Rishi Sunak says HS2 axe not to blame for Alstom job loss fears

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said scaling back HS2 is not to blame for potential job cuts at the UK's largest rail assembly factory.

Alstom, in Derby, is consulting on redundancies understood to be about 550 at their manufacturing site, while 780 contractors are also at risk.

Unite said the cuts were a result of delays in HS2 construction.

But Mr Sunak said: "I don't think it's fair or accurate to characterise it as a result decision on HS2."

Unite added a further 900 jobs were under threat in the supply chain.

It comes after Mr Sunak announced the scrapping the northern leg of the HS2 high speed rail link, and pledged billions for alternative rail, road and bus schemes.

The prime minister held a question and answer session in a café in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, before visiting a school in Bolsover, Derbyshire, on Friday.

He said his sympathies "go to all the people affected" by the jobs announcement.

"With regard to the reasons for it, I don't think it's fair or accurate to characterise that decision by Alstom as a result of the decision on HS2," Mr Sunak said.

"Alstom are actually providing the trains for phase one of HS2 and the issue that they have, as do other companies in that sector, is about their order books next year.

"The government has actually been in dialogue with them for several months about this issue, well before the decision on HS2 was made, and we've tried to find ways that we can bring forward other orders to support, for example, and so I don't think it's fair or accurate to characterise it as a result decision on HS2."

An Alstom spokesperson said the firm had "no confirmed workload" beyond the first quarter of 2024.

"No committed way forward has yet been found and therefore it is with deep regret that we must now begin to plan for a significant reduction in activity at Derby," the spokesperson said.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said there was "absolutely no justification" for the proposed job losses.

"It is madness that there is a huge amount of work that Alstom could and should be bidding for but the government has not got around to tendering for it," she said.

"The government and Alstom should both be bending over backwards to keep hold of these highly skilled workers and this strategically vital and unique site."

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