More bad news for the North East

Any ideas where/who has got the contract gillybob?

Could this be because Hitachi were thinking of pulling out ,
Where has the contract gone?

We don’t know where the contract has gone as yet . The news was leaked to the BBC this morning . I don’t think Hitachi were thinking of pulling out of the U.K. but I do think their hopes were firmly pinned in this contract . Sadly it might now be the case next year .

Yes, bad news all round for the area.

According to the Northern Echo the contract is going to Spain.

Metro

So sorry to read this, Gillybob. I am always rooting for the NE, my favourite part of England. Not only is its beauty under-valued but economically it seems to be neglected so I hate to see any jobs lost there.

I suppose we should be thankful that the Metro will get new trains, although I've only used it once (and that was once too many! I accept it's useful to lots of people).

But the loss of the contract is a big blow.

Why did they have no work beyond Spring 2020? The answer to that might be the answer to why they didn't get the Metro contract.

They have been doing the new train -azuma? - for the east coast line so I guess that order is finished.
This comes hot on the heels of problems for the Sirius mine on the North Yorkshire moors that has run into financial trouble and the potential loss of jobs there.
Northern Powerhouse?

This is why we need Parliament to be sitting, so that questions can be asked and very important issued like this raised ( hopefully) by the relevant MP.

Parliament wouldn’t be sitting, the party conferences run for three weeks

In these extraordinary times there is no need for party conferences - nothing more than talking shops full of awkward set pieces.

You are so wrong River. The annual Party conference is in many ways, the bedrock of our democracy, where party members vote for the policies they want their party to take forward.

If you watched the Parliament Chanel last week you would have seen the Liberal Democrats agreeing party policy. Issues were debated, motions proposed for and against, sometimes amendments were proposed and were debated and voted on . This is democratic politics in action.

If there is a general election before a peoples vote. the LibDems will campaign on a manifesto that says that a majority LibDem government would Revoke Article 50 and Stop Brexit.

As a result the LibDems now have policies to put to the electorate which they can vote on at the next general election.

If a Peoples Vote is proposed before a general election, the LibDems will support it and campaign for Remain.

If a GE comes first we will say "vote LIbDem to STOP BREXIT"

We need to STOP BREXIT.

I'm well aware of what party conferences are Varian - have watched enough of them in the past.

Wouldn't you rather at this crucial time that Parliament was in session so the government could be called to account as to what exactly they are doing to achieve a deal with the EU - at least we would have the PM being forced to the despatch box to answer some questions.

Yes River I absolutely agree that our parliament should be in session to call this lying government to account.

Another blow to a forgotten part of England. All we have now is Nissan and how long will we keep that.?

The existing metro trains are 30 years old Septima ! They are literally dropping too bits and breakdown on a daily basis . As it stands they are having to use old trains to fix old trains . Exactly Harris but who gives a stuff ? Not Westminster that’s for sure .

How can we explain to the good folk of the North East and other forgotten parts of our country that brexit is far from being the answer to their problems?

Brexit is the poison which would only make them poorer so that the billionaires behind the Leave campaign get richer and richer?

Yes, Gillybob, I know how old the Metro trains are (and people deserve better) - I remember the Metro being built although I'm not sure if we were living here then or just visiting my in-laws.

Some of the Northern Rail trains along the Tyne Valley are pretty rough, too. I've used those rather more as they're convenient for getting into Newcastle, something I used to do regularly.

On Look North tonight they were suggesting that Hitachi still have quite a bit of work at the moment and that it might be possible to get the decision to send the contract elsewhere changed. I shan't hold my breath though.

As for the North East being forgotten, people living south of Watford Gap tend to think that the north ends at Leeds and Scotland is further south than Durham and Northumberland.
And I'm a cynical southerner.....

Varian your belief in the Lib Dems is astounding,considering the mess they helped make last time they managed to wriggle their way into no 10 .
Jo Swinson is not the messiah ,she wont help anyone but herself .Ask her constituents ?
Beleive me I would like nothing better than someone to put a stop to Brexit but it aint gonna be Jo. Meanwhile the FM has spent today in discussions with German trade officials to keep Scotlands links with the EU alive .Maybe Jo would be better following her example instead of telling fairytales that even she cant believe .

Wouldn't you rather at this crucial time that Parliament was in session so the government could be called to account

Had parliament not been prorogued it could have been in session. A recess for the party conferences is usual but not necessary. Parliament could have voted not to go into recess and carried on with business over the conference season. Prorogation was to prevent any attempt by parliament to focus on Brexit.

Across the water in Liverpool it's not looking so rosy either. Why is it always the Northern part of the country ??

so sad for an area already battered by too much.

I have family members who are members of the SNP but none are so irrationaly fanatical as paddyann

The fact that the voters of East Dunbartonshire chose to bin their SNP MP and re-elect Jo Swinson reflects how much better she was as a representative of her constituents.

Considering how many of the trains in all parts of the country are not what you could call shining examples of up-to-date technology, it is ridiculous that there is not enough work for Hitachi. I think that the train operating companies have to lease, rather than buy, their trains and it is too expensive for them to have enough of them. (High chance that I have got this wrong, but I am sure some of you wise GNers will know more about it.)

Certainly, the dreadful mess on Northern Rail with their new timetables and the large number of cancellations on ScotRail were at least partly due to there not being enough trains available (not to mention qualified drivers), so is this another manifestation of the wonderful Austerity we have enjoyed so much? Is this how to keep jobs in the NE of England and also get cars off the road?

Sorry, this has turned into a rant!