Huge boost for railways as Rachel Reeves' spending review reveals more funding for NEW train lines across UK

RACHEL Reeves has promised to provide a major boost for the UK's train network - with a fresh vow to pump in billions more pounds into new lines and upgrades on key routes.
The Chancellor delivered the first Spending Review in nearly four years this afternoon - vowing to splurge a mega £300 billion into the likes of the NHS, defence and travel.
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However, she has not provided a clear plan for how Labour will pay for it.
In a clear tack to the Left, she used her Spending Review to defend higher taxes and borrowing to fund the cash shower.
Referring to travel expansions, she said it was the Government's intention to "undo a generation of underfunding and neglect" under the Tories, 12 months on from Labour's General Election victory.
Speaking in the Commons today after the weekly PMQs, Ms Reeves said the trains boost aims to "unlock the potential of all parts of Britain".
"We are going further: investing in major rail projects to connect our towns and cities."
The Spending Review includes:
She referred back to the Autumn Budget in October last year when she announced funding for the Transpennine Route Upgrade.
"The backbone of rail travel in the North... linking York, Leeds and Manchester... with a quarter of the route expected to be electrified by this summer," the Chancellor continued.
"I know the commitment of the HFs, the Members for Huddersfield, York Outer, and Colne Valley to this issue …and today, I can announce a further £3.5bn of investment for that Route.
"But my ambition and the ambition of people across the North is greater still …and so in the coming weeks I will set out this government's plans to take forward our ambitions on Northern Powerhouse Rail."
Ms Reeves went on to say: "I have also heard the representations of my HFs, the Members for Milton Keynes North, Milton Keynes Central, and Buckingham and Bletchley.
"And I can tell the House today to connect Oxford and Cambridge... and to back Milton Keynes' leading tech sector... I am providing a further £2.5bn for the continued delivery of East-West rail."
She added: "On a matter I know is of great importance to HF Members for Lichfield, Birmingham Northfield, and Birmingham Erdington I can announce today that I am providing funding for the Midlands Rail Hub… the region's biggest and most ambitious rail improvement scheme for generations..."
This will strengthen connections to Birmingham, across the West Midlands and into Wales.
The Chancellor then told the Speaker: "For 14 years, the Conservatives failed the people of Wales. Those days are over.
"Following representations from my RHF the Welsh Secretary, the First Minister of Wales and Welsh Labour MPs... I am pleased to announce £445m for railways in Wales over 10 years, including funding for Padeswood Sidings and Cardiff West Junction.
"That, Mr Speaker, is the difference made by two Labour governments... working together to undo a generation of underfunding and neglect."
It comes as Ms Reeves also promised to provide hundreds of millions to tackle illegal migration.
pledged to end the use of expensive asylum hotels - that are costing taxpayers £4million a day - before the next election.
But it risks infuriating voters who want to see action to stop using them now rather than in four years time.
And critics have warned Ms Reeves mega spending blizzard will drive Britain even further into debt and raise the prospect of more tax hikes.
Laying out her package in the Commons, Ms Reeves said: 'My choices are different. My choices are Labour choices."
The Chancellor was heckled by Tory MPs as she claimed to have turned around the economy 'after 14 years of mismanagement and decline'.
Earlier Kemi Badenoch tore chunks out of Labour's record of raising taxes on business that have led to job losses.
Despite widespread fury from bosses, Ms Reeves defended her National Insurance raid as the reason she can splash the cash today.
She is using increased taxes to splurge £190billion more than the Tories on day-to-day departmental spending.
The Chancellor confirmed departmental budgets will rise by 2.3 per cent a year, slamming past Tory austerity as 'a destructive choice for our society and our economy.'
She also doubled down on her decision last year to loosen her fiscal rules to hike borrowing by an extra £113billion to pay for shiny infrastructure projects.
Tory Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride blasted Ms Reeves spending review as a 'spend now, tax later' fantasy.
He said Labour had 'completely lost control' and warned a 'cruel summer' of tax hikes speculation was coming.
Her short Chancellorship has been blighted by the winter fuel debacle, fury over tax hikes, angry farmers and rows over welfare spending.
A YouGov survey yesterday found just 12 per cent of voters think she is doing a good job.

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