so they will lose northern powerhouse rail commands of the views —— losing hs2. e rail commands of the views -- losing h52._ the views -- losing h52. goodness knows that — the views -- losing h52. goodness knows that what _ the views -- losing h52. goodness knows that what that _ the views -- losing h52. goodness knows that what that will - the views -- losing h52. goodness knows that what that will do - the views -- losing h52. goodness knows that what that will do for . knows that what that will do for trusting the government in the know. let's pick up one of the issues the chancellor turned two today. he seemed to be suggesting that it is much more expensive to run an infrastructure project like this in the uk than it is in france. why is it cheaper for the french to build a project like this rather than the uk? ,, ., project like this rather than the uk? g , project like this rather than the uk? g y ., a, uk? so, jeremy quoted the fact that it is approximately _ uk? so, jeremy quoted the fact that it is approximately ten _ uk? so, jeremy quoted the fact that i

infrastructure poly, because the prime minister is also committed historically to building northern powerhouse railand i have discussed this on our program four. you leave the heart of a 30-mile gap in the northern line. an extra $15 billion taken, added to the northern powerhouse rail, so this potential sort of windfall of people's transport priorities, a journalist at another broadcast had termed it in the briefings he had seen, at last when he spoke to people across the bbc region, including in yorkshire, that potholes were his priorities. in south yorkshire, one of the areas he was discussing with a particular calling from the bbc, the recent round of investment will not see a penny of additional investment to yorkshire. i'm not sure people are believing, including the ones you know here in the northwest, will ever see the money, so they will lose northern rail on the top of losing hs2. christian: and goodness knows what that will do for trust and the government in the north. can we pick up one of the issues the chancellor turned to today? he seems to be sugsting it is much more expensive to ru

so _ rather have northern powerhouse rail, , :, ., ., rather have northern powerhouse rail. ., ., .,being pulled, manchester- rail. so you are relaxed about the plug being pulled, manchester to| plug being pulled, manchester to birmingham? i plug being pulled, manchester to ltirmingham?_ birmingham? i think provided he doesnt birmingham? i think provided he doesn'tiust _ birmingham? i think provided he doesn'tiust say _ birmingham? i think provided he doesn't just say we _ birmingham? i think provided he doesn'tjust say we are _ birmingham? i think provided he doesn'tjust say we are not - birmingham? i think provided he doesn'tjust say we are not going birmingham? i think provided he i doesn'tjust say we are not going to doesn't just say we are not going to doesn't just say we are not going to do it and _ doesn't just say we are not going to do it and i_ doesn't just say we are not going to do it and i can't imagine he will, i imagine— do it and i can't imagine he will, i imagine he— do it and i can't imagine he will, i imagine he will say, instead, we are going _ imagine he will say

if he does not put the money back that he's taken out of the hs2 budget straight into the northern powerhouse rail scheme as undeliverable. how frustrated are you _ that scheme as undeliverable. how frustrated are you at the moment that you don't know what is going on? �* , ., ._ ., that you don't know what is going on? �*, ., ., ., on? it's not the way to treat business — on? it's not the way to treat business and _ on? it's not the way to treat business and we _ on? it's not the way to treat business and we wrote - on? it's not the way to treat business and we wrote to i on? it's not the way to treat | business and we wrote to the on? it's not the way to treat - business and we wrote to the prime minister last night to announce that we wanted a meeting and that may still happen. we wanted a meeting and that may still happen-— still happen. your meeting might still happen. your meeting might still happen? _ still happen. your meeting might still happen? got _ still happen. your meeting might still happen? got no _ still happen. your meeting might still happen? got no reply - still happen. your me

that would allow for the delivery of northern powerhouse rail, exactly as previously planned, includinggh-speed lines, which would provide better rail connections for the people living in northern towns such as warrington. i know that he will be discussing this further when he meets the rail minister. >> we all continue to unequivocally condemn the abhorrent terrorist attack on the jewish people and the israeli state. we fully support the defeat of hamas and, of course, the safe return of all hostages who have been taken. so, too, i hope, do we all share the same common humanity of protecting civilians and condemning any acts of collective punishment against the palestinian people. in that regard, many of the images emanating from gaza in recent days will shock us all to the core, so may i ask the prime minister: will he join those of us on these benches and call for an immediate ceasefire in the region? >> we believe that israel does have a right to defend itself, to protect its people and to act against terrorism and ensure that the awful attack we have seen from hamas cannot happen a

