perhaps to consider going further once he’s had the opportunity to read the full James Stewart report because I do think an apology on behalf of the party opposite for the mess that they left this infrastructure scheme in is undoubtedly warranted.”
She said projects in the Midlands and the north would be published in the Government’s upcoming 10-year national infrastructure strategy.
Watch: Rayner and Philp in furious clash over immigration and housing
13:40 , Rebecca WhittakerStarmer to chair an emergency Cobr meeting on Iran-Israel this afternoon
13:30 , Rebecca WhittakerThe PM is to chair a Cobr meeting on the Middle East this afternoon, the Independent understands.It comes after the UK withdrew the family members of staff who work at the embassy and consulate in Israel because of the ongoing conflict.But British nationals in Israel are being advised to follow local advice to stay near shelter.
Plans for Euston station almost £2 billion over budget
13:25 , Rebecca WhittakerTurning to plans for HS2’s London terminus at Euston, Ms Alexander said: “Between 2019 and 2023, HS2 Ltd provided initial designs for Euston station coming in almost £2 billion over budget. When asked for a more affordable option, they offered one costing £400 million more than the first attempt. The word ‘affordable’ was clearly not part of the HS2 lexicon.”
Ms Alexander also said “the previous government announced a Euston ministerial taskforce – unbelievably, the taskforce never met”, and continued: “We’ve already committed funding to start the tunnelling from Old Oak Common (in West London) to Euston and will set out more details in our 10-year infrastructure strategy.”
Previous government was 'comatose at the wheel', says Transport Secretary
13:20 , Rebecca WhittakerTransport Secretary Heidi Alexander told the commons: “The previous government was not just asleep at the wheel but comatose at the wheel.”
She added that “no stone will be left unturned” when getting to the bottom of alleged fraud that has happened in the supply chain of HS2.
HS2 project and its management is 'no less than a litany of failure'
13:15 , Rebecca WhittakerTransport Secretary Heidi Alexander has described the HS2 project and its management as “no less than a litany of failure”.
Ms Alexander told the Commons: “Today I’m drawing a line in the sand, calling time on years of mismanagement, flawed reporting and ineffective oversight.
“It means this Government will get the job done between Birmingham and London. We won’t reinstate cancelled sections we can’t afford, but we will do the hard but necessary work to rebuild public trust – and we’ve not wasted any time.”
The Cabinet minister said the Government had already appointed new leadership of HS2 Ltd, and added: “We’ve made clear to the new chief executive Mark Wild that the priority is building the rest of the railway safely at the lowest reasonable cost, even if this takes longer.”
She said that a Government-commissioned review led by senior infrastructure delivery adviser James Stewart was a “tough independent look at how the Department for Transport and Government delivers major projects” and told MPs: “The Government not only welcomes the review, but we have accepted all the recommendations.”
Analysis: Nigel Farage under fire again
13:10 , Rebecca WhittakerOur political correspondent Archie Mitchell gives his analysis:
Nigel Farage is not meant to be the focus of PMQs, but finds himself each week in the spotlight.
This time, it was Labour MP Adam Thompson’s turn to stick the boot into the Reform UK leader - accusing him of being unable to add up.
He asked Angela Rayner: “As a trained physics teacher and a former engineering lecturer, can I ask the deputy prime minister what this government is doing to help people improve their math skills after they have left school?
“I came across an awful case the other day, a 61 year old man who believed he counted up £7bn of government spending when there was really only £27m.
“What can we do for people like the leader of reform UK, who evidently can't add up?”
Ms Rayner was all too happy to take the bait. She said: “My honourable friend highlights an important fact, Reform’s sums simply don’t add up.
“He'll be pleased to know that we're investing £136m for skills, boot camps and I will be sure to send the details to the honourable member for Clacton.”
Labour 'won't reinstate cancelled sections' of HS2
12:55 , Holly EvansHeidi Alexander has reaffirmed the commitment to build the railway line between London and Birmingham, but stressed Labour “won’t reinstate cancelled sections we can’t afford”.
She added that they would do the “hard but necessary work to rebuild public trust”.
The transport secretary said that "financial delegations" to the project are being cut, "placing a lid on spiralling costs until the reset is complete".
Rayner says Tories 'spiffed' £1m a day in failing to tackle immigration
12:52 , Holly EvansShadow home secretary Chris Philp has accused the Government of prioritising housing for illegal immigrants over housing for young people.
