Tory Conference

It was reported that high speed railways build cost is ten times cheaper, in France fir example. The explanation given is that they decide on budget at the outset while we leave the end cost open allowing all involved to increase when they feel so inclined.
This is Laissez-faire is at its worst. How embarrassing one of the so called richest countries in the world cannot afford to build a new train line.

To be honest I’m not sure where labour will start.

I don’t think things have ever been so bad in this country, and getting worse. How much more damage can be done until the next election?

The whole thing was ill conceived, the cost is now phenominal and certainly wouldn't be completed any time soon. I think that any government who is voted in after the next election has an almost impossible job ahead of them, whoever they are. The whole sorry mess of the HS2, the NHS, Education and Social Care to name but a few is going to take an awfully long time to sort out and any government is going to take a lot of stick if they don't have a magic wand, taking over someone else's mess to clear up is a thankless task.

GrannyGravy13, as a northern greater Manchester gran, I can confirm we need rail , metro, bus services to be improved. Trains into Manchester in the morning are full by Wigan. Travellers in Bolton are lucky if there’s standing room. The metro covers some but not all areas.
We need the existing lines and stock upgraded and east-west much more than having a slightly quicker journey to ‘London.
Also, there aren’t enough trains to and from /London.
Levelling up - they’re havin a laff

As a southerner living in the NE, the A1 is still partly single carriageway between Newcastle and Birmingham. Trains are cancelled on a fairly regular basis. It’s not great to travel over the Pennines. IMO HS2 should have been started in the NE or Leeds/Manchester and travelled up as far as Edinburg. The Tees Freeport much trumpeted as levelling up for the North has a chronic road system and could do with good transport links.

Levelling up etc. is laughable!

Casdon

GrannyGravy13

The trouble is the U.K. needs new railways and infrastructure, undoubtedly HS2 has been mismanaged somewhere along the line (excuse the pun)

People have protested along the route, the price has skyrocketed I am not sure where I stand on continuing it or abandoning it at Birmingham.

It’s too late now, but I think they should have done the scheme the other way round, it was the northern links which were the most needed. I hope if it is cancelled that alternative improvements to the rail network in the north takes place.

Yes, I agree, I am not au fait with the north of England being a softie southerner but from what I have read and heard a West to East to West line would be more beneficial.

GrannyGravy13

The trouble is the U.K. needs new railways and infrastructure, undoubtedly HS2 has been mismanaged somewhere along the line (excuse the pun)

People have protested along the route, the price has skyrocketed I am not sure where I stand on continuing it or abandoning it at Birmingham.

It’s too late now, but I think they should have done the scheme the other way round, it was the northern links which were the most needed. I hope if it is cancelled that alternative improvements to the rail network in the north takes place.

The trouble is the U.K. needs new railways and infrastructure, undoubtedly HS2 has been mismanaged somewhere along the line (excuse the pun)

People have protested along the route, the price has skyrocketed I am not sure where I stand on continuing it or abandoning it at Birmingham.

I’ve just looked it up. Construction work on Phase One of the route began in 2017.

2000 people were asked to say one word that described the government

The resultant word cloud

GrannyGravy13

HS2 was Gordon Brown’s baby when the Conservatives came into power didn’t they just continue with the plans?

I think it was more Andrew Adonis' baby than Gordon Browns. But it was not much further on than a twinkle in their eyes.

The tories didn't have to continue with it.

Casdon

GrannyGravy13

HS2 was Gordon Brown’s baby when the Conservatives came into power didn’t they just continue with the plans?

They have had thirteen years to change their minds if they didn’t like it though, presumably including a few years before construction actually started.

The problem with the Tory government and HS2 has been the uncertainty and the stop start nature if the project.

They have managed it abysmally.

GrannyGravy13

HS2 was Gordon Brown’s baby when the Conservatives came into power didn’t they just continue with the plans?

They have had thirteen years to change their minds if they didn’t like it though, presumably including a few years before construction actually started.

HS2 was Gordon Brown’s baby when the Conservatives came into power didn’t they just continue with the plans?

Usually during and after the party conference, the governments poll rating and leaders support rises.

It seems that the opposite is happening this year.

Sunak can’t sink much lower I would have thought.

In theory, DAR, the Labour conference is where policy is made. Ii has, of course, always been micromanaged as far as possible, but at least motions are put, debated and voted on. It's ostensibly democratic.

Tory conferences have never taken that form. They're just a platform for ministers, or shadow ministers, if in opposition, to say how wonderful the tories have been and how even more wonderful they will be in the future. Members don't get an actual say in anything. They just have to clap at the right moments.

For those who would like to be entertained, here's John Graace on Liz Truss' performance:

www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/oct/02/in-the-forthcoming-leadership-battle-only-the-deranged-are-welcome-step-forward-liz-truss

Whitewavemark2

I don’t think I’ve ever watched a more badly managed party conference.

I'm beginning to wonder if they've served their purpose. Not that I know what they could be replaced with. Not our call though. These are party knees-ups (they hope), not goverment one.

PR might make it better

I expect he wasn't a tory donor, Soniah

If they were going to go for HS2 they should have started in the North. It was nothing but a vanity project, I'll thought out and doing an indescribable amount of destruction, much better to have spent the money upgrading existing lines. Interesting interview on the radio with the guy who did HS1 on time and under budget who was told he didn't have enough experience! He said they could have done it much cheaper without the necessary frills

This

Have I Got News For You
@haveigotnews
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26m
Today’s Tory party conference schedule:

Steve Barclay - dodging questions about HS2

Michelle Donelan - dodging questions about HS2

Michael Gove - dodging questions about HS2

Suella Braverman - hitting a sack of kittens with a baseball bat / dodging questions about HS2

I’m looking forward to hearing what Braverman has to say this afternoon though, it might need censorship if Sunak hasn’t managed to control her random mouth beforehand.

I don’t think I’ve ever watched a more badly managed party conference.

Things are getting leaked, and they've apparently held a sudden cabinet meeting this morning.

It seems, if the leaks etc are true, that Sunak will announce the stopping of it at Birmingham, tomorrow.

All a bit awkward, with them holding the conference in Manchester..🙄

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/hs2-scrapped-north-railways-public-transport-b2420300.html

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12587465/HS2-chaos-Rishi-Sunak-faces-furious-backlash-ditching-Manchester-leg-spiralling-costs-wont-confirm-bombshell-conference-interviews-says-going-well.html

The latest news this morning is that he is still refusing to say whether or not the line will go ahead. Indecisiveness is not a characteristic of a good leader.