Northern Powerhouse Rail plans like playing hokey cokey - MP

Northern leaders accuse the government of breaking promises to improve connections between Yorkshire and the North West

Ministers have been urged to stop "playing hokey cokey" with a high-speed rail line between Hull and Liverpool.

During a debate on a motion criticising government policy on industry, Labour's Emma Hardy said she was frustrated with progress for Northern Powerhouse Rail.

Business Secretary Grant Shapps has hinted the project will be scaled back from a grander vision to which former prime minister Liz Truss committed.

Minister George Freeman said work was being done to drive "levelling up".

But during Labour's opposition day motion which accused the government of a "lack of policy" on British industry, Ms Hardy, MP for Hull West and Hessle, expressed scepticism.

She asked shadow business minister Bill Esterson: "Does he share my frustration with the government playing hokey cokey with Northern Powerhouse Rail?

"First putting it in the manifesto, then taking it out with Boris Johnson, then putting it in with Liz Truss, then taking it out again with Rishi Sunak?

"Does he share my frustration that if we want to deliver an industrial strategy then what we need is Northern Powerhouse Rail being delivered in full?"

Mr Esterson, MP for Sefton Central, replied: "Like her, I want to see Northern Powerhouse Rail linking my constituency on the west coast with hers on the east coast and giving the benefits to the economy all the way along the route."

Business minister George Freeman added to the debate by saying: "I don't think it is at all fair to suggest, as the motion does, that this government has neither an interest in industry, a policy for industry, that we're abandoning industry - far from it.

"Not only are we helping our key industries deal with massive global challenges in the form of the pandemic, the energy crisis, we are actively pursuing an active industrial strategy for the industries of tomorrow, and that is actively supporting clusters all around the country to drive levelling up and opportunity."