Labour can not promise HS2 to Manchester - Keir Starmer

Labour can not commit to building HS2's northern leg after the government "took a wrecking ball" to its finances, Sir Keir Starmer has said.

Plans to build the high-speed route north of Birmingham have been scrapped by Rishi Sunak, with £36bn diverted to local transport schemes.

Sir Keir's comments could kill off the project, despite £2.2bn already being spent on the cancelled stages.

But Labour was promising to provide "better connectivity", he said.

"I can't stand here and commit to reversing that decision, they've taken a wrecking ball to it.

"An incoming Labour government will be laser-focused on growing our economy in all parts of the country - that means we need better connectivity," he added.

The Labour leader said he was already "talking to local mayors" about how to provide better transport links between northern cities.

HS2 was originally intended to provide a high-speed rail link connecting London to the Midlands before splitting to Manchester and Leeds.

It aimed to cut journey times, while creating more space on the rail network and jobs outside London

But the project has been beset by delays and a budget ballooning from £33bn to at least £71bn.

In his speech on Wednesday, the prime minister said that east-west links were "far more important" than those linking the north with the south of England.

He said his plans would see "hundreds" of alternative projects funded, such as:

He also said he would protect £12bn to "better connect" Manchester and Liverpool - although this will not necessarily be with high-speed rail.

Sir Keir said these were "reheated old proposals" the government had already committed finances to.