I was in Manchester this afternoon to hear from the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, on the long-term plans for our country. His speech represented a significant change in focus, and included decisions for the long-term benefit of the whole United Kingdom.
One such decision was the restructuring of the HS2 line between Birmingham and Manchester, and the reinvestment of the £36 billion that is saved into a range of transport infrastructure projects across the north of England.
A sign of good leadership is an ability to change direction when the facts change. HS2 was first envisaged well before the pandemic, and the change of travel patterns that emerged. The investment across our region, and beyond will have direct impact on millions of people, on a daily basis, not least the long-awaited tram system in Leeds, the largest western country without such a metro system
What I saw from Rishi Sunak today was his ability to put the country first, and to put long-term decisions ahead of short-term political gains. This is a leader with integrity, and a desire to do the right thing above all.