Star comment: Sunak on the wrong track over HS2
There’s a common thread linking the key announcements that Rishi Sunak has made in the past week or so.
![](https://www.expressandstar.com/resizer/v2/BVNRLBJIQREBXBEFJHKNVVHOTU.jpg?auth=ff9cf066658eb54797c552cf17ca5fc4d96328c66783299915dfb9b016eb74cb&width=300&height=225)
In watering down the green agenda and in appearing to call into question the future of HS2, he is making a clear and clean break with the premiership of Boris Johnson. The man who made Mr Sunak Chancellor of the Exchequer was a key advocate of green issues and also delivered the go-ahead for HS2.
Mr Sunak, in contrast, has seen the political capital to be gained from ditching both – the Conservatives secured Mr Johnson’s former Uxbridge constituency in a by-election dominated by anti-green sentiment. He would also rather spend the money targeted towards HS2 on other, vote-winning promises.
There’s a second theme, however, which the Prime Minister will find less palatable, which is this. While some voters endorse his policies, it seems many do not.