Where is the tunnel vision?

Because these are two of the great cities of the North, the Government wants both locations to be at the heart of Britain’s HS2 network – and enjoy faster trains to and from London – if the political consensus on high-speed rail withstands the scepticism of Ed Balls and others.

Yet Ministers show their inability to appreciate the need to improve transport links between the two cities with the short-sighted decision to effectively close those tunnels that are no longer used by rail operators, and which were recently opened to enable new electricity cables to be installed.

Is Transport Minister Stephen Hammond seriously suggesting there is no alternative to the treacherous Snake Pass, a twisting road across the Pennines that is invariably closed for long periods during inclement weather, or the Hope Valley rail line which takes a circuitous route from Sheffield to Manchester via various Peak district idylls?

This would not be the mindset in China, or continental Europe, for 
that matter.

Presented with the challenge of improving transport links between two cities that are effectively separated by Britain’s equivalent of a mountain pass, their engineers would be looking at how the Woodhead tunnels could be put to use rather than taking the patience of long-suffering travellers for granted.

This negativity also smacks of double standards – and MPs, like Angela Smith are right to pursue this matter where possible.

If the Government is prepared to build extensive tunnels under the Chilterns to appease HS2 opponents in the Tory heartlands, why the lack of imagination when it comes to the 
future of the North’s infrastructure, especially when David Cameron clearly attaches such importance to transport as a driver of growth?

Could it have anything to do with the fact that Mr Hammond is MP for Wimbledon and is 
under the false assumption that Yorkshire enjoys 
the same super-frequent train and Tube services 
as his constituents?

Posture politics

IF David Cameron and Ed Miliband think their vitriolic exchange at Prime Minister’s Questions will cure the National Health Service of its many ills this winter, then both men should think again.

This was precisely the type of name-calling – Labour saying the Tories are “clueless” about the NHS and vice-versa – which has led to so many people becoming disillusioned with contemporary politics to the point that they no longer exercise their right to vote.

As the Prime Minister and Opposition leader traded insults and statistics, neither man appeared to offer a single reassurance to those patients desperately worried about the apparent shortage of A&E beds and qualified staff.

As Speaker John Bercow failed, once again, to bring the House of Commons to order, perhaps the time has come for him – and others – to look at how PMQs can become more constructive in the future.

Both the main parties are culpable over NHS policy. It is beyond belief that the odious Andy Burnham still speaks for Labour on health policy when he has failed to fully explain why he did not get to the bottom of the Stafford scandal when he was in office. His lack of humility, simply preferring to blame others, reflects poorly on Mr Miliband’s judgement.

Likewise the Tories and the revelation that more than 2,300 staff have received six-figure payouts since the last election – and that some of these staff have subsequently been rehired by other NHS trusts. What a waste of money when every last penny is needed to prop up front line services.

The message, therefore, is a blunt one to Mr Cameron and Mr Miliband – stop the posturing and start working together on the challenges facing the NHS this winter.

The new fashion

GIVEN a current obsession with size zero looks that is damaging both to women’s health and self-esteem, 
high street retailer Debenhams should be applauded for its decision to introduce size 16 mannequins to promote its latest fashion range.

The bold move, which challenges the prevailing culture, acknowledges that the relentless promotion of the ideal of thinness has put women of all ages under intense and unwelcome pressure.

It is overdue recognition that it is unrealistic and potentially dangerous to continue to promote the idea that women should strive to attain the sort of waif-like figure that is paraded upon catwalks around the world.

By better representing the body shapes of the majority of women, Debenhams clearly hopes it will gain a sales advantage over its high street rivals like struggling Marks & Spencer which posted disappointing results this week.

If this happens, and others follow suit, it will signal another shift towards an acknowledgement that society’s obsession with size zero is misguided, demeaning and inherently hazardous.