Rachel Reeves LIVE: Chancellor offers main replace on plan to finish years of rail distress

‘I’m the Chancellor,’ Reeves declares

Rachel Reeves clarifies that £1.1bn has been released from the current spending review to go towards the £45bn plans

She said the next spending review will mean more money going towards the scheme, declaring: “If we’re going to, as I’ve just committed, feel the benefits in the early 2030s, there better be some money committed at the Spending Review. I’m the Chancellor, I’m telling you there will be.”

Reeves promises package for pubs

Rachel Reeves says: “I’ve been very clear that there is a package to come on top of what we’ve already done for pubs, and we’ll be announcing that in the days ahead.”

Read our full story on this from earlier today.

Chancellor says she’s not going to apologise for making long-term decisions

The Mirror asks Rachel Reeves whether a generation could be left behind given a lot of the rail plans won’t materialise until the 2030s.

The Chancellor says she’s not going to apologise for making long-term decisions for the future.

She adds: “I’ve been an MP for almost 16 years. A lot of those were wasted in opposition whilst, you know, frankly, the Labour Party had a fight with itself rather than trying to govern the country.

“We’re in power now. We’ve only been in power for 18 months, but we’re already delivering on our plan.“

Reeves defends digital ID U-turn

Rachel Reeves defends the government’s digital ID U-turn.

She says it’s not about what exact form of ID is needed and criticises people being “fixated” on digital ID.

“I care about the practicalities and what we’re trying to achieve. And what we’re trying to achieve is to stop illegal immigration into the UK.”

Reeves takes questions from reporters – and criticises Reform UK

The Chancellor is told that Labour might not be in power in five years – and asked whether she fears the plans might one day get dropped.

Ms Reeves she has been MP for Leeds West and Pudsey for almost 16 years so has served through all the “broken promises” over the last decade.

She said she can’t answer for other political parties but criticises both the Tories and Reform UK.

She said: “The Tories had that chance. They had for ten years, and didn’t deliver any of this. Reform are now saying that they will cancel Northern Powerhouse Rail just as we’re putting the money into it.”

Ms Reeves tells Nigel Farage to try selling a plan to take £45billion out of the north of England on the doorstep.

Cash will back up the plans

Rachel Reeves said she will back up all her plans with cash, adding: “I’m determined that this government, with me as Chancellor, will back that rhetoric with hard cash. Because it is cash that builds railways.”

She adds: “Our economic plan is to bring growth to all parts of the country with good jobs, paying decent wages, improving living standards for working people.”

Rachel Reeves hits out at false promises

Rachel Reeves is up and speaking now.

She says people in the North have been “let down” by “false promises” from previous governments as she vows to finally bring in Northern Powerhouse Rail.

The Chancellor says HS2 ran out of control and said the Government will learn the lessons.

She said the latest project will start with improving Sheffield and Leeds, Bradford and Leeds and York and Leeds, then a brand new route connecting Manchester and Liverpool. A third phase will build on better links between Manchester and Leeds, which she called the “two powerhouses of the North”.

Rail plan is ‘downpayment’ on north’s potential

Ms Alexander went on to describe the investment as a downpayment on the north’s potential.

She said: “This plan is a downpayment on the north’s potential. Part of a broader growth drive to lift the region’s productivity, boost living standards and add tens of billions to the UK’s economy.”

She continued: “Too many northerners still face the choice of either staying at home and putting aspiration on hold, or moving away in search of a better future. I say no more unfair choices. No more missed opportunities. Today we start delivering Northern Powerhouse Rail.”

‘This is a general commitment to the north’, MPs told

Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) is a “generational commitment” to the north, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has said.

Addressing the Commons, she said the days of people in the north of England feeling they are “second-class citizens” is over. Ms Alexander said the project would form a rail line that would be the “shoulders of this nation’s rail network”.

She said: “Make no mistake, NPR will transform how people travel, will end the hour-long wait if you miss your train, will attract more people to a railway that will be faster, more accessible and more frequent than ever before. For northerners who have long complained about being treated as second-class citizens, my message is simple. Those days are over.”

She added: “This is an ambitious long-term programme. But it is not HS2 reheated.” The first phase will see electrification and upgrades on lines to the east of the Pennines, that will improve journeys between Leeds, Bradford, Sheffield, and York. Stations will also be upgraded.

Pressure over pubs

Rachel Reeves may come under pressure over support for pubs at the press conference.

Earlier today, the Chancellor said she is working “intensely” to hash out a lifeline support package for pubs ahead of looming hikes to business rates. She refused to put a figure on the extra support cash-strapped boozers could access – but told landlords support was on the way. Pubs are facing a hike in bills in April with an upcoming shake-up of business rates and the phasing out of Covid-era discounts.

Last week it was confirmed the government would water down the plans with specific details of the climbdown expected soon. The package is likely to include business rates relief and measures to slash red tape for licensing regulation.

Read the full story here.

Rachel Reeves to give press conference at 2pm

Rachel Reeves will face questions today over her vow to end years of rail misery with a £45billion boost to transform lives in the North of England.

Northern Powerhouse Rail, repeatedly delayed by the Tories, will feature rail lines to and from Manchester, and major upgrades to infrastructure in West Yorkshire.

At a major press conference in Leeds, the Chancellor will outline how this can transform northern cities, create jobs, and deliver a £40bn a year boost to the British economy. She is expected to be grilled by journalists on a host of issues, including support for struggling pubs or the Government’s U-turn on pubs.