Labour calls for high speed rail line to be extended

Shadow transport secretary Maria Eagle has called for the proposed high speed rail line from London to Birmingahm to be extended to Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Eagle used her keynote speech at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool to criticise the coalition’s decision to concentrate just on building the line to Birmingham, which she said “casts real doubt” on its long-term commitment to delivering high-speed rail in the north of the UK.

Eagle said: “This Tory-led government… should think again and ensure the whole route is included in forthcoming legislation.”

However, Eagle stopped short of guaranteeing funding for the scheme. She also called on the coalition to ensure the line was not only affordable for the rich. “Philip Hammond may think it is a rich man’s toy, but I don’t. And a future Labour government never will.”