Miliband ‘cowers’ from HS2 choice

Concept designs of what the HS2 train could look like

The Prime Minister revealed his deep anger at Labour’s wavering stance over the £42.6bn high-speed rail line with a series of diatribes in the Commons yesterday, accusing the Opposition party of playing “petty politics” with the national interest.

A clear split has now appeared at the top of the Labour party over the contentious scheme, with Mr Miliband broadly supportive but his Shadow Chancellor, Mr Balls, increasingly sceptical.

The division spread across the country this week when furious Labour council leaders from England’s largest cities sent angry letters to the party leadership in Westminster, demanding support for a project they see as essential to the Northern economy.

Mr Cameron pounced upon Labour’s divisions at Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday, telling Mr Miliband he was “too weak to stand up to the Shadow Chancellor on HS2.”

“Let us just examine what happened with HS2 this week,” he said. “The Shadow Chancellor touring the radio studios telling everyone it won’t go ahead, Labour local authority leaders begging you to stand up for this infrastructure scheme.”

Addressing Mr Miliband, he added: “What have you done? Cowered in your office, too weak to make a decision.

“To put it another way, Britain deserves better than this.”

Tory MP Andrew Stephenson said it was “absolutely outrageous” for Labour to be challenging the project after years of vocal support, warning the Opposition party is “putting in jeopardy jobs and investment in the north of England.”

Mr Cameron replied: “You are absolutely right to stand up for the north of England, because there is a real danger with Labour’s antics that they are letting down the north of England, letting down the Midlands.

“(Mr Balls) is guilty of short-termism, of petty politicking, rather than looking after the national interest.”

HS2 – which will cut journey times from Yorkshire to London by almost an hour when it opens in 2033 - was conceived by the last Labour Government and enjoyed broad cross-party support until last month, when Mr Balls announced he was unsure of the “benefits” of the scheme.

Mr Cameron has made clear the 20-year construction project will require support from all three main parties to proceed.

Later today, the High Speed Rail (Preparation) Bill – which will allow the Government to start spending money on planning the route in detail and buying up property from residents and businesses along the proposed track - will return to the Commons for its third reading.

When the Bill was last in the Commons, a number of Tory MPs rebelled against the plans.

However, Labour have indicated their MPs will back today’s Bill, albeit on just a one-line whip. A bigger test will come when the second HS2 Bill comes before the Commons next year.

Keighley MP Kris Hopkins, the Conservative Minister for Housing, said it was time Mr Miliband and Labour made their position clear.

“The refusal of senior Labour players in Westminster, led by Ed Balls, to support the planned new line is letting down the North and putting very major financial investment and many thousands of jobs at risk,” he said. “What’s worse is that their position is not based on a point of principle, but is part of a cheap attempt to grab headlines – as the Labour leaders of so many of our biggest cities recognise.”

Letters: Page 12.

Fat chance of speed: Page 13.