Transport Starmer to revive east-west Northern Powerhouse rail link

Keir Starmer is to formally revive Northern Powerhouse Rail this autumn with an announcement expected before the Labour conference, as a major demonstration of Labour's commitment to northern infrastructure.

- Josh Halliday Jessica Elgot Eleni Courea

Sources said the speech would be delivered by Starmer and Rachel Reeves as they attempt to show their commitment to Labour's former heartlands across the north of England, where Nigel Farage's Reform UK is eyeing significant gains at the next general election.

Government advisers are planning to time the announcement before the Labour conference on 28 September, with the aim of boosting the morale of backbenchers after a series of damaging U-turns.

The transport secretary, Heidi Alexander, is expected to make the rail project a key theme of her conference speech. A government source said the announcement was likely to take place before then but that the timing was not yet confirmed.

Political and industry figures in the north of England have urged Starmer for over a year to revive the Manchester leg of HS2 and to build Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR), an east-west connection linking Liverpool to Hull.