Fears are growing in Tory high command that one of its most prominent public figures, West Midlands Metro Mayor Andy Street, could resign.
It comes as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is poised to reveal a major scale down of the HS2 project.
Mr Street has stood out as one of the rail link’s biggest defenders during this year’s Manchester conference, saying: “If you tell the international investment community you are going to do something, you bloody well have to stick to your word”.
He also took the extraordinary decision to call an emergency press conference after press reports emerged confirming Mr Sunak has taken the decision to junk the Manchester to Birmingham branch of the high-speed track.
The popular mayor said Rishi Sunak would be “turning his back on levelling up” by cutting the project.
The Express understands Mr Street was proving a major roadblock to signing off the plans yesterday evening.