At Deputy Prime Minister’s Questions, Mr Philp said Angela Rayner had a “brass neck to claim she’s got it under control, when the numbers crossing the Channel this year are the highest in history”.
He added: “The Home Office’s suppliers are now actively offering above market deals to landlords to get hold of their properties to be used for illegal immigrants. In the meantime, hard-pressed young people here are unable to rent or buy. So why is this Government prioritising housing for illegal immigrants above housing for our young people?”
The Deputy Prime Minister replied: “Under their watch, immigration increased fourfold until it reached almost a million in a single year. They also created the backlog – 400 hotels, which we’ve reduced to just over 200 hotels in the first 12 months of us being in Government.
“One million pounds a day ‘spiffed’ up the wall because they were so incompetent. We’re building the homes that they failed to deliver over 14 years of consecutive failure by their government. They should apologise while we get on with the job of rebuilding Britain.”
HS2 a 'litany of failures' that has 'broken' trust of the public
12:45 , Holly EvansThe transport secretary has launched a scathing summary of HS2’s history under the Conservative government, describing it as a “litany of failure”.
Heidi Alexander detailed broken timelines, budgets calculated and then blown, flawed reporting and ineffective oversight.
“We had inherited a project that had broken the trust of the public,” she said.
Ms Alexander claims it could become "one of the most expensive railway lines in the world, with projected costs soaring by £37bn under previous conservative governments and £2bn of taxpayers money sunk into phase two work before it was cancelled by the previous government".
She added that the Labour government were drawing a “line in the sand”.
HS2 update heard in Commons
12:42 , Holly EvansTransport secretary Heidi Alexander has now stood to give an update on the beleaguered railway project HS2.
She is expected to call for a reset and will say Labour are drawing a ‘line in the sand” as Tories face further scrutiny for the failures in the project.
Lib Dems urge UK not to 'blindly follow' US into a war with Iran
12:36 , Holly EvansThe Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper has asked about the escalation in the Middle East, and compared it to her party’s opposition to the war in Iraq in 2003.
She says this was a "a war in which the UK blindly followed the US in a move which was not backed by the United Nations".
Referring to the reports Donald Trump is considering attacking Iran, she asked if Labour will Labour commit to "not blindly follow the US into war again?"
Ms Rayner replies: "The one thing I will say is: we agree with President Trump that Iran must never have nuclear weapons.
"But we've been consistent in urging Iran to engage in the diplomatic process and work with the United States, and we continue to support that diplomatic approach."
Watch: Tories demand Rayner apologises for Starmer's 'far-right bandwagon' remark
12:30 , Holly EvansGrooming gangs Labour MP lashes out at Rayner over ‘point scoring’
12:29 , Archie MitchellSarah Champion, one of the most high profile Labour MPs campaigning on grooming gangs, has attacked Angela Rayner and Chris Philp for “point scoring” over the scandal.
The influential backbench MP stumbled over her words as she rose to ask a question.
Apologising to the Speaker, she said: “I'm sorry for stumbling. I've been floored by the point-scoring that's going on around me.”
She welcomed the government’s announcement of an inquiry into the grooming gangs scandal, but condemned its use as a political football.
-copy.jpeg)
Analysis: Philp tries to match the fieriness of Rayner
12:26 , Holly EvansOur Whitehall editor Kate Devlin gives her take on PMQs:
Chris Philp appeared to start slow, but he did find some fieriness as he tried to match Angela Rayner at PMQs.
He was aided by two major issues on shadow home secretary brief this week – the numbers crossing the channel on small boats and the Casey report into grooming gangs.
His choice of topics did, however, allow the deputy prime minister a few easy hits on the Tory government’s record on migration and the Rwanda policy.
But, unlike his party leader Kemi Badenoch, Mr Philp cannot be accused of being a week out of date in his questions.
Analysis: Philp in a muddle over Tory Rwanda scheme
12:24 , Holly EvansLatest analysis from our political correspondent Archie Mitchell:
The Rwanda deportation scheme managed to deter migrants from coming to the UK while also having never got up and running, Chris Philp has seemed to suggest.
The shadow home secretary is in a muddle, claiming both that Channel crossings spiked after Labour scrapped the Rwanda scheme and that crossings were sky-high under the Conservatives because “the Rwanda scheme never started”.
It is a perfect example of how the scheme hangs over the Conservative Party, and is a policy Labour are more than happy for voters to be reminded of.