will need _ of northern powerhouse rail will need to— of northern powerhouse rail will need to on that, the bill, which needs— need to continue. briefly on that, the bill, which needs to _ need to continue. briefly on that, the bill, which needs to make - need to continue. briefly on that, | the bill, which needs to make this possible, or in the changed reality possible, or in the changed reality possible, is that going to come through... possible, is that going to come through- - -_ possible, is that going to come through- - -— possible, is that going to come throu~h... , ., through... sorry, i can't hear you. can ou through... sorry, i can't hear you. can you hear— through... sorry, i can't hear you. can you hear me _ through... sorry, i can't hear you. can you hear me now, _ through... sorry, i can't hear you. can you hear me now, the - through... sorry, i can't hear you. can you hear me now, the hybridl can you hear me now, the hybrid bill? let's go to vaughan gething in wales. i think there was a pleasant surprise in the sense that the billion of this 36 billion that was ta

i'm a huge fan of the line across the pennines, h53 or northern powerhouse rail.n to propose it, so i'm all for going ahead with that, but it's not a substitute for hsz and it's not an alternative to hsz. those projects should go ahead together. we will cross back to the conference because michael gove, the levelling up because michael gove, the levelling up and housing secretary, is speaking now. i up and housing secretary, is speaking now.— up and housing secretary, is speaking now. up and housing secretary, is s-ueakin now. ., ., , ., speaking now. i want to begin with a word of thanks. _ speaking now. i want to begin with a word of thanks. i _ speaking now. i want to begin with a word of thanks. i want _ speaking now. i want to begin with a word of thanks. i want to _ speaking now. i want to begin with a word of thanks. i want to thank - speaking now. i want to begin with a word of thanks. i want to thank you, j word of thanks. i want to thank you, every single one of you in the hall, your friends, every single one of you in the hall, yourfriends, family, the

i'm a huge fan of the line across the pennines, hs3 or northern powerhouse rail.ad with that, but it's not a substitute for hsz and it's not an alternative to hsz. those projects should go ahead together. well, the bbc�*s political editor, chris mason, sat down with the prime minister. here is the full interview. prime minister, you're promising this week long—term decisions for a brighterfuture.

so the northern powerhouse rail. so the hopeis northern powerhouse rail.ed yet and again, the government not commenting, but there's widespread, widespread reports here in manchester that this is not going to go ahead. this link between manchester and birmingham. chris thank you for updating us. >> your >> and of course, your conversation with andy conversation earlier with andy burnham, the greater manchester mayor they may be mayor indicating they may be considering legal action that considering legal action if that decision made . but we'll see decision was made. but we'll see what moment. what happens. for the moment. thanks with that thanks for updating us with that breaking news. >> there be more from the >> there will be more from the tory at top tory party conference at the top of hour. of the hour. >> i'm alex deakin. this is your latest weather update from the met office for gb news something of a north south split with the weather today and then the potential some pretty heavy potential for some pretty heavy rain over of central rain over parts

i'm a huge fan of the line across the pennines, h53 or northern powerhouse rail. was the first person to propose it, so i'm all for going ahead with that, but it's not a substitute for hsz and it's not an alternative to hsz. those projects should go ahead together. well, the bbc�*s political editor, chris mason, sat down with the prime minister. here is the full interview. prime minister, you're promising this week long—term decisions for a brighterfuture. will you announce your decision tomorrow on hs2? i know there's a lot of speculation on this, but what i can say is i'm going to approach this the same way, i approach everything thoughtfully, carefully across the detail and making what i believe is the right decision in the long term for our country. that's what i did recently on net zero. that's how i approach all decisions because that's the change i want to bring. i think for too long politicians have just taken the easy way out, focused on the short term. i want to do things differently and i think if we can change politics, that's how we're going to change

