HS2: Rail Bill Passed Despite MPs' Rebellion

Seventeen Conservative MPs have rebelled in a House of Commons vote on plans to build a high-speed rail line linking London to the north of England.

MPs voted by 350 to 34 in favour of the High Speed Rail (Preparation) Bill, which will allow ministers to spend money planning the route and buying up property from residents and businesses.

It was a clear majority for the Bill at the third reading in the Commons late on Thursday, despite the rebellion from 17 Tory MPs.

Eleven Labour MPs also voted against the Bill, which will now go to the House of Lords for further scrutiny by peers.

There had been fears Labour could oppose the Bill, leading to the possibility that the project could be halted.

Outlining the Bill at third reading, Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: “This is the point when the debate starts moving from ‘if’ to ‘when’.

“Just this week with the storms that hit the south and the east, we have seen how crucial our railways are to national life.

“When trains are crowded and disrupted, life for hard-working people gets more difficult. That’s why the new north-south line isn’t some expensive luxury.”

Tory MP Cheryl Gillan, who has campaigned against the rail line as it would go through her Chesham and Amersham constituency, angered Conservative colleagues when she compared the project to Concorde.

She said: “I still think that HS2 is an expensive toy. I remember we once had something else that went fast – it was called Concorde – and look what happened to that.

“It is still not flying these days, I am afraid and it lost out to the jumbo jet.”

Sky’s chief political correspondent Jon Craig said debate over the Bill “was pretty bitter and quite heated”.

“The battle now moves on to another piece of legislation. This will be what’s called a hybrid Bill … and is all about authorising the construction of phase one of the route,” he said.

“I think we might see bigger rebellions in the future … The battle goes on. This project is still a long way off and both parties are split.”

HS2: Rail Bill Passed Despite MPs' Rebellion