The Chancellor promised even more funding would be unveiled at the spending review to ensure people feel and see the difference in their journeys and communities as soon as possible
17:59, 14 Jan 2026Updated 18:06, 14 Jan 2026
Rachel Reeves has promised “hard cash” to revolutionise Britain’s railways and accused the Tories and Reform of wanting to take £45 billion out of the North.
The Chancellor pledged even more funding for Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) would be unveiled at the next spending review to ensure people feel and see the difference in their journeys and communities as soon as possible. It came during a press conference in Leeds where Ms Reeves also accused the Tories of failing to deliver for the north for 14 years.
The Chancellor who is the Labour MP for Leeds West and Pudsey, described the decision to transform transport as “personal”. She said: “I know the potential that we have here in the North of England, and I'm determined that this government, with me as chancellor, will back that rhetoric with hard cash.
“Because it is cash that builds the railways. It is brass tacks that gets things done. Our economic plan is to bring growth to all parts of the country, doing good jobs, paying decent wages, improving living standards to working people. Because for a long time, the north of England and my constituents have been let down and been fed false promises.”
The first phase of the programme would involve improved connections on existing lines on these routes: between Sheffield and Leeds; between Leeds and York; and between Leeds and Bradford. A second phase of NPR would involve a new route between Liverpool and Manchester via Manchester airport and Warrington, using a combination of new and existing lines. The third and final phase involves better connections eastwards from Manchester to Leeds, Bradford, Sheffield and York.
In an full-throated attack on Nigel Farage and Kemi Badenoch, Ms Reeves also claimed both would fail the North of England. She said: "I can't answer for other political parties. The Tories had their chance. They had 14 years, and they didn't deliver any of this. And Reform are now saying that they will cancel Northern Powerhouse Rail, just as we're putting the money into it.
"Now I'm not going to write their leaflets for them, but if they're going to say on their leaflets that they're going to take £45 billion out of the north of England, that's up to them and they can sell that on the doorstep. But I'll tell you what will be in our next manifesto, and that will be committing in full to Northern Powerhouse Rail, to link our towns and our cities, because that's the right thing."
Ms Reeves also promised more cash, saying further funding could come at the spending review. She explained: "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."