Andy Burnham could harness a “rebranded” team of HS2 staff already working on plans for new railway lines in the North if he becomes Prime Minister, as Sir Keir Starmer’s resignation leaves the Labour leadership open.
The new MP for Makerfield, who is widely backed to take over from Starmer after disastrous results in May’s local elections, has promised to “change” the Labour party and has frequently voiced his dissatisfaction with rail infrastructure in the North. In a pre-election interview with The i Paper, Burnham said he would like to see the idea of a new railway line between Birmingham and Manchester revived, following Rishi Sunak’s decision to cancel the northern leg of HS2 in 2023.
“Andy Burnham could use a rebranded HS2 team to revive rail in the North if he becomes PM, as Starmer resigns.”
Starmer announced his resignation yesterday, prompting a leadership contest. Labour MP Justin Madders, who called on Starmer to go, is supporting Burnham. Luke Tryl, executive director of the research group More in Common, has also commented on the potential leadership transition.
Burnham, the former mayor of Greater Manchester, could make use of a team of HS2 staff that has been retained and rebranded to work on alternative rail projects for the region. The move would effectively resurrect the scrapped northern phase of the high-speed line under a new guise, addressing long-standing grievances among northern leaders who have campaigned for better connectivity.
The plan would rely on existing expertise and planning already undertaken for HS2, avoiding the need to start from scratch. Burnham’s push for a revived Birmingham–Manchester link comes amid broader demands for a fairer deal for the North, a central theme of his leadership bid.