The story has triggered unprecedented fallout, with former Prime Minister Lord Heseltine attacking Sunak amid a cascade of criticism and divisions. Jeremy Hunt and Dominic Sunak have clashed with former chancellor Philip Hammond in a row over the HS2 high-speed rail route. A pesar de que £3bn already ha sido gastado en preparations para la phase 2 de la HS2, Sunak and Hunt believed to have considered whether the proyecto could be delayed for up to seven años, a Northern Tory MPs remain hopeful parts of the project can be rescued. Algunos de los pro-HS2 Tories will be able de vivir a partir de Birmingham to Crewe, as long as crucial parts of phase 2a of the project are accelerated. En la Times, George Osborne y Lord Heseltine dijo que los rebeldes Tory quieren ver a section high-speed between Piccadilly and Manchester Airport. El mayor de West Midlands, Andy Street, advirtió que el norte de la leg será la "most expensive whiteelephant" en la historia de Estados Unidos. Boris Johnson has vowed not to "mutilate HS2", and Cameron is believed to have privately raised concerns about the possibility that the high-speed rail line could be abolished. Para el empresario Paul Johnson, el malestar surrounding HS2 would crear una "complicada mess" comercial y operacional, expertos señalaron. A grupo de 10 vice-chancellors de universidades en el West Midlands, No 10, repeatedly declined a commentar sobre la future de HS2 on Monday - y dijo there was precedent for delaying parts of the line due to "affordability".