Rishi Sunak speech live - HS2 to be scrapped as Dorries makes scathing attack

David Cameron says decision to scrap HS2 'throws away 15 years of consensus'

Former PM David Cameron has hit out at the decision to scrap the remainer of HS2.

In a lengthy Twitter post he said it could turn out to be a "once-in-a-generation opportunity" lost. The former PM said: "Today’s decision on HS2 is the wrong one. It will help to fuel the views of those who argue that we can no longer think or act for the long-term as a country; that we are heading in the wrong direction.

"HS2 was about investing for the long-term, bringing the country together, ensuring a more balanced economy and delivering the Northern Powerhouse. We achieved historic, cross-party support, with extensive buy-in from city and local authority leaders across the Midlands and North of England.

"Today’s announcement throws away fifteen years of cross-party consensus, sustained over six administrations, and will make it much harder to build consensus for any future long-term projects. All across the world, we see transformative, long-term infrastructure projects completed or underway.

"They show countries on the rise, building for future generations, thinking big and getting things done. I regret this decision and in years to come I suspect many will look back at today’s announcement and wonder how this once-in-a-generation opportunity was lost."

(AFP/Getty Images)

Some of the sinister and bizarre things to happen at Tory conference

With Tory Party Conference 2023 now behind us, here's a look back at some of the more sinister and bizarre things that happened.

While Suella Braverman's speech won her healthy applause yesterday, an angry veteran Conservative was thrown out after accusing her of a "homophobic rant". Meanwhile there were strange conspiracy theories about councils trying to ration when you could shop and bendy-bananas.

Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho doubled down on the made-up claim that a meat tax could be in the offing, as well as fake meat for astronauts.

Ms Braverman apologised after stepping on a guide dog's tail and Therese Coffey bragged she'd blocked gun controls after the mass shooting in Plymouth in 2021.

Richard 'shuts up' GMB guest who says Hancock 'deserved' being called 'd***head'

Loudmouth Lee Anderson ranted about "this poverty nonsense" and questioned why anyone would want to go to Bradford. Rishi Sunak claimed the public don't want a General Election in spite of widespread polling showing they do, and Partygate peer Lord Bailey said police weren't getting enough support before refusing to comment on his own legal woes.

The Tories are under pressure to sanction London mayoral candidate Susan Hall after she claimed London's Jewish community fears Sadiq Khan - but she got the PM's backing. And a former No10 advisor branded Mr Sunak's scrapping of housing targets "evil".

(AFP via Getty Images)

Tory mayor Andy Street admits he thought about leaving party over HS2

Andy Street denied he considered resigning as West Midlands mayor over HS2 but said he thought about quitting the Tory Party.

"I will remain a member of the Conservative Party," he told the BBC after Rishi Sunak cancelled the northern leg. Mr Street said he would like to run for another term as the Tory candidate in next year's mayoral election.

"I intend as part of that to make good on the offer that the Prime Minister has put today to invest a lot more money in transport in the West Midlands, and to look further links between Birmingham and the rest of the West Midlands and the North. He put that offer out very clearly today."

(PA)

Andy Burnham says Manchester deserves more respect

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has said people in the city weren't consulted about the decision to scrap the remaining work on HS2.

Mr Burnham, speaking following this morning's announcement, said Manchester should be entitled to more respect. Our colleague Ashley Cowburn is watching.

Andy Burnham says northern leaders had no engagement with the government over the decision to axe HS2 northern leg.

“We have not been consulted — when our city has done its best to play host. I think we were entitled to better”.

He says Manchester deserves more “respect”. pic.twitter.com/BSxl34F0oX

— Ashley Cowburn (@ashcowburn) October 4, 2023

Government promises Metrolink extension - but it happened in 2014

The Government has gleefully announced that Manchester's Metrolink will be extended to the city's airport as a trade-off for scrapping HS2.

However there's one small issue - this already happened back in 2014. A new announcement published alongside Mr Sunak's speech vowed cash would be ploughed into improving connections across the North. It said: "Nearly £4 billion to improve connectivity, which could pay for schemes such as the extension of the Manchester Metrolink to Heywood, Bolton, Wigan and Manchester Airport and bus rapid transit corridors in Manchester."

The Government later said that its document of transport pledges should have stated that the Metrolink tram line will be extended to a second terminal at Manchester Airport.

Should Rishi Sunak have scrapped the Manchester leg of HS2?

Rishi Sunak has confirmed today that the northern leg of HS2 to Manchester has been scrapped, with the PM stating the “facts have changed” as he brought the chaotic Tory Party Conference to a close - and we want to know what YOU think.

The Prime Minister has instead decided to reallocate funds to other transport projects in the north, meaning the North West will no longer get a high speed rail connection to London.

