Johnson taught us that being an effective communicator isn't a sufficient skill for the role of PM. Starmer taught us that it is a necessary one. (View Post)

As I understand it, the three things that made HS2 such a disaster costwise were home counties nimbyism, the way risks were shared in the contracts and the very high speed insisted on. The last of th… (View Post)

HS2 is a very good idea very badly executed. It remains a good idea though, and it needs to continue to Manchester and Leeds. Ideally it should continue to Edinburgh and Glasgow at some point. And an… (View Post)

The Firth of Forth then in my case... sounds about right. (View Post)

Hasn't upset me in London! It's not really London that has been controlling everything, it's Whitehall. London itself could benefit from further devolution of power. A good speech, I t… (View Post)