A Labour government will bring the railways back into public ownership, shadow transport secretary Louise Haigh has said.

She also committed to building an Elizabeth Line for the North and delivering Northern Powerhouse Rail and HS2 in full.

Speaking to party members at the Labour conference in Liverpool, Ms Haigh told delegates: “We will cast aside the tired dogma that has failed passengers.

“We will improve services and lower fares.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 26: Louise Haigh, Shadow Secretary of State for Transport addresses delegates during the Labour Party Annual Conference on September 26, 2022 in Liverpool, England The Labour Party hold their annual conference in Liverpool this year. Issues on the agenda are the cost of living crisis, including a call for a reinforced windfall tax, proportional representation and action on the climate crisis. (Photo by Ian Forsyth/Getty Images)

“And, yes, conference, Labour in power will bring our railways back into public ownership where they belong.”

The shadow transport secretary told the Labour Party conference that if “many millions” cannot or will not use public transport, “there is no path to net zero”.

She claimed her “number one priority as Secretary of State will be ending this spiral of decline on our public transport system”.

Ms Haigh added: “We will build an Elizabeth Line for the North and deliver Northern Powerhouse Rail and HS2 in full.

“But we know we can only build a fairer, greener future by taking power from failing private operators and putting it back in the hands of the public.”

Ms Haigh said Labour would give communities the power to “set bus routes and fares”.

The shadow transport secretary told party members at the Labour conference in Liverpool: “We will give those communities that want it the power to set bus routes and fares, following the path set by our brilliant mayors.

“We will end the ideological ban on areas establishing their own municipal bus companies.”

The Labour conference voted for motions aimed at committing the next Labour government to bringing rail and Royal Mail back into public ownership.

The conference also voted for a motion which calls for a negotiated settlement in the rail dispute and “supports all Labour MPs attending the picket lines until such an outcome is reached”.

Delegates also unanimously voted in favour of pay increases at least in line with inflation, a £15 per hour minimum wage and to strengthen collective rights.

An attempt to pave the way for Jeremy Corbyn to stand as a Labour candidate at the next general election has been defeated.

Former Labour leader Mr Corbyn remains a party member but sits in the Commons as an Independent MP after having the whip withdrawn due to his response to an Equality and Human Rights Commission report into antisemitism in the party.

Some party delegates forced a vote on a proposed rule change in a bid to allow Mr Corbyn (Islington North) to be re-selected as a Labour candidate.

Supporters said it was focused on allowing a constituency Labour party (CLP) to be in control of who their candidate is rather than the parliamentary Labour party (PLP).

But the party believed the proposal represented a “significant legal risk” to it.

The proposal – card vote six – was rejected by 40.84% to 59.16%.

Labour to renationalise the railways and build Elizabeth Line for the North