Starmer Justifies Delay to Northern Powerhouse Rail

Sir Keir Starmer has defended a decision to delay long-anticipated plans to extend high-speed rail services across the north-west of England.

The project, known as Northern Powerhouse Rail, had been expected to feature prominently at Labour’s party conference in Liverpool next week. However, concerns about the long-term costs of a new line between Liverpool and Manchester are understood to have pushed back the announcement.

Regional leaders have been lobbying hard for the scheme. The mayors of Greater Manchester and the Liverpool City Region, Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram, recently submitted a fresh business case arguing the route would transform connectivity and boost high-growth industries across the north.

The lack of immediate funding has triggered political backlash. Opposition parties in Liverpool accused Labour of letting the region down, while critics pointed to the irony of a city dominated by Labour representation still struggling to secure a major infrastructure commitment from a Labour government.

Supporters of the project say it could unlock £90 billion of economic growth and strengthen the UK’s finances through increased tax revenue. They also argue the line would provide a transformational legacy comparable to the original Liverpool–Manchester railway built nearly 200 years ago.

The prime minister has insisted the government remains committed to Northern Powerhouse Rail but has emphasised the need to learn from the failings of HS2, scrapped in part by the Conservatives last year. Around £3.5bn has already been invested in upgrading the existing trans-Pennine route, but northern leaders argue that incremental improvements are no substitute for a new line.

Northern Powerhouse Rail was first proposed in 2014 by former Conservative chancellor George Osborne. The scheme would link Liverpool Lime Street to Manchester Piccadilly, via Warrington Bank Quay and Manchester Airport. Successive governments have altered or scaled back the original vision, leading to repeated delays.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has previously promised to set out Labour’s plans for the railway “in the coming weeks,” but no announcement has yet materialised despite expectations around the Spending Review and the publication of the government’s infrastructure strategy.

With the Labour conference now days away, attention will focus on whether Starmer can reassure the north that his government is serious about delivering a project many regard as essential to rebalancing the economy.