Tory Titan Lord Heseltine lashes out at Rishi Sunak over great train robbery that is HS2

And it has been clear for some time that Ministers, too, understand how desperately it is needed. At least, it appeared Ministers understood when we were promised two things: High-Speed 2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail.

Hallelujah, was the collective cry from people here, not simply from the fed-up commuter taken for a ride every day on third-world rolling stock and creaking Victorian track, but from business leaders and public figures across all sectors.

Finally, we were going to be rid of a railway that is, frankly, a hindrance to life in our part of the country, and nothing more. At last we were going to get a reliable, affordable, safe rail service that had ample capacity for superfast services between cities and regular, reliable shuttles to and from the towns, villages and hamlets from Liverpool, through Bradford and onto Hull.

Now, in a letter to The Times we see Tory Titan Lord Heseltine lashing out at Rishi Sunak and his government – a sure sign that the so-called rumours regarding the cancellation of HS2 and NPR are far more than just that.

Jointly penned alonside George Osborne, the two men describe what Mr Sunak is about to sign off as a short-sighted act of huge economic self-harm. Their question to the Prime Minister bears repeating: how can you ever again claim to be levelling up the country when you scrap the biggest levelling up project in the country?