Justine’s fast train
WATCHING Philip Hammond in action at the Conservative Party conference earlier this month, you couldn’t see much sign of the Transport Secretary budging over High Speed 2. Even when Belsize councillor Jonny Bucknell shouted at him really loudly – albeit in his cheery Johnny Bucknell voice.
But now he’s off to do defence in the wake of Liam Fox’s resignation, what about his replacement, Justine Greening? How HS2ey is she? She had a bit of mauling at the hands of Andrew Neil during a television interview at the same conference, but that will seem like small chips when she meets the HS2 lobby. Could be an ouch incoming.
Richard Osley 
Of course, you’d use the picture where I’m looking at the floor when Tom took a second picture with me looking straight at the camera! Enjoy the shot of my fore-head!
LikeLike
Appointment presumably signals HM Treasury interest and (where she came from) control over project.
HMT historically opposed to large infrastructure transport projects, but seeing as the PM has heavily mooted his desire that this happen on his watch, the Treasury are seeking to ensure project comes in on budget or comes close to ‘washing its own face.’
What does this mean for Camden? My thoughts would be on gvt seeking to maximise capital receipts from the Euston development so pay for as much of HS2 as possible: community benefit to Camden will be fought along those lines (rather than whether the project will go ahead) which is what some have been saying all along…
LikeLike
The real genuis of this picture is not you looking at the floor Gio, it is the smiling Gordon Brown. Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown…
LikeLike
I’m glad that Professor Shanker, who after a distinguished career in American trade unionism is now a cabinet member at the LB of Camden, recognises on HS2 that locally it’s about seeking maximising community benefit for Camden, rather than debating whether project will go ahead.
LikeLike