At the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester Today 4 October 2023:
Rishi Sunak scraps the rest of the HS2 rail project in England due to spiralling costs, meaning only the new London Euston to Birmingham line will be built
He pledges to "reinvest every penny" saved - which he says is £36bn - in rail, roads and buses in the North, the Midlands and across the country
Aside from HS2, he also proposes raising the age that people can buy tobacco and cigarettes in England every year to create a "smoke-free generation"
And he announces a new educational qualification for England combining A-Levels and T-levels that he proposes all students would sit
A number of Northern leaders have reacted angrily to the scrapping of HS2 links, including Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham
This could be the last party conference season before the next general election; Labour leader Keir Starmer will set out his stall next week
What does this mean for the northern powerhouse and future growth of the economy? Read more follow this link
Rishi Sunak speech: PM pledges billions for northern transport as he axes HS2 line - BBC News
