Hull MP challenges Nick Clegg on failing to back early Hull rail electrification

Diana Johnson MP today challenged the Deputy Prime Minister over his recent failure to back Hull's bid to get rail electrification done in time for 2017 City of Culture.

Speaking in Deputy Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons, the Hull North MP asked Nick Clegg: "I know that Hull is outside the Deputy Prime Minister's 'Golden Triangle', but in his statement of the 6 November can he explain to my constituents why he was not backing Hull's privately financed bid to get rail electrification to Hull done in time for 2017 for the City of Culture, and why he said we have to wait until the 2020s?"

After Nick Clegg responded, talking about "affordability", Diana Johnson MP commented: "It shows what an afterthought Hull is for Nick Clegg, with his favoured Manchester-Leeds-Sheffield 'Golden Triangle', that he didn't even appear to be aware that Hull's rail electrification scheme, for which time is pressing, is overwhelmingly privately financed. His comment about 'affordability' for tax-payers was therefore irrelevant."

The exchange happened today in the House of Commons at 12.06pm.