Highways (Financing) Bill

Debate between Richard Holden and Jen Craft

2nd reading
Thursday 15th October 2026 Commons Chamber

[Mr Holden]

My hon. Friend makes an important point. My understanding is that in relation to other legislation put forward by the Government concerning those projects, the local councils told the Government that the funding that they were putting forward under their own schemes—not including this legislation—was not suitable, particularly for the Hammersmith project. There are lots of options available, and my hon. Friend raises an important one, given the importance of those river crossings to the people of London and the wider country.

In truth, we all know that Labour does not care about motorists. If it did, the Secretary of State would be in her place. Where on earth is the Secretary of State? We are discussing legislation that will enable the biggest road infrastructure project that this country has done in decades, but where is she today? Too busy to bother about motorists.

[Jen Craft (Thurrock) (Lab)]

Will the right hon. Gentleman clarify where the Conservative Government were over the past 14 years when it came to building this project? People in my constituency have been on tenterhooks for years and have suffered the uncertainty of being told that it will happen, and then that it will not.

[Mr Holden]

The hon. Lady can look at the road projects that we were putting forward under the last Government and at the projects that have already been cancelled under this Government—I will come on to some of those later.

[Jen Craft]

rose—

[Mr Holden]

If the hon. Lady would care to allow me to speak, all the planning has already gone through, as the Minister said. That is what the last Government were doing—getting us to exactly to this point.

[Jen Craft]

indicated dissent.

[Mr Holden]

The hon. Lady shakes her head, but the Minister has already contradicted her. She should have listened to his speech.