No 10 says ‘final HS2 decision’ was made at conference despite video

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The “final decision” to axe HS2’s northern leg was taken during Tory conference, Downing Street has insisted, despite a video appearing to show Rishi Sunak outline the move days earlier. In the clip, which was posted by Mr Sunak on X and appears to have been filmed in Downing Street before he left for conference, he says: “I’m stopping all phases of HS2 beyond Birmingham.” Mr Sunak’s official spokesman suggested the video was “preparatory work” done ahead of the major policy change being agreed on by Cabinet shortly before it was announced. How many businesses does he expect to go under as a result?” Mr Harper said: “I took the formal decision the day before the Prime Minister’s speech. There was a meeting of the Cabinet on the morning of the Prime Minister’s speech which approved that decision, and the Prime Minister then announced it shortly afterwards.” On HS2, he earlier said: “With decades to wait before it arrived, and benefits dwindling, it risked crowding out investment in other transport areas and no longer reflected post-pandemic changes in travel.” Conservative MP Greg Smith welcomed the move to ditch the northern leg of HS2 but said it would leave a “legless stump” through his Buckingham constituency from London to Birmingham.