Stop HS2 were rather surprised to see press reports yesterday that Graham Evans MP had slammed our recent email in the House of Commons – especially as no-one from his office had been in touch with us to ask about anything we had written in it.
From Hansard:
Graham Evans (Weaver Vale) (Con): A recent e-mail to Members from the Stop HS2 campaign was riddled with inaccuracies, exaggerations and distortions. The high-speed rail link between London and Manchester is absolutely essential for promoting investment in northern constituencies such as mine, but unfortunately a ragtag alliance of luddites and nimbys appears to be making ludicrous arguments against the plans. May we have a debate on high-speed rail so that these falsehoods can be tackled head on?
Sir George Young: The Attorney-General will have heard the robust language used by my hon. Friend to describe other hon. Members. I think that I am right in saying that there is a bid to the Backbench Business Committee for a debate on HS2, and I hope that that will be an opportunity to debate the matter further. I remind my hon. Friend that, as he knows, it is the Government’s policy to proceed with this investment.
So we rang them, and discovered that our email had provoked a response from Philip Hammond, Secretary of State for Transport.
We’ve seen a copy of his letter – click here to download it.
DfT Hammond's letter to MP's re Stop HS2 - page 1
Page 2
Pingback: STOP HS2 | Lizzy’s Reply to Graham Evans
susan 82% of the media coverage of almost everything is negative they aren’t in the business of good news ! i dont like a lot of what the coalition is doing but they arent doing anything that is a surprise or that wasnt expected in the election of less than a year ago !
when they did a survey about the then proposed cuts after the new govt was in power only 1/3 said that they went too far and that the poorer would be affected much more than the affluent. and a staggering 1/3 said that the cuts didnt go far enough. so the electorate has spoken and hs2 was also policy for all 3 parties. we dont have a system of referendums which is why we need proportional representation.
there were massive demonstrations against higher student fees but the government is pressing ahead anyway so i dont see that hs2 would be any different. unless the libs realise that they have sold their soul to the devil but i think they would rather have a share of power ! and they support hs2 anyway
Had to laugh…..defending the indefensible – if it was not serious it would be hilarious!
A whoppin 82% of the media coverage about HS2 is NEGATIVE. The Big Society has spoken but is the Gov listening?…..I seem to remember when in oposition the Tories (and the Lib Dems) regularly accused the Labour party of being ‘out of touch’ with voters – boot and other foot now!