he said that we needed not just this leg of hs2, but also northern powerhouse rail in full, but no realminister is now talking about network north, not just leaders in manchester, the reaction in liverpool as well, the dependency on that east— west linkup is really important. he said that it doesn't work from east to west or north to south. so a lot of anger here in this part of the country to the news that hs2 has been scrapped. any talk of network north has not been met well by the network of leaders here in the north. people here at piccadilly station, a lot of them say that a lot of their concentration isn't about getting to london, it is making sure that they have a viable connection across the north and across... the second of the three big policy moments concerned health. rishi sunak once the age at which people can buy cigarettes and tobacco in england to rise by one year every year, so that eventually no one can buy them. ii year, so that eventually no one can bu them. . ., year, so that eventually no one can bu them. _, , .,, buy them. if we could stop the starch, then _ buy t

that also undermines a second piece of critical info structure for the north, and that's northern powerhouse railn plans to build hs2. this row back on plans to build hsz. as you say, at the moment it's all speculation, but the concern has been around the fact that number ten hasn't necessarily denied this. i just want to talk a bit more about the impact of this decision on the north, because as you say, it could be a blow — tell us a bit more about that. fit be a blow - tell us a bit more about that. . ., , ., be a blow - tell us a bit more about that. _, , ., . ~ ., that. of course, going back to 2019, this government _ that. of course, going back to 2019, this government is _ that. of course, going back to 2019, this government is still _ that. of course, going back to 2019, this government is still on _ that. of course, going back to 2019, this government is still on a - that. of course, going back to 2019, this government is still on a 2019 i this government is still on a 2019 election mandate which promised to level up the country. and to do so, transport is a major part of that, it's not th

with spades going into the ground on hs2, our commitment to fund manchester—leeds leg of northern powerhouse railre going to build broadband, railways, roads. if the country needs it, we will build it. so, today, mr speaker, the cabinet has given high—speed rail the green signal. we are going to get this done. the reports suggest a decision not to go ahead with the northern leg of the high speed railway has already been taken and will be announced in the prime minister's speech on wednesday. given that the party conference is in manchester, where the line was supposed to end, the timing and location of such an announcement would be strange, to say the least. number ten says no final decision has been made. but if it has, then how does the current chancellor explain it? as chancellor, i do have to answer the question as to why it cost ten times more to build high—speed rail in this country and across the channel in france, because it is taxpayers�* money. and i will also say that when that decision is made, at that time you see that we remain very to making sure we have the right economic infrastr

it is deeplyl frustrating, promises were made on northern powerhouse rail, the connection between manchesterp in yorkshire, that leg was already cut. so it does really feel like every time there are savings to be made, they come out of the strategic projects that are really going to be able to transform the north. i think it is interesting today to see david cameron, the former pm come out very publicly after this decision and criticise. i guess the final point to make is, overnight, numberten guess the final point to make is, overnight, number ten was briefing out that this was going to be a new kind of politics and of the third years of politics in britain have failed and get to me this felt like just another political speech, it was almost gordon brown, the spending commitments to various communities but i think there is an open question about what is the overriding vision that rishi sunak has for this country. in particular, how people tried levelling up in the north. �* . . v how people tried levelling up in the north. ., ., �*, . north. amanda, it's infrastructure week. it north. amand

this line, hs2, and the northern powerhouse rail line, has been in not one, not two but three conservatived, people here, that they feel they can rip all of that up on our faces and take us for mugs? that is what they think they can do, but they have got another think coming. why, what are you going to do? we will why, what are you going to do? - will look at all options, of course we will. and we will be talking about... ~ . we will. and we will be talking about. . ._ we - we will. and we will be talking about. . ._ we just . we will. and we will be talking - about. . ._ we just cannot about... like what? we 'ust cannot acce -t about... like what? we 'ust cannot accept that — about... like what? we 'ust cannot accept that the t about... like what? we 'ust cannot accept that the plug _ about. .. like what? we 'ust cannot accept that the plug can]— about... like what? we just cannot accept that the plug can be - about... like what? we just cannot accept that the plug can be pulled. accept that the plug can be pulled on us in this way, and that we will always have this second—class infrastru

