Sir – It was amusing to see the Blair/Brown Government’s HS2 scheme called a “Tory toy” by one of your more amnesiac correspondents.

While this project is, indeed, immensely damaging in economic, environmental and financial terms, it was dreamt up as a political ploy by Lord Adonis, a Labour Transport Minister to sow discord in the Tory heartlands it would pass through while securing votes in their Northern strongholds.

One must hope that the present Chancellor knows how this would suck the life and jobs out of his proposed Northern Powerhouse and only keeps the idea afloat to provide a £50bn pot from which, before the next election, he can do real good for our infrastructure while pleasing voters in Buckinghamshire, Northamptonshire and the north eastern tip of this county. But it’ll be a Labour toy he’ll be playing with.

James Macnamara
Lower Heyford