The Conservatives spent £700m to send just four volunteers on planes to Rwanda before being blocked on legal grounds.
But the party is committed to bringing it back if they win a general election - despite there being no evidence it acted as a deterrent in any way.
Rayner accuses Philp for Tories 'losing control of our borders'
12:23 , Holly EvansReferring to the small boats crisis, shadow home secretary Chris Philp said non-UK nationals and asylum seekers had been identified as some of the perpetrators involved in the grooming gangs scandal.
Mr Philp asked Angela Rayner: “Does the Deputy Prime Minister now accept that the small boats crisis is a crisis of public safety as well as a border crisis?”
Ms Rayner said: “This is a very serious issue and more needs to be done. Let me update the House. Working with our allies we have carried out a series of major arrests to tackle smuggling gangs behind this vile trade.
“In the past month a ring leader that smuggled almost 4,000 migrants has been jailed for 25 years.”
She then points directly across the aisle at Philp.
"He was the man at the heart of the Home Office when immigration soared, we lost control of our borders," she says.
‘Taking politics out of the grooming gangs debate’ does not last long
12:16 , Holly EvansOur political correspondent Archie Mitchell gives his analysis as Chris Philp takes on Angela Rayner:
Chris Philp used his first question to ask for assurances to give survivors and campaigners confidence in the inquiry into grooming gangs.
A day after Kemi Badenoch promised to take the politics out of the debate, Angela Rayner praised the shadow home secretary for his constructive tone.
But it did not last long. Mr Philp’s second question was an attack on Sir Keir Starmer’s previous remarks, in which he said those calling for an inquiry had jumped on a “bandwagon of the far right”.
Ms Rayner, standing in for Sir Keir, hit back and accused the Conservatives of failing to act on the crisis. It’s a far cry from taking politics out of the issue.
Mr Philp went on to highlight links between grooming gangs and illegal migration, blaming Labour for losing control of Britain’s borders and welcoming in the worst year for Channel crossings on record.
Rayner rebuffs call for apology after Starmer's January comment on grooming gangs
12:15 , Holly EvansThe shadow home secretary Chris Philp has called on Sir Keir Starmer to apologise for his comment in January that those commenting on the ethnicity of grooming gangs were “jumping on a far right bandwagon”.
To jeers in the House of Commons, he said: “Standing up for rape victims is not far-right.”
Responding, Angela Rayner said that the prime minister had immediately taken action against grooming gangs, and had been responsible for the first prosecutions during his role at the CPS.
She said that the data collected by the previous government was “inaccurate and not complete” and added: “The prime minister made those comments specifically about Tory ministers who sat for years in the government and did absolutely nothing about this scandal.”
Deputy PM says situation between Iran and Israel is 'deeply concerning'
12:08 , Holly EvansAsked if the Labour government would give the House of Commons a free vote ahead of any involvement in the conflict between Israel and Iran, Ms Rayner said they would be “guided by the safety of British nationals and British interests”.
“The situation in the Middle East is fast-moving and deeply concerning, there is a clear potential for a significant worsening of the situation,” she said.
She reiterated that fighter jets had been sent to the region and they had asked British nationals to register their presence, with “all advice kept under review”.
Live: Angela Rayner faces PMQs
11:52 , Holly EvansRayner says ‘underestimate me at your peril’ over criticism of huge housing pledge
11:44 , Holly EvansAngela Rayner has hit back at critics of Labour’s ambitious plan to build 1.5 million homes, warning them to “underestimate me at your peril”.
The deputy prime minister has come under increasing pressure over the flagship target after property agent Savills forecast that there would be only 840,000 new homes – just over half.
Ms Rayner, who is the cabinet minister in charge of the policy, said she had been underestimated “all my life” as she announced the launch of a new government-backed project to support builders.
She says the National Housing Bank will unlock new housing schemes across the UK, thanks to low-interest loans provided to developers hampered by rising inflation and higher interest and mortgage costs.
The move, backed by £22bn in government finance, will see more than 500,000 new homes built, including many social and affordable properties, says Ms Rayner.
Read the full article here:
Defiant Rayner says ‘underestimate me at your peril’ over criticism of housing pledge
Angela Rayner to face Tory minister Chris Philp at PMQs
11:28 , Holly EvansDeputy prime minister Angela Rayner is set to face questioning from Tory minister Chris Philp at Wednesday’s PMQs.