there is the question of what would happen with what's called northern powerhouse rail, east west link is it still possible, with the be alternative? katy austin, frances reid and judith moritz, echoed all three of you. let's move on and take a look at some of the other places around the world where high speed rail is in operation.— rail is in operation. spain has euroe rail is in operation. spain has europe pot— rail is in operation. spain has europe pot most _ rail is in operation. spain has europe pot most extensive . rail is in operation. spain has - europe pot most extensive high-speed europe pot most extensive high—speed network, one of the fastest stretches is the madrid to barcelona high—speed line. it has a —— it is 621 kilometres long and was inaugurated in 2008, designed for speeds of up to 350 kilometres per hour. china plasma high speed rail network is the world's longest and most extensively used. two thirds of the world's ray operation is in china. let's speak to rob holden who was a former chairman of hs1 as well as being the former ceo of crossrail and chief executive

he says , to northern powerhouse rail as well. so i think pretty damaging for the government.ike to do things on their own terms. but yeah , all eyes on rishi but yeah, all eyes on rishi sunak on wednesday and what he may say in his speech. interesting stuff. >> thank you very much. that was foster there. our political correspondent, live from the tory party conference in manchester. do you regard david starkey do you regard the conservative party as a united front at the moment, no, obviously not. >> but then remember, in a two party system, by definition, parties are coalitions. the question is whether the coalition can be kept together and on what terms . i mean, think and on what terms. i mean, think of the labour party where you've actually got its former leader. it's immediate former leader expelled from the party and his second command. as far as i think macdonald was expelled as well was no, no, no, diane diane abbott for different reasons. but you have this situation in which there are overt rifts on both sides at the moment. starmer is able to control it better becau

we look like we are going to lose hs2 to birmingham and also northern powerhouse rail, so that the linehe north—east, so looking back to this prime minister does commitments, he said to me when i first met him when he was a backbencher that his mission in politics was to deliver that new line across the pennines and he would be the prime minister that destroys it, notjust for this generation but many generations to come, and puts back the cause of levelling up, of genuinely closing the north—south divide for 100 years. the north-south divide for 100 ears. �* ., ., , ., years. but there are many here who think rishi sunak— years. but there are many here who think rishi sunak is _ years. but there are many here who think rishi sunak is on _ years. but there are many here who think rishi sunak is on the - years. but there are many here who think rishi sunak is on the right - think rishi sunak is on the right track. is it officially scrapped? we don't track. is it officially scrapped? - don't know. i think hsz is a white don't know. i think hs2 is a white elephant. i think that money could

we have been long campaign is for the northern powerhouse rail. success_ powerhouse rail. you have seen the success of— powerhouse rail. you have seen the success of the elizabeth line in london — success of the elizabeth line in london which is a fantastic infrastructure project for london we want the _ infrastructure project for london we want the equivalent in the north of england~ _ want the equivalent in the north of england. if i where the prime minister— england. if i where the prime minister of england i would prioritise that over hsz. minister of england i would prioritise that over h52. what si . nals prioritise that over h52. what signals are — prioritise that over h52. what signals are you _ prioritise that over h52. what signals are you getting - prioritise that over h52. what signals are you getting from i prioritise that over hsz. “wrist signals are you getting from hsz? do signals are you getting from hs2? do you think they going to cancel the manchester link? we you think they going to cancel the manchester link?— you think they g

so, okay, they may make promises about northern powerhouse rail , but i certainly powerhouse rail, butth line. beautiful shiny, new. but different treatment for the north of england. >> it's hard to argue with that, isn't it? you know, does the conservative about conservative party care about the well, i would say yes. and i >> well, i would say yes. and i am northerner. know, i'm am a northerner. you know, i'm from north manchester am a northerner. you know, i'm frorrgetting north manchester am a northerner. you know, i'm frorrgetting theth manchester am a northerner. you know, i'm frorrgetting the levelling|chester am a northerner. you know, i'm frorrgetting the levelling upzster and getting the levelling up agenda right. is so important. we used to talk about the north south divide, levelling up was about not just levelling up of infrastructure, but levelling up of opportunity . and if you want of opportunity. and if you want to level up opportunity , that to level up opportunity, that means to have means you have to have infrastructure in place. and so that's why hs2 is one part of

