Call to end doubt on high-speed rail

It is thought the Prime Minister could remove the high-speed rail bill from the forthcoming Queen’s Speech, in an attempt to appease backbench MPs in the wake of last week’s local election defeats.

Many of the areas which will be affected by the first phase of the project between London and Birmingham are represented by Tories, who are coming under pressure from their constituents. They want the project stopped, but Yorkshire leaders said if the first stage was shelved, it would have an unacceptable impact on the second phase to Sheffield, Leeds and Manchester.

David Cameron is thought to be looking to appeal to disaffected voters after his party lost 405 council seats last week, and as well as dropping HS2 may also scrap a policy for gay marriages.

Boris Johnson’s victory in the London mayoral elections has piled on further pressure, with backbench Tories suggesting Mr Johnson may be better placed to lead them than Mr Cameron.

Last night, Leeds West MP and Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury Rachel Reeves said: “Creating uncertainty over HS2 could put at risk investment in a project that is vital to the country’s economic future, and hugely important to Leeds and Yorkshire.

“The Government said they wanted to rebalance the economy but it now looks like they want to cancel investment in the north of England.”

Ms Reeves’s concerns were echoed by the chief executive of Leeds Council Tom Riordan who said any delay in the HS2 process would be “very disappointing”.

“We need to increase, rather than reduce, investors’ confidence in the northern economy,” he said. “With the rejection of directly elected mayors, the Government will be rethinking its approach to reducing the North/South divide, and an early injection of new powers and resources to Leeds and other cities is what we need.”

Sheffield South East Labour MP Clive Betts said: “I think there will be extreme concern at any rowing back on this. It is a cross-party commitment in Yorkshire.

“HS2 is symbolic because it is the only major investment the Government has in it’s programme for the North and to pull away from it sends a strong signal.”

However, Barry Dodd, the chairman of the York, North Yorkshire and East Riding LEP, which has been set up to drive economic growth in those areas, said HS2 would have “little impact”.

He added: “The reality is the difference it would make to business people here is not very great.”

Last night, as it was confirmed measures to tackle drug driving would be included in Wednesday’s legislative programme, a Number 10 spokesman said the position on HS2 “had not changed” and added: “We cannot comment on speculation on the Queen’s Speech.”

Chancellor George Osborne was also forced to defend the Conservative project on the economy yesterday, insisting the Government should not change course, despite the country being back in recession.

Acknowledging disappointment that “things have not turned out” as the Government had hoped two years ago, he added: “I think we have got the right path for reducing the structural deficit.”

Mr Osborne’s appearance marked the start of the coalition’s fightback following dismal performances by both parties at local election polls.

The Queen’s speech on Wednesday will set out the coalition’s agenda for the coming year, which Ministers hope will revive and re-energise the ailing coalition Government.

Comment: Page 10.