The shadow home secretary is likely to bring up the recent U-turn on a national inquiry for the grooming gangs scandal, as well as housing prices and the recent escalation between Israel and Iran.
Ms Rayner is taking Sir Keir Starmer’s place as he travels back from the G7 summit in Canada.
Has Keir Starmer finally mastered the art of the U-turn?
11:22 , Holly EvansSir Keir Starmer has shrugged off his unwanted label as "Mr U-turn" after his retreats over the winter fuel allowance and a national inquiry into the grooming gangs scandal.
The prime minister’s problem is that making one U-turn gives your party an appetite for more, and anxious Labour MPs are feeling ravenous. Today, the government is publishing its Bill to reduce the welfare budget by £5bn, including controversial cuts to disability and sickness benefits. More than 150 Labour MPs are unhappy about the cuts, and about 50 might oppose them.
Ministers admit privately there will be "tweaks" – for example, disabled people will not lose their personal independence payment (PIP) for 13 weeks, rather than four – but they don't go far enough for the rebels.
Read the full analysis from political columnist Andrew Grice here:
Annual house price growth halves as buyers reach stamp duty cliff edge
11:03 , Holly EvansThe annual rate of house price growth halved as a stamp duty holiday ended, according to Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures.
The average UK house price increased by 3.5 per cent in the 12 months to April, halving from 7.0 per cent growth recorded in the 12 months to March this year.
The average UK house price in April was £265,000.
Average house prices increased to £286,000 (3.0 per cent annual growth) in England, £210,000 (5.3 per cent) in Wales, and £191,000 (5.8 per cent) in Scotland in the 12 months to April 2025.
Stamp duty discounts became less generous for some home buyers from April. Stamp duty applies in England and Northern Ireland.
Transport secretary to announce new chair of HS2
10:53 , Holly EvansDuring her statement to the House of Commons, transport secretary Heidi Alexander is set to announce a new chair of HS2 Ltd.
The current chair, Sir Jon Thompson, previously announced he would stand down in the spring of this year.
His replacement will be Mike Brown, according to The Daily Telegraph newspaper.
Mr Brown is the former commissioner for Transport for London, who helped to oversee the delivery of Crossrail, the transport project which became London’s Elizabeth line.
Is HS2 still worth completing, or is it just a £66bn mistake?
10:38 , Holly EvansWith the cost of Britain’s flagship high-speed rail project soaring past £66 billion and its opening delayed yet again – this time well beyond 2033 – serious questions are being raised about the future of HS2, and what, if anything, should be salvaged.
What was once promised as a transformational national infrastructure project linking London, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds has been continuously scaled back, plagued by spiralling budgets, environmental controversies, governance failures and now, fresh allegations of fraud.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander is set to confirm to Parliament this week that the project will be delayed indefinitely, conceding there is “no reasonable way to deliver” HS2 on time or within budget.
Join The Independent debate here:
.png?trim=0,0,0,0&width=1200&height=800&crop=1200:800)
Is HS2 still worth completing, or is it just a £66bn mistake?
HS2 reports subcontractor to HMRC after alleged fraud
10:27 , Holly EvansHS2 has reported a sub-contractor working on the rail line to HMRC following an internal probe into alleged fraud.
Last month a whistleblower threw a spotlight on two firms providing construction staff to a section of the high-speed line.
It was alleged that an HS2 sub-contractor had been falsely declaring self-employed workers as Paye (pay as you earn) salaried staff and charging an inflated rate for them, then submitting “fake” payslips, according to reports first published in the i newspaper last month.
A sub-contractor was suspended from HS2’s contractor Balfour Beatty Vinci’s (BBV) section of the line in the West Midlands, the newspaper added.
Read the full article here:
How much has HS2 cost?
10:20 , Holly EvansHS2 was originally due to run between London and Birmingham, then onto Manchester and Leeds, but the project was severely curtailed by the Conservatives in power because of spiralling costs.
The first phase was initially planned to open by the end of 2026, but this was pushed back to between 2029 and 2033.
In 2013, HS2 was estimated to cost £37.5 billion (at 2009 prices) for the entire planned network, including the now-scrapped extensions from Birmingham.
In June last year, HS2 Ltd assessed the cost for the line between London and Birmingham would be up to £66 billion.
Concerns about the costs of the stunted project have persisted.
Revelations in November last year that HS2 Ltd spent £100 million on a bat tunnel aimed at mitigating the railway’s environmental impact stunned Westminster, and were singled out by Sir Keir Starmer for criticism.