northern powerhouse cannot commit. keir starmer did i commit to northern powerhouse rail, that east to west a link going from liverpool then labour will continue with those. that will frustrate some people within the labour party who feel that it needs to be bolder to set out its own plans, but i think what is going on here is part of a much wider strategy. labourwants here is part of a much wider strategy. labour wants to be seen, frankly, to be quite predictable, quite steady, quite competent. they think there has been a lot of chopping and changing within government over recent years, not just in transport, particularly in terms of appealing to the business community, they want to be seen as a party that will not bring in huge amounts of change and make everything unpredictable all over again. everything unpredictable all over aaain. . ., ., ~ everything unpredictable all over aain. ., ., ., ~' everything unpredictable all over aiain. ., ., ., ~' , . nurses' leaders are urging the government to scrap an increase in the cost of a health and care visa, which they warn will make the uk a less attractive place to work.

and then what's happened to northern powerhouse rail?re not levelling up the well, the the north at all? well, the first thing is work is still going on on hs2 even as we speak. >> the second thing is i can't and expect me to and you wouldn't expect me to speculate what you reckon the speculate on what you reckon the i you're so close to the i mean, you're so close to the action, you must know. >> no, no, no, no. >> no, no, no, no. >> the most important >> i think the most important thing is to make sure that we get value for from every get value for money from every pound on transport pound that we spend on transport and critically, we need to make sure as linking sure that as well as linking north south, we also link north and south, we also link east and west and we also need to make the within to make sure the links within cities you're like cities you're not like manchester spent manchester east are spent as well and leeds well what manchester and leeds still have rail link still don't have that rail link you can't easily get you kn

this would allow for the delivery of northern powerhouse rail. g high speed lines which would provide better rail connections for the people living in northern towns like warrington . and i know that warrington. and i know that he'll be discussing this further when he meets with the rail minister. >> snp leader stephen flynn . >> snp leader stephen flynn. yeah, yeah. >> thank you, mr speaker. we all continue to unequivocally condemn , um, the abhorrent condemn, um, the abhorrent terrorist attack on the jewish people and the israeli state. >> we fully support the defeat of hamas and of course the safe return of all hostages who have been taken. >> so , too, i hope, do we all >> so, too, i hope, do we all share the same common humanity of protecting civilian homes and condemning any acts of collective punishment against the palestinian people ? the palestinian people? >> in that regard, many of the images emanating from gaza in recent days will shock us all to the core. so can i ask the prime minister, will he join with us on these benches and call

the northern research conservative research group of conservative mps pushing for this mps have been pushing for this east west rail link, northern powerhouse the elizabeth line down in london, connecting those major northern cities. but as i say, as in as in king charles, but as i say, it seems unlikely given the number of projects that are expected owing this funding to go towards that. there will be that centrepiece long term piece of infrastructure after all, i suppose if you're the prime minister and you're thinking about going to cause about what's going to cause benefits to your cause within 12 months, it's not going to be an entirely new railway. penny gains from stop hs2 campaign is this all your fault? >> oh, i hope so . yeah. we're >> oh, i hope so. yeah. we're being campaigning for quite some time. and one of the alternatives we always said is that you could build a lot more smaller projects that would bnng smaller projects that would bring more benefit to more people more quickly. and if that's sunak says in that's what rishi sunak says in his will very his speech, will be very pleased about but tell us why. about that. but tel

how is he going to sweeten this very bitter pill if they pull the plug on northern powerhouse rail?stly do not think they would dare. there would be absolute uproar, but i suspect there's going to be an almighty row , whatever. but for almighty row, whatever. but for now, back to you in the studio. so sorry. okay, catherine. and just just one more question. actually in terms of the mps that you're talking to, is there not a lot of frustration that all this talk about hs2 is threatening to overshadow everything else about the conference? it is completely overshadowing the conference. the government has messaged edges that it wants to get out . edges that it wants to get out. they're struggling to do that . they're struggling to do that. and also, of course, we've had the prime minister's previous prime ministers, liz truss, stealing a lot of media attention yesterday with these messages from the sidelines about what she thinks. rishi sunak should be doing differently. now of course they say don't they, that divided parties do not win elections. rishi sunak needs to try to present a u