Click here to vote in our online poll

10 things Rishi Sunak didn't mention in Tory Conference speech

Rishi Sunak will doubtless be pretty pleased with how his conference speech went.

But while there were announcements about HS2, education and smoking, there was plenty left out of his hour-long speech. The Lib Dems have drawn up a list of things the PM decided not to mention.

1. Mortgages: The average mortgage has gone up by £220 a month in the year since the catastrophic mini Budget, according to the Bank of England.

2. Food prices: Food prices have risen by 10% in the past year

3. Energy bills: One in three families across England will pay higher energy bills this winter than last

4. Ambulances: Ambulance delays were their worst on record last winter

5. Sewage: Raw sewage was dumped into rivers and coastlines 824 times a day last year

6. Dentists: 4.4 million children did not see an NHS dentist in the past 12 months

7. Pensions: Rishi Sunak failed to commit to keeping the triple lock in future years.

8. Rents: Rents have risen by an average of £110 per month over the past year

9. RAAC: 41 hospitals and 174 schools are impacted by the RAAC scandal

10. Sleaze

Rishi Sunak 'should look in the mirror if he wants to see who's to blame for HS2'

Earlier we saw Rishi Sunak say the HS2 project didn't represent value for money. He said that the "facts had changed" and the cost had doubled since it was drawn up.

Awkwardly, it didn't take long for his opponents to point out that the PM could have raised this during his years in the Treasury.

Labour Shadow Transport Secretary Louise Haigh said: "Rishi Sunak was Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Chancellor and Prime Minister when the costs of HS2 increased. If he wants to know who should be held accountable, he just needs a mirror."

Ex-Tory Treasury minister questions whether PM will deliver on transport vows

Former Tory Treasury minister Lord Jim O'Neill has questioned whether Rishi Sunak will deliver the transport schemes he offered after cutting HS2 north of Birmingham.

The economist told BBC Radio 4's World At One programme: "If we could really believe all of that was going to happen in some foreseeable future, then I would be perfectly relaxed about what was said, particularly because I was never personally the greatest fan of HS2 in the first place. But it's very easy for him to stand there and say all these things, and then just presume everybody forgets about it in another few months."

The crossbench peer added: "He is the Prime Minister of a party that the past 13 years hasn't delivered on any other commitments, including by the way electrification, which is what he really focused on. That's been said by them many times before and they haven't."

Labour dismisses Sunak's 'latest desperate attempt to reset leadership'

Labour has dismissed Mr Sunak's "latest desperate attempt to reset his weak leadership" following his conference speech.

In a savage dig, Pat McFadden, Labour’s National Campaign Coordinator, said: “The Conservatives on the other hand need to sort out their identity crisis, step back from the brink, and have their coming leadership election from the comfort of opposition.”

He stated: “Sunak’s weakness is having a decaying effect on his party and the country. Members of his cabinet have spent this week jockeying for position to replace him, while Liz Truss, Nigel Farage and conspiracy theories lifted from the darkest corners of the internet have dominated his conference. How can a man who can’t even run his own party seriously claim he’s capable of running the country?"

(Phil Harris)

Mick Lynch voices fury over HS2 'incompetence'

RMT chief Mick Lynch was scathing in his response to the HS2 announcement, lashing out at Conservative "incompetence".

He said: "The incompetence of successive Tory governments has now cost the taxpayer billions and led to this disastrous decision for Britain's economy, environment and our ailing transport infrastructure.

"High Speed rail together with a modern expanding public transport network is key to the future of linking every part of our country together, from north to south and East to West. Public transport investment is not an either-or question. The fact is we will not be able to tackle the climate emergency without encouraging people to use modern, cheap and efficient high speed rail and hugely expanded local bus services.

"The key to thriving economies of the future is to be environmentally sustainable and to interconnect cities, towns and villages to promote economic activity. The Conservative government is playing political games ahead of an election and instead of investing properly in Britain's public transport and high speed future, Rishi Sunak risks putting the country in the slow lane."

(PA)

PM accused of 'punching down' after outlining hardline gender stance

The Prime Minister appeared to take a more hardline approach on gender issues as he party attempts to stoke the so-called 'culture wars'.

In a comment that drew an applause from Tory members, he said: "We shouldn't get bullied into believing that people can be any sex they want to be. "A man is a man, a woman is a woman, that's just common sense."

He added: "It also shouldn't be controversial for parents to know what their children are being taught in school about relationships, patients to know when hospitals are talking about men or women."

Labour MP Stella Creasy replied: "Punching down on refugees and trans people doesn’t stop them existing or cover up paucity of a speech that offered Brexit as response to cost of living crisis. This isn’t long term thinking but short term radio host ranting- designed to entertain his fans not lead a country…"

PM's speech was joint longest at Tory Conference since 2000

Rishi Sunak's party conference speech lasted one hour and four minutes, nearly half an hour longer than the speech given by his predecessor Liz Truss at the 2022 conference.