Analysis: Don’t expect a Rayner - Badenoch ding dong at PMQs
10:12 , Holly EvansOur Whitehall editor Kate Devlin on today’s upcoming PMQs:
With Keir Starmer still returning from the G7 in Canada its deputy prime minister Angela Rayner’s time in the ring at PMQs.
The deputy prime minister has not held back in the past, bringing her usual brand of punchy politics to the job.
But don’t expect a showdown between her and the Tory leader Kemi Badenoch.
Traditionally, party leaders only take on other party leaders at PMQs. So Ms Badenoch is expected to send out one of her deputies instead.
Analysis: HS2 delay a crisis Keir Starmer could do without
10:04 , Holly EvansOur Whitehall editor Kate Devlin gives her analysis:
Expect a lot of blame being apportioned to the last Conservative government when the transport secretary gives an update on HS2 to MPs later.
The beleaguered project will now be delayed - even after Rishi Sunak scrapped its northern leg.
Communities up and down the country have been affected by the build for the high-speed rail line for years.
And a delay is just another blow. It’s also the last thing Labour needs as it struggles in the polls, firefighting on the domestic front while facing a series of crises internationally.
UK made into a 'laughing stock' over delayed HS2 project
09:57 , Holly EvansThe UK has been turned into an international “laughing stock” over the failure to control the HS2 rail project, a minister acknowledged.
Housing and planning minister Matthew Pennycook said there were “serious problems” with HS2 “in terms of accountability, project overruns, costs”.
He told LBC the way HS2 and other infrastructure projects had been handled “reflect very poorly on us” as a country.
He said the Planning and Infrastructure Bill includes a number of changes that will “speed up the consenting process for nationally significant infrastructure” and this week’s infrastructure strategy “seeks to reverse the frankly erratic decisions and underinvestment we’ve seen over the past 14 years”.
“So we do need to learn the lessons, take a different approach, ensure that we’re getting infrastructure investment going in, certainty and stability about investment and getting to grip with project timelines and costs.
“Because I think, frankly, when it comes to HS2, in some ways, we’re a bit of a laughing stock around the world in terms of how we handle infrastructure. As a Government, we’re absolutely determined to turn that around.”
Labour peer calls for HS2 to be stopped and put in administration
09:53 , Holly EvansLord Tony Berkeley branded the HS2 rail project “chaos” as he insisted it should be stopped.
The Labour peer, who served as deputy chairman of a government review into HS2, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “It’s chaos, and we haven’t been told anything about it.
“Rishi Sunak, after all, cancelled it 18 months ago. That was the previous government but everybody in HS2 seems to have ignored it and the Government’s ignored it by continuing to pour money down it when they should have stopped 18 months ago and they should still stop today.
“They’ve wasted billions already.
“I think that the first thing to do is to stop digging when you don’t know what you’re doing and where it’s going to end up, and I would put HS2 into administration. Let the administrators sort it out and then take a clear, simple look at what they want to achieve and get it done in a much more cost effective way.”
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander is set to tell the Commons on Wednesday that she is drawing a “line in the sand” over the beleaguered rail project.
Starmer to delay HS2 after ‘litany of failure’ under Tories
09:49 , Holly EvansSir Keir Starmer will delay the opening of HS2 as costs soar and a damning report exposes the “litany of failure” behind the rail line.
The prime minister’s transport secretary will announce on Wednesday that the remaining London to Birmingham stretch of the high speed rail project will be delayed beyond its target opening date of 2033. A source told The Independent “the original target can’t be hit”.
Heidi Alexander will lay out how the Tories saw the cost of HS2 soar by £37bn between its approval in 2012 and last year’s general election.
Read the full article from political correspondent Archie Mitchell here:
HS2 branded 'appalling mess' by transport secretary
09:48 , Holly EvansTransport Secretary Heidi Alexander is expected to tell Parliament on Wednesday afternoon there is “no reasonable way to deliver” the high-speed railway on schedule and within budget.
The project has already suffered repeated delays and soaring costs despite being scaled back.
Ms Alexander will tell the Commons she is drawing a “line in the sand” over the beleaguered rail project, as the Government attempts to reset how the UK delivers major infrastructure.
“Billions of pounds of taxpayers’ money has been wasted by constant scope changes, ineffective contracts and bad management,” Alexander will tell the House of Commons … It’s an appalling mess. But it’s one we will sort out.”
