Tories savaged for spending HS2 millions promised to north on London potholes

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Rishi Sunak’s government sparked anger and ridicule for boasting that its “Network North” transport pledge will see £235m spent on London potholes. Mr Rotherham said: “It’s more smoke and mirrors from the government, a PR stunt from a photo-op prime minister who is more interested in shiny graphics for social media than tackling the issues facing real people.” The Liverpool mayor added: “The question now is, if the government believes that London is now part of the north, will our area start to see the same level of public transport investment as when London was in the south?” Among the many mocking the ad posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, TV presenter and campaigner Carol Vorderman said “can someone send them a map”. Former Tory PM David Cameron – now the foreign secretary – attacked Mr Sunak’s decision – saying he had “thrown away fifteen years of cross-party consensus” and made future infrastructure projects much harder. Jeremy Hunt and Rishi Sunak were attacked for scrapping HS2’s northern leg Responding to the reaction to the social media post, transport secretary Mark Harper wrote that it was “great that people are talking about our Network North plan”.