Mr Sunak's speech was the joint longest delivered by a Conservative prime minister at a party conference this century, equalling the one hour and four minutes managed by Theresa May in 2017.

Tories 'can't be taken at their word after HS2 betrayal', says Mayor

More fallout from the HS2 annoucement.

West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin warned the public against taking the Government for its word and accused Mr Sunak of betraying northern voters.

She said: "This is yet another betrayal of the North which will punish passengers and businesses alike. As we have found with this government, the devil is in the detail and we cant take them at their word.

"Northern transport investment requires long-term planning and conversations with local leaders who know their areas best."

(Getty Images)

School chiefs voice fury over "out of touch" education plans

Schools chiefs are far from happy about Mr Sunak's education proposals.

In a blistering response to the PM's announcement, Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders' union NAHT, said: "Today’s announcement shows just how out of touch this government has become with the teaching profession. There are so many immediate crises that schools are currently dealing with, from recruitment and retention, to crumbling school buildings and the lack of support for pupils with SEND.

"The government should be focusing on fixing those, not announcing yet another round of seismic changes to exams and qualifications. To date, there has been no meaningful engagement with the profession on any part of this announcement.

"Whilst the government may suggest that this is just the start of a process towards further reform, it would appear they have already decided on the destination without talking to school leaders."

Sunak 'has no answers on crumbling NHS and soaring bills'

Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey has hit out after the PM's address, saying the Tories have "lost the trust of the country".

Sir Ed said: “This chaotic conference shows Rishi Sunak has lost control of his party and lost the trust of the country.

“Every bungled announcement confirms that this shambles of a Conservative Party is not fit to govern. Sunak had no answers on how to fix our crumbling health services or help people seeing their bills go through the roof. Instead we got just more empty rhetoric from a lame-duck Prime Minister who is running scared of a general election.

“It's time to give the British people the chance to kick Rishi Sunak and the Conservative Party out of government.”

(Getty Images)

HS2 decision will lead to hundreds of job losses, says union

Critics have warned that the HS2 decision will have massive repercussions, with hundreds of jobs set to be lost.

Laurence Turner, the GMB union's head of research and policy, said: "Rishi Sunak's decision to inflict the biggest rail cut since the Beeching axe will send a shockwave through the construction industry and railway supply chain, costing hundreds of jobs.

"The UK's political instability was already holding the economy back - it will now be even harder to fund and deliver the new infrastructure that the country desperately needs. We can't rebalance the economy or fix the railway capacity crisis without HS2. It's essential that the planned route is now protected so that a future government can reverse this disastrous decision."

New qualifications will bring together A-levels and T-levels

Mr Sunak announced the Government will introduce a new, combined single qualification - bringing together A-levels and T-levels.

The PM said: "We will introduce the new rigorous, knowledge-rich Advanced British Standard, which will bring together A-levels and T-levels into a new single qualification for our school leavers. First, this will finally deliver on the promise of parity of esteem between academic and technical education.

"Because all students will sit the Advanced British Standard. Second, we will raise the floor ensuring that our children leave school literate and numerate because with the Advanced British Standard all students will study some form of maths and English to 18 with extra help for those who struggle most.

"In our country no child should be left behind."

Sunak publicly slaps down Braverman multiculturalism claim

Mr Sunak is now talking about the values of multiculturalism.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman watched on as the PM said the UK is the "most successful multi-ethnic democracy on earth". It comes after the Home Secretary controversially claimed that multiculturalism had "failed".

"I'm proud to be the first British-Asian Prime Minister," he said. "But I'm even prouder that it's not a big deal."

(Lee McLean / SWNS)

Under-fire candidate Susan Hall backed by Prime Minister

The Prime Minister has given his backing to under-fire London Mayoral candidate Susan Hall.

The Tories face calls to sanction Ms Hall after she falsely claimed that the capital's Jewish community fears Sadiq Khan. Mr Sunak said she is doing a "fantastic job", and said: "Londoners you will be safer with Susan."

Among those who hit out was the Board of Deputies of British Jews, which said the incumbent London Mayor has treated the community with "friendship and respect". And Labour frontbencher Wes Streeting asked: "Will decent Conservatives ever call this out?"

(PA)

PM doubles down on Rwanda policy in vow to stop the boats

There's been plenty of talk this conference about small boat crossings.

Rishi Sunak has doubled down on the Government's plans, stating: "I'm confident that once flights start going regularly to Rwanda, the boats will stop coming."

He salso said he is "confident" that the controversial Illegal Migration Act will mean people who arrive by small boats "will be detained and swiftly removed". More than 1,000 people have arrived in the UK by this means since the start of the Tory Party Conference.

Sunak puts forward massive upheaval of smoking laws

The Prime Minister is now outlining plans to bring down the number of smokers in the UK.