for example, northern powerhouse rail has been in the last conservative last three conservative manifestoscellation of hs2 , the of the cancellation of hs2, the second leg of it today, the question really is why should we believe the tories again on promising projects for the north of england when they haven't delivered the ones that were in the last three election manifestos ? m anifestos? >> manifestos? >> yeah. look, very quickly , a >> yeah. look, very quickly, a little bit of reaction in the inbox. views. the gbnews.com. inbox. gb views. the gbnews.com. this from meghan says this is from meghan who says brilliant speech brilliant conference on speech by rishi males can never be female . all talking about female. all talking about investment into the north. strong stuff on illegal migration. she says pleased apparently the smoking age is going to be raised. fair enough . so yeah, definitely a mixed bag here. quite a few people as well saying the exact opposite. they didn't find it particularly inspiring. those views inspiring. so keep those views coming vaiews@gbnews.com inspiring. so

and there is an outstanding commitment from the party to build northern powerhouse rail in full.an be treated as second—class citizens when it comes to transport. my citizens when it comes to transport. my message back to all the main parties is, we are not going to put up parties is, we are not going to put up with that any more. it's not right, it's not fair. and to do this to the city region and this part of the world and they have a conference that says something about how politicians think they can treat the north. it's not acceptable, we are looking to take it in the way that we have had to take it in the past. —— we are not going to take it in the way that we have had to take it in the past. i don't see how this plan is workable, and i don't see how the conservative party can look themselves in the mirror given all of the promises they have made to the north. they are breaking those promises and disrespecting people across the whole of the north. shindig across the whole of the north. andy burnham, thank _ across the whole of the north. andy burnham, thank you _ across the

and then what's happened to northern powerhouse rail?rn powerhouse railnorth levelling happened to northern powerhouse railnorth at levelling happened to northern powerhouse railnorth at all. .evelling the north at all. >> well , the first thing is work >> well, the first thing is work is going on hs2 as is still going on on hs2 even as we speak . the second is we speak. the second thing is i can't and you wouldn't expect me to speculate on. >> you reckon, though? >> do you reckon, though? i mean, so close to the mean, you're so close to the action, you must. no, action, you must. no, no, no, no. >> the most important >> i think the most important thing make that thing is to make sure that we get for from every get value for money from every pound spend transport pound that we spend on transport and make and critically, we need to make sure as well as linking sure that as well as linking north and south, we also link east and west . and we also need east and west. and we also need to make sure that's point. to make sure that's the point.

leg of hs2 , but cancelling the leeds hs2, but cancelling the leeds leg of hs2 for cutting northern powerhouse railt the 2019 general election was a new 21st century rail network for britain , which was going to for britain, which was going to take trains off local rail networks to allow for more commuter trains, allow for more freight on the rails and get people around this country more quickly . and it wasn't just quickly. and it wasn't just about london. it was about bradford. it was about leeds. it was about doncaster, it was about sheffield, it was about manchester. was about manchester. it was about liverpool. about and liverpool. it was about hull and rishi sunak has, has, has destroyed this project and history will not judge him well for it. is it him that's destroyed it or have management and successive governments destroyed it? >> leo yeah, i think the ballooning cost because the original cost was billion, original cost was 38 billion, which like lot , but it which sounds like a lot, but it ballooned 100 billion. but ballooned to 100 billion. but what mistake i think rishi what the mistak

leg of hs2 , but cancelling the leeds hs2, but cancelling the leeds leg of hs2 for cutting northern powerhouse railhe 2019 general election was a new 21st century rail network for britain , which was going to for britain, which was going to take trains off local rail networks to allow for more commuter trains, allow for more freight on the rails and get people around this country more quickly . and it wasn't just quickly. and it wasn't just about london. it was about bradford. it was about leeds. it was about doncaster, it was about sheffield, it was about manchester. was about manchester. it was about liverpool. about and liverpool. it was about hull and rishi sunak has, has, has destroyed this project and history will not judge him well for it. is it him that's destroyed it or have management and successive governments destroyed it? >> leo yeah, i think the ballooning cost because the original cost was billion, original cost was 38 billion, which like lot , but it which sounds like a lot, but it ballooned 100 billion. but ballooned to 100 billion. but what mistake i think rishi what the mistake i

