Labour promises ‘Crossrail for the north’ to create 850,000 jobs. Is it a good idea?

Last Updated: February 4, 2017By

Leeds station. McDonnell said new high-speed rail links would mean the journey from Manchester to Leeds would take 25 minutes, instead of close to an hour [Image: Christopher Thomond for the Guardian].

We can safely disregard the Tories’ claims about borrowing. They don’t understand that you can use borrowed money to invest in a money-making idea.

Strange, that, considering they are the party of the moneyed classes. Do you ever get the impression that they’re having us on?

And the Tories always have enough money for their own crackpot schemes, despite having plunged us into nearly three times as much debt as we were in when they took office with the Liberal Democrats in 2010.

No, the operative question here is: Would a ‘Crossrail for the north’ be a good idea? Would it boost the economy of northern England?

Your comments are requested.

A Labour government would deliver a “Crossrail for the north” with a series of upgrades to east-west transport links, the shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, has said.

Speaking at Labour’s economic conference in Liverpool, he said the new “High Speed 3” rail link would transform the economy of northern England, creating 850,000 additional jobs by 2050.

McDonnell said the plan was part of a wider commitment by Labour to close the investment gap between the south and north of England.

The Conservatives said Labour’s borrowing plans would “crash” the economy, threatening jobs and infrastructure investment.

Source: Labour promises ‘Crossrail for the north’ to create 850,000 jobs | Politics | The Guardian

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4 Comments

  1. Barry Davies February 4, 2017 at 11:41 pm - Reply

    Not sure a High Speed cross rail would be of great benefit, it certainly wouldn’t create the jobs it is claimed, what are they going to do tunnel under the Pennines? We know the government, red, blue, blue and orange, doesn’t understand borrowing, that is why the NHS is creaking under PFI debt, that will still be owed long after I am gone.

    • Mike Sivier February 5, 2017 at 12:50 am - Reply

      Labour intends to clear that PFI debt off the books. It was necessary at the time but that time has passed.

    • wildswimmerpete February 5, 2017 at 11:37 am - Reply

      @Barry
      ” what are they going to do tunnel under the Pennines?” Precisely that. A lot of the Manchester to Leeds link is already tunnelled – I’ve travelled on it. If I remember correctly it’s the Manchester to Sheffield run that’s the slow one, on mostly overground diesel lines.

  2. plhepworth February 5, 2017 at 2:11 am - Reply

    The east-west rail connections in the north of England are a national disgrace. The main trans-Pennine service is constrained by its Victorian infrastructure and many of the minor linking routes were destroyed by Beeching (acting for the roadbuilder Marples). Even George Osborne is in favour so let’s get on with it.

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