"They’re illustrative of why you can never trust the Tories"
Labour MP Louise Haigh has taken the Prime Minister apart over his Network North transport plans, which were revealed following the government’s decision to scrap the northern leg of HS2.
Rishi Sunak has admitted that his Network North plans are ‘illustrative’ after they faced widespread backlash, with Labour criticising it as a “back of the fag packet plan” that shows the Tories are a government “at the end of the line”.
The Shadow Transport Secretary and Labour MP for Sheffield Heeley rinsed his plan on Monday, accusing the PM of making up roads that don’t exist and announcing projects that have already been carried out.
Speaking in Parliament, Haigh started off by slamming the “level of chaos and economic damage that would make even the Prime Minsters most recent predecessor blush”.
The MP said she could break the plan down into three categories; “projects that have already been done, projects already announced and projects that don’t exist.”
“Let’s go through some of them shall we,” said Haigh. “An extension of Manchester’s tram link to the airport, a project which opened nine years ago.
“A brand new rail platform for Bradford, a project which has been scrapped and reinstated by three Tory Prime Ministers in a row.
“And an upgrade to the A1259 to Southampton, a route that does not exist.”
She went on: “How can the Transport Secretary stand at that dispatch box and pretend there is any credible plan for delivery, when last week the Prime Minster admitted these plans were only ‘illustrative’.
“For once I agree with him, they are illustrative. Illustrative of the sheer incompetence of this government. Illustrative of the contempt with which they treat the North and they’re illustrative of why you can never trust the Tories.
“The Prime Minister promised us a revolution in our transport infrastructure, but instead we got a wish list. He’s robbed Peter and he won’t even be paying Paul.”
(Image credit: Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street)
Hannah Davenport is news reporter at Left Foot Forward, focusing on trade unions and environmental issues
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