South Yorkshire's Mayor has launched a fierce attack on Nigel Farage, accusing him and his party of planning to rip £45 billion away from the North by scrapping a landmark rail investment pledge.
A £45 Billion Lifeline for the North
Oliver Coppard, the Labour Mayor of South Yorkshire, welcomed Chancellor Rachel Reeves's commitment this week to a colossal £45 billion investment in Northern Powerhouse Rail. The scheme promises to finally link great northern cities with faster, more frequent trains and major station upgrades.
Coppard stated that after years of "creaking old trains and Victorian infrastructure" and broken promises, this pledge under the new Labour government feels like genuine change. He emphasised that, unlike previous administrations, the current government has worked directly with Northern Mayors to design the plan. "The government know what’s needed here because we’ve told them, and they’ve listened," he wrote. "And now Yorkshire is at the front of the queue."
The Stakes: Faster Trains vs. Political Brakes
The Mayor highlighted the dire state of current connections, noting that a sub-30 mile journey between Sheffield and Leeds can take 50 minutes on a so-called fast train. The proposed Northern Powerhouse Rail would transform this with four fast trains every hour, serving a network including Liverpool, Manchester, Bradford, Leeds, Rotherham, Sheffield, and York.
However, Coppard issued a stark warning: this progress is under immediate threat. "Make no mistake – this is only happening because a Labour government is working hard with me," he asserted. He directly accused Reform UK of planning to cancel the entire scheme if they gain power. "Reform are already promising to scrap the scheme if they get in – ripping £45 billion away from the North," Coppard stated.
Coppard's Blunt Warning to Farage
In a highly personal critique, Coppard contrasted his local roots with Nigel Farage's influence. "I was born and raised in South Yorkshire... Nigel Farage couldn’t find Rotherham on a map," he said. He accused Farage and "his mob" of wanting to "slam on the brakes and put Yorkshire back on the hard shoulder" after what he described as 14 years of Tory dithering.
Coppard also defended broader government actions on the cost of living, citing rises in the minimum wage and cuts to energy bills. He contrasted this with his local efforts in South Yorkshire, such as freezing fares on the publicly run Supertram, against private bus companies raising prices by 20%.
The Mayor concluded with a rallying cry for the North, expressing hope that the "transport nightmare is finally coming to an end." He vowed, "We’re rolling up our sleeves and making change happen for Yorkshire, the North and the whole country."
