'Final decision' to axe HS2 to Manchester made at Tory conference despite Rishi Sunak video days earlier, says No 10

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

The 'final decision' to axe the HS2 rail line to Manchester was taken during the Conservative Party conference held in the city - despite Rishi Sunak outlining the plan in a video apparently filmed days earlier.

Downing Street today defended the Prime Minister over the recording, which prompted questions about his repeated refusal to confirm the fate of the railway line in the run-up to his keynote speech in Manchester.

Mr Sunak recorded the video message confirming he was scrapping the northern leg into Manchester and to Manchester Airport around three days before he formerly made the announcement, according to reports at the time. READ MORE: Bus crashes into building in Piccadilly Gardens with major emergency service response - live updates READ MORE: Piccadilly Gardens bus crash: Everything we know so far as ambulance service and police issue statement The PM repeatedly denied a decision had been made in the run up to the Tory Party conference in Manchester, but for many the emergence of the video cast doubt over that.

In the clip, which was posted by Mr Sunak on X, formerly Twitter, and appears to have been filmed in Downing Street before he left for the conference, he says: "I'm stopping all phases of HS2 beyond Birmingham." Mr Sunak’s official spokesman suggested the video was “preparatory work” done ahead of the major policy change being agreed on by Cabinet shortly before it was announced.