west with hs3, as with hs2, east west with hs3, as he called it then, but obviously became northern powerhouse railement , the conservative announcement, the conservative party have not shown the courage, the conviction or the capability to turn those statements into into reality to the great frustration of people here. and we don't say that in a party political sense . it's just party political sense. it's just where we've been and we've been waiting and working to try and turn all of these things into a reality . you know, i hope that reality. you know, i hope that those statements weren't made ten years ago just with political intentions in mind to try and win votes here. but it's starting to look very much like that's what it was all about. and what has been announced today feels something more of the same . it does this country the same. it does this country have the will within it to actually prioritise the north of england and sort out its transport problems. does this country have it within it to stop treating people here in the north as second class citizens when it comes to transport and

maybe we can deliver powerhouse rail deliver northern powerhouse rail in full without it.an look at those local upgrades . so, for example, where you've not electrified your track, i've got old trains going got rickety old trains going through my constituency where they actually want better local links now wouldn't had links. now we wouldn't have had the benefit from but the same benefit from hs2, but if reinvest that in our if we can reinvest that in our communities at a fraction of the price, think ben houchen said price, i think ben houchen said something about that as well. so there's that's actually there's a mayor that's actually on making on board with us making some changes then it could changes there. then it could actually us more. okay actually benefit us more. okay >> now nigel said very clearly, what's the big sell here? what's the big message for the conservatives? this is the last chance saloon before the next election in terms of a conference, what is the big sell ? >> we're actually portraying a conservative message again, and i think that's really importa

northern powerhouse. adam, as a northerner who travelled on northern rail for so long northerner who travelled on northernt sort of underlies a problem and it completely undermines look, my previousjob look, my previous job as look, my previousjob as head of policy to andy street, the mayor of the blessed midlands, and i spent a lot of time notjob advocating for the importance of hs two, highlighting the investments that have been brought to the city, but that wasn't because it was a high—speed link from birmingham to london, but it's placed birmingham at the centre and a fast north to south network, because this wasn't about to speed, about more capacity and more reliability and we haven't had the speech tomorrow, although it's been heavily briefed that that decision has already been made, but the thing i will be looking for in any announcement about new east—west connectivity, those northern lines, is how you do that without hs2. the map you showed, the bit of red there between manchester and some of those other northern cities came about hs2 by manchester airport. so, other northern cities came about h

manchester, going to leeds via sheffield, and then the absolute essential part, which is northern powerhouse railsteland in west london to birmingham, you have saddled future generations with most of the costs and very few of the benefits . benefits. >> absolutely. i mean, that's what i can't understand. you. you're the travel expert. i was. you're the travel expert. i was. you almost hope that you can make more sense of it than the rest of us can because it makes no sense to us. why you would not all way to euston and not go all the way to euston and why they started building the whole south to north. whole thing from south to north. anyway if you'd to abandon anyway if you'd had to abandon it now and it had been built from north downwards, that would have sense anyhow, have made more sense anyhow, wouldn't it? well, you need to be left something. be left with something. >> you need whole or >> you need the whole thing, or you nothing. or rather, you you need nothing. or rather, you are. are simply not getting are. you are simply not getting the benefits. and look in decades to come. of course,

to do exactly what sunak sunak is planning to do, the northern do, which is the northern powerhouse which powerhouse railiverpool to leeds, and then improve services between manchester and and between manchester and hull and sheffield . sheffield. >> but back to your previous story, alistair campbell and peter have peter mandelson would have been saying , yes, i agree with sunak saying, yes, i agree with sunak that been a bit beefier, that had been a bit beefier, wouldn't that had been a bit beefier, wotlt's 't that had been a bit beefier, wotlt's not that had been a bit beefier, wot it's not exactly that had been a bit beefier, wotlt's not exactly going to >> it's not exactly going to make that's all he make headlines if that's all he says first big speech. says in his first big speech. >> but i think this is >> but no, but i think this is one line from regional tv one line from a regional tv interview. think that you will interview. i think that you will have a broader, policy. have a broader, wider policy. but telegraph is absolutely but the telegraph is absolutely right on in the right to jump on thi