Hunt tells UK backbench Tories he’s committed to HS2 rail plan

UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt told backbench Conservative Members of Parliament that he’s committed to the HS2 high-speed rail project linking London to Manchester.

Three people familiar with the matter cited Hunt’s remarks to a meeting on Wednesday of the influential 1922 Committee of rank-and-file Tories. They declined to be named discussing a private meeting.

The remarks appear to confirm that Prime Minister Liz Truss’s government remains committed to the country’s flagship transport project, which is also Europe’s biggest infrastructure project. Costs for HS2 have spiraled beyond £100 billion and speculation had been mounting that part of it may be scrapped as Hunt looks around for areas to cut government spending in an effort to balance the public finances.