Labour Party Confirms Support For High Speed Rail Rail Plan

Parliamentary Debate Confirms Labour Would Build HS2

Coleshill Councillor Peter Fowler Calls For Labour Councillors To Stop Spinning And Come Clean About HS2

On Thursday 13 October, MPs had their first opportunity to debate the controversial High Speed Rail 2 project during a Back Bench Business Committee debate in the House of Commons.

Opposition to the highly contentious railway line cuts across all major political Parties, with the local Conservative MP for North Warwickshire & Bedworth Dan Byles united with local Labour MP for Coventry North West Geoffrey Robinson in opposing the proposal.

However, for some months there has been some confusion over the official Labour Party position on the project. The controversial route was originally designed by the previous Labour Government and published just before the last general election by the then Labour Transport Minister Lord Adonis. The Labour Party went into the last general election pledging to build High speed Rail 2.

However, following the election of the new Labour leader Ed Miliband and his ‘blank sheet of paper’ policy review, there were some suggestions that the Labour Party might drop its support for the project. The debate in the House of Commons last Thursday has now confirmed that this is not so.

During the debate the Labour shadow Transport Minister John Woodcock confirmed on the record that the Labour Party now fully support HS2, and a hypothetical future Labour Government would go ahead with the project.

According to Hansard, the official record of Parliament, Mr Woodcock said in the House of Commons:

“The Y-shaped route of High Speed 2, which would link our cities, is a Labour initiative, and I can state clearly today that that vital lifeline of economic growth will be built by a future Labour Government and backed by Labour in opposition...we will work across the Floor of the House to secure parliamentary approval for the legislation needed to deliver the scheme...

“We looked at our commitment afresh in opposition, and we were right to do so...We looked at the business case again, examined the counter-proposals, and listened to the sincere and heart-felt objections expressed alongside the views of passionate advocates of the scheme...Our conclusion is that the business case stacks up...

It is because we have looked afresh at the programme that we can reaffirm our commitment to it as one that we began in government and will follow through.”

The confirmation that all three political parties are committed to HS2 makes the job of the anti-HS2 campaigners that bit harder. An initial decision by the Secretary of State for Transport following the recent public consultation exercise is expected before Christmas this year.

Dan Byles, the Conservative MP for North Warwickshire & Bedworth who opposes HS2 and has pledged to vote against his own Party’s policy, said after the debate:

“Anybody who has followed this campaign will know that HS2 was originally a Labour Party proposal, one which sadly my own Party now supports. Some local Labour councillors have been strongly hinting that Labour might do a u-turn and change their policy on HS2. The Labour Transport spokesman’s speech last week has shown that not to be true. Not only has the Labour Party confirmed that they support High Speed Rail, they are openly claiming credit for it in the first place. That makes it all the more important for anti-HS2 campaigners here in North Warwickshire to work together to make the argument against this damaging and expensive project.”

Dan's comments were echoed by Coleshill Councillor Peter Fowler, who has played a major role locally in the campaign against High Speed Rail.

Peter said, "I have worked closely with Dan Byles and campaigners against the HS2 project since the campaign began. In recent months some local Labour Councillors have been spinning misinformation about this important issue. The debate in the House of Commons has now clarified Labour's position on High Speed Rail and it's time for those Labour Councillors to stop the spin and come clean about HS2. I remember that prior to the last General Election the then Labour MP for North Warwickshire repeatedly refused to commit himself on wether he was in favour or opposed to the High Speed Rail project. In contrast, our new MP, Dan Byles, has been clear in his opposition to HS2 from the very begining. Like Dan, I against HS2 and I stand shoulder to shoulder with the Anti-HS2 campaigners."