Foreign Office minister Hamish Falconer has publicly criticized Keir Starmer's decision to cut investment in road projects to increase defense spending. Falconer stated he was "disappointed" by the move, which will mothball two major road upgrades in the East Midlands, and announced his intention to seek an urgent meeting with the incoming Labour leader to discuss the matter.
The decision, detailed in a written statement to the Commons by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, will see the Department for Transport provide up to £700 million in savings from roads funding as part of the Defence Investment Plan (Dip). Treasury documents later specified the potential cancellation of the A38 Derby Junctions and A46 Newark Bypass schemes, noting they had not yet entered into contract.
Falconer wrote on X that while he supports increased defense funding, the A46 Newark Bypass widening scheme is "well advanced, long awaited, excellent value for money and of strategic importance." He plans to discuss the decision with the Prime Minister, Chancellor, and Transport Secretary to explore a path forward for the project.
Labour's East Midlands Mayor Claire Ward also condemned the decision, calling it "completely unacceptable." She stated that she was informed of the decision as the Prime Minister delivered his speech on the Defence Investment Plan. Ward argued that mayors and their regions need to be consulted on trade-offs affecting their areas and questioned the equity of the decision, noting that the East Midlands is the only region being asked to lose £900 million in road investment.
Jonathan Davies, Labour's Mid Derbyshire MP, echoed concerns, suggesting that the cancellation of the A38 upgrade, part of the Government's £27 billion road investment strategy, could be seen as a "brake on economic growth" by local residents.
It emerged that all government departments were asked to contribute one percent of their capital budgets towards the Dip. The Department for Transport and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero were required to find additional savings, with the latter needing to identify an extra £2 billion. The Treasury has stated that more detailed plans regarding project cuts will be shared by Autumn, but declined to provide further specifics beyond the two road schemes.
