Andy Street will not resign as West Midlands mayor despite northern leg of HS2 being scrapped

West Midlands mayor Andy Street is not resigning over HS2 plan, but said he thought about quitting the Tory Party.

The Tory leader said he is "incredibly disappointed” but welcomes the compromise on the HS2 decision announced at the Conservative Party conference.

"I will remain a member of the Conservative Party," he confirmed after Rishi Sunak cancelled the Northern leg.

In a full statement released on social media, he said he had “thought incredibly long and hard about what my future in the Conservative Party should be”, but had decided to remain a member.

“The West Midlands must be at the heart of the UK’s modern transport network and reap all the benefits that will bring,” he said.

“The Prime Minister has today reached out to work with me to make that happen and to turn my back on that offer would be doing a serious dis-service to my region.

“I know this decision will make me deeply unpopular in some circles, and indeed many wanted me to resign and make a statement against my party.

“But I have always said that I would put place before party and staying as a Conservative to work with the Prime Minister and his Government to continue the revival of the West Midlands is doing exactly that.”

Mr Street said he would like to run for another term as the Tory candidate in next year’s mayoral election.

"I intend as part of that to make good on the offer that the Prime Minister has put today to invest a lot more money in transport in the West Midlands, and to look further links between Birmingham and the rest of the West Midlands and the North.

"He put that offer out very clearly today."

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