May 2026

My apologies, Madam Deputy Speaker. Previous Prime Ministers, in my view, created the world’s most expensive slow-motion car crash, and they barely batted an eyelid. This Government have rolled up our sleeves and done the hard yards, putting the right team in place and being honest about the scale of the challenge. I understand that this statement today will be met with cynicism and anger, but I say with genuine pride and conviction that I believe we are finally starting to see real delivery. Tu

Parliamentary appearance by Harriet Cross

Chris Vince voted NO on 'King's Speech Motion for an Address: amendment (i)' (108-323, defeated)

Warinder Juss voted NO on 'King's Speech Motion for an Address: amendment (i)' (108-323, defeated)

Joe Powell voted NO on 'King's Speech Motion for an Address: amendment (i)' (108-323, defeated)

I am grateful to the shadow Rail Minister for his questions and the tone in which he presented his case. He was not quite as bombastic at the Dispatch Box as he normally is, so I can only assume that perhaps he was considering making an apology for the dreadful mess that the previous Government left this project in. I did not hear one, but I accept the manner in which he made his points. I do question where the shadow Secretary of State, the right hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay (Mr Hold

My hon. Friend the Chair of the Select Committee is right that the problems of HS2 were born many years ago. The fact that the civil engineering was delayed for four years is not the product of decisions by this Government or the current management of HS2, but is, as she says, about overly optimistic cost estimates, construction starting before designs were mature, insufficiently controlled delivery, poor contractual arrangements, gold-plating, and constant changes in policy and scope. She is en

Jas Athwal voted NO on 'King's Speech Motion for an Address: amendment (i)' (108-323, defeated)

Michelle Welsh voted NO on 'King's Speech Motion for an Address: amendment (i)' (108-323, defeated)

Jim Dickson voted NO on 'King's Speech Motion for an Address: amendment (i)' (108-323, defeated)

Tom Rutland voted NO on 'King's Speech Motion for an Address: amendment (i)' (108-323, defeated)

Richard Holden voted AYE on 'King's Speech Motion for an Address: amendment (i)' (108-323, defeated)

Claire Coutinho voted AYE on 'King's Speech Motion for an Address: amendment (i)' (108-323, defeated)

Alex Ballinger voted NO on 'King's Speech Motion for an Address: amendment (i)' (108-323, defeated)

Gagan Mohindra voted AYE on 'King's Speech Motion for an Address: amendment (i)' (108-323, defeated)

Melanie Ward voted NO on 'King's Speech Motion for an Address: amendment (i)' (108-323, defeated)

Parliamentary appearance by John Whitby

John Whittingdale voted AYE on 'King's Speech Motion for an Address: amendment (i)' (108-323, defeated)

Paul Holmes voted AYE on 'King's Speech Motion for an Address: amendment (i)' (108-323, defeated)

Gareth Bacon voted AYE on 'King's Speech Motion for an Address: amendment (i)' (108-323, defeated)