RISHI Sunak AXED the Manchester leg of HS2, announced a ban on youngsters smoking and scrapped A-Levels as he vowed to be Britain’s most radical PM ever in a mega Tory conference speech.
The defiant PM was in fight mode as he announced a smorgasbord of policies designed to “give the country what it so sorely needs and yet too often has been denied”.
ReutersRishi Sunak delivered a mega speech filled with new social and economic policies on the final day of Tory conference[/caption]
ReutersRishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murthy embrace on stage ahead of the PM’s speech at Tory conference[/caption]
AFPRishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty arrive to the final day of the annual Conservative Party Conference[/caption]
He declared once and for all that Britain is NOT a racist state.
And he hit out at woke extremists who think that biological women can have a penis.
“My story is a British story,” the PM proudly told a cheering crowd.
“It’s a story about how a family can go from arriving here with little to Downing Street in three generations.”
In his huge Tory conference political comeback speech, the PM announced…
Scrapping the Manchester leg of HS2 and instead investing £36bn in transport infrastructure across the Midlands and NorthBanning smoking so no one aged 14 and under will ever be able to legally purchase a cigaretteAxing A-Levels and replacing the exams with a new qualification combining A-Levels and T-LevelsPromising to deliver tax cuts as soon as inflation comes downDoing “whatever it takes” to stop the boats
After weeks of speculation, on the final day of Tory conference the PM confirmed the Manchester leg of HS2 will be binned.
Its £36bn price tag will be reinvested invested in “Network North”, funding the development and upgrade of “hundreds upon hundreds of new projects, large and small, road and rail, bus and train”.
Billions will be pumped into connecting 50 different stations across the North and Midlands, including Manchester and Liverpool.
And upgrades will be carried out across Britain’s highway network, including the duelling of the A1.
HS2 is still expected to cut journey times between London, Birmingham and Manchester – but only by 30 minutes.
Staring down critics, Mr Sunak insisted it’s right to have “the coverage to change direction”.
“HS2 is the ultimate example of the old consensus,” he boomed.
“The result is a project whose costs have more than doubled, which has been repeatedly delayed and is not scheduled to reach here in Manchester for almost two decades.
“The economic case has massively weakened with the changes to business travel post-Covid.”
Alongside upgrading Northern transport infrastructure, at Euston a new Development Zone will be created, where thousands of new homes will be built “for the next generation of homeowners new business opportunities”.
Away from HS2, Mr Sunak pledged to “put the next generation first” as he announced intentions to ban youngsters from smoking and reform A-levels.
Under new laws, a 14-year-old today will never be able to legally purchase fags.
The PM said smoking costs the country an eye-watering £17bn a year.
He said his decision “will save more lives” than any other the Conservative party could make.
He added that he will also make it more difficult for children to get their hands on vapes.
Outlawing fags will be a free vote for all MPs, but is likely to pass the Commons regardless.
Under major education reforms, students will be forced to study maths, English and a range of other subjects until 18.
And “rip off” university degrees that saddle students with crippling debt for not enough benefits face a ban.
Staying on the topic of the NHS, the PM turned his attention to striking BMA doctors.
In a blistering rebuke, he railed: “They continue to demand massive unaffordable pay rises and that they have chosen to walk out this week says it all – this strike is about politics not patients.”
On the economy, the PM promised that he WILL deliver tax cuts – but didn’t specify when.
He said inflation has to come down further first.
“I know you want tax cuts, I want them too and we will deliver them.
“But the best tax cut we can give people right now is to halve inflation and ease the cost of living.”
Turning his attention to Labour, the PM launched a stinging attack on Sir Keir Starmer, calling him a “walking definition of the 30-year political status quo”.
Mr Sunak warned Sir Keir is desperate to drag Britain back under Brussels rules.
And he argued Labour hates Brexit and doesn’t believe in Westminster taking back control.
“The irony isn’t lost on me,” Mr Sunak said.
“While we’re busy thinking about the future of the United Kingdom, Kier Starmer is just banging on about Europe.”
The PM promised to never allow Brits to be bullied by extremist trans activists.
He refused to give in to woke ideologues forcing people to believe that a woman can have a penis.
And he said school teachers should be made to tell parents if their kids are thinking of changing gender.
“It shouldn’t be controversial for parents to know what their children are being taught in school about relationships,” he demanded.
“Patients should know when hospitals are talking about men or women and we shouldn’t get bullied into believing that people can be any sex they want to be. They can’t.
“A man is a man and a woman is a woman. “That’s just common sense.”
It was before the PM took to the stage that the first “rabbit” came out of his hat.
His wife, Akshata Murty, surprised conference by delivering a personal and impassioned hype speech.
Ms Murty, donning a pink power suit, described how she fell in love with the PM and how years of doing long distance were difficult.
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“What drew me to him most was his strength of character, honesty, his integrity, with a firm understanding of right from wrong,” she said.
“He’s fun, he’s thoughtful, he’s compassionate and he has an incredible zest for life.”
Ending his speech the PM promised to be “bold” and “radical”.
As activists took to their feet
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