Rishi Sunak mocked for boasting about removing HS2 from private plane

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Rishi Sunak was mocked for posting a photo of himself on a private jet to highlight his decision to abandon the northern part of HS2.

The Prime Minister was accused of having a "stunning lack of self-awareness" for the photo, displayed alongside a promise to "boost our transport".

In the photo, Mr Sunak reads documents en route to the European Political Community. Summit in Granada, Spain.

“This week I made long-term decisions to build a better future and change our country,” Mr Sunak said.

The Prime Minister said his decisions would "transform our cities" and "boost our transport".

This came after Mr Sunak used his speech to the Conservative Party conference to finally announce that He was canceling the Birmingham-Manchester high-speed rail project - as first revealed by The Independent.

Labour's shadow transport secretary, Louise Haigh, has said Mr Sunak's photo was "the perfect image to accompany the announcement to scrap high-speed rail".

She said: "A stunning lack of self-awareness and a complete disregard for the millions of people who never voted for you or this."

While Shadow Digital Minister Sir Chris Bryant said the photo made Mr Sunak look " disconnected.”

“When you say “our transportation,” do you mean that we all have to follow your example by traveling alone in what looks like an empty airplane or private jet? Can you see what some might think this looks like rather - how can I put it? - out of reach?" he said.

West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin said if Westminster politicians "experienced what we need to do face on Victoria's rail infrastructure", they would make different decisions.

Mr Sunak sparked fury when he announced that the northern part of HS2 was being cancelled, including from former prime ministers ministers David Cameron and Boris Johnson.

In a rare intervention, the former Mr Cameron attacked Mr Sun...