Describing it as the "biggest cause of preventable disease and death" - announcing that the legal age would be raised by one year every year.

This will mean a 14-year-old will be able to grow up "smoke free". "Without significant change thousands of children will start smoking in coming years and have their lives cut short."

The move will cut cancer deaths by a quarter, he claimed - saying that MPs will be given a free vote.

"I know not everyone in this hall will agree with this," the PM said, pointing out there's no "safe level" of smoking.

So what will replace HS2 then?

On the future of HS2, Rishi Sunak said he would cancel it and replace it with a new network north.

He said: "I say to those who backed the project in the first place, the facts have changed and the right thing to do when the facts change is to have the courage to change direction. So I am ending this long-running saga.

"I am cancelling the rest of the HS2 project and in its place, we will reinvest every single penny, £36 billion in hundreds of new transport projects in the north and the midlands, across the country. This means £36 billion of investment in the project that will make a real difference across our nation."

PM lashes out at striking NHS staff

The PM's moved on to striking NHS workers, claiming the Government has worked hard to reach an agreement.

He accused junior doctors and consultants of demanding "massive unaffordable" pay rises. He said: "The strike is all about politics, not patients."

Sunak hits back at HS2 critics

Mr Sunak admits not everyone will be happy about his HS2 decision.

"They will say that halting it represents a lack of ambition," he said. "But there's nothing ambitious about pouring money into the wrong project."

He said those who oppose him would have to cancel hundreds of other projects instead, describing his decision as a "better investment".

PM confirms HS2 scrapped as he says 'the facts have changed'

Finally we're onto the HS2 announcment as the PM confirms reports about its demise are true.

"The facts have changed, and the right thing to do when the facts change is to have the courage to change direction," Mr Sunak states.

"And so I am ending this long-running saga." Instead every single penny - £36billion - will be invested in hundreds of transport projects, he stated to loud cheers.

He told the audience that the cost of the project had "more than doubled".

HS2 will still run to Euston in central London, the PM confirmed.

(PA)

PM admits he came to office in 'difficult' circumstances

The PM - giving his first Conference address since taking office nearly a year ago, admits he came to office in "difficult circumstances".

Mr Sunak said: "I will tell it as it is, I will lead in a different way because that's the way to create the change in our politics that we're all desperate to see."

He acknowledges many within the Tory fold are demanding tax cuts, but says his first priority is to bring inflation down.

(PA)

Rishi Sunak moans that Westminster is a 'broken system'

Following that moving introduction, Mr Sunak tells Tory delegates there is a feeling that Westminster is a "broken system".

He claims there's been 30 years of "vested interests" standing in the way of change as he hits out at short-termism.

"It doesn't have to be this way," he says, vowing to "fundamentally change" the way Government operates.

He said: "It isn't anger, it is an exhaustion with politics, in particular politicians saying things and then nothing ever changing. And you know what? People are right. Politics doesn't work the way it should. We have had 30 years of a political system which incentivises the easy decision, not the right one.

"30 years of vested interests standing in the way of change, 30 years of rhetorical ambition which achieves little more than a short-term headline. And why? Because our political system is too focused on short-term advantage, not long-term success."

Rishi Sunak's wife Akshata Murty pays tribute in surprise introduction

Rishi Sunak's wife Akshata Murty has made a surprise appearance ahead of the PM's appearance.

He has "no idea what I'm going to say", she quips to the audience, paying tribute to his "honesty and integrity" as well as his "zest for life".

Mrs Murty, who has been with the PM for 20 years, then goes on to tell the audience: "I'm afraid he does love a good rom com, the cheesier the better even. You'll be relieved to hear episodes of Emily in Paris haven't formed his attitudes toward the EU."

She said: "It is the greatest honour imaginable for him to be Prime Minister, leading the party and the country he loves."

She later added: "The reason why I am here is really quite simple, and it is because Rishi and I are each other's best friends. We are one team and I could not imagine being anywhere else but here today with all of you to show my support to him and to the party."

Fight 'not for the faint hearted'

Commons leader Penny Mordaunt told party members: "What I have to say to you today is not for the faint-hearted. We face the fight of our lives and our country needs us again, to stand up and fight. Stand up and fight against the odds, against the polling, against the sneering commentary, against the inevitability of decliners and the despite-Brexiters."

She went on: "We are the party and country that transformed the sick man of Europe into a titan on the global stage, who stood up and fought against militant trade unions and broke their chokehold on Britain. A few brave people with courage and conviction and love of country who thought about the long-term, not short-term popularity, who knew what needed to be done and took on bullies to achieve it. Margaret Thatcher and every single person that stood with her and fought for a better future."

Ms Mordaunt added: "Never forget those who went before us and remember that without a Churchill, you can't have a Zelensky."