Former chancellor George Osborne has predicted that the Prime Minister will U-turn on his plans to axe to HS2 leg to Leeds.
The architect of the Northern Powerhouse project and the Conservative chancellor from 2010 and 2016, Mr Osborne told the Financial Times that he expects "electoral pressures" will force Mr Johnson to change his mind when it comes time for another election.
Speaking to the papers' Payne's Politics podcast, he pointed to the number of marginal seats around Bradford and Leeds and said: "Frankly, I don't think high speed rail in the east of England, up to Yorkshire, is dead yet.
"You've had the Labour Party commit very quickly to build it, I think the pressure will grow on the Conservatives because, actually, there are quite a lot of marginal seats around Bradford and Leeds.
He added that it "wouldn't be for the first time – our Prime Minister execute a U-turn" and that he could feasibly see him "come back to promising an eastern leg of HS2, just over a longer period of time."
Mr Osborne's comments follow calls from business leaders and others across the north of England for the Prime Minister to reconsider
In a co-signed letter submitted by northern business leaders to the PM, the group expressed disappointment at the plan announced last week and stated: "As it stands, we do not believe that this plan can deliver either the high performing, productive Northern economy demanded by a Global Britain, nor the levelling up that has been identified as a key goal for your government."
On Friday however, following the publication of the Integrated Rail Plan and government confirmation that the eastern leg of HS2 would be scrapped, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps denied that the government had gone back on its rail promises to better connect the north and the midlands.
He told Sky News last week, "They are absolutely being fulfilled. We are producing that around 30-minute journey from Manchester to Leeds
“When it comes to HS2, we are going to deliver HS2 trains (we are looking at) the best way to do that into Leeds."
Labour, meanwhile, has said anger in the region - particularly in Bradford - is "palpable" following last week's announcement.
Sir Kier Starmer told BBC Radio 5 Live:
“People feel very strongly that promises have been made to them and they have just been ripped up. The idea that ‘levelling up’ is anything more than a slogan has absolutely blown away by what happened yesterday.
“The whole point of HS2 was a high speed line going up including to Leeds. The whole point of the promise of Northern Powerhouse Rail was a new line going from Manchester to Leeds.
“Trying to upgrade what you have got is a second-class option for the North.”
The beloved Domino Club is receiving its flowers, and rightly so.
Rapidly becoming one of the industry’s most respected accolade of excellence, The Pinnacle Guide is a worldwide ranking of the best bars across the globe.
Based on a thorough self-application process, rigorous assessment modules, followed by a series of spot check interviews and anonymous in-bar reviews, it's no easy feat to get a spot on this list.
Which is why it makes The Domino Club's achievement all that more impressive.
Known amongst locals and visitors alike as basically one of the coolest bars in town, the hidden speakeasy invites you through a barbershop in the Grand Arcade where downstairs you'll find a dimly lit jazz and cocktail bar oozing sex appeal.
Not only are the cocktails exceptional, but their live music listings is something to behold playing everything from jazz and funk to cabaret and disco every Wednesday - Sunday.
Announcing the news to Instagram, The Domino said: "Listed by The Pinnacle Guide. The Domino Club has been recognised on the global list of the world’s best bars.
"What began as a hidden basement bar in Leeds, built around live music, cocktails and atmosphere, is now being recognised alongside some of the finest bars in the world.
"A huge thank you to our team, musicians, suppliers and every single guest who has supported us over the years. This means a lot. Leeds belongs on the world cocktail map."
We absolutely could not agree more and if you haven't ventured behind the barbershop and discovered the magical Domino Club, then we very much recommend you do.
2:22 A Ghost Story at Leeds Grand Theatre and Opera House: When silence becomes the scare
Declan Kelly
The supernatural thriller 2:22 A Ghost Story arrived at Leeds Grand Theatre as part of its UK tour, bringing Danny Robins’s hit production to a packed audience.
Since its West End debut in 2021, the play has become known less as a straight horror and more as a gripping psychological debate wrapped in a ghost story.
At the centre of the story is one key question: do ghosts actually exist? Set during a dinner party between two couples, the drama unfolds as Jenny becomes increasingly convinced their home is haunted, claiming she hears strange noises every night at exactly 2:22am.
Her husband Sam dismisses her fears as irrational, while friends Lauren and Ben challenge both sides, turning the evening into a lively clash of belief and scepticism. What begins as a conversation gradually becomes something far more tense, as personal fears and buried tensions rise to the surface.
Image: Supplied
Rather than relying on traditional horror, the production focuses on atmosphere and psychological tension. The script builds unease through sharp dialogue, awkward silences and shifting power dynamics between the characters. Instead of delivering constant shocks, it keeps the audience questioning what is real and what might simply be a coincidence or imagination.
That said, the play does use theatrical jump scares effectively. Sudden loud noises, abrupt lighting changes and eerie sound cues interrupt the dialogue at key moments, creating jolts of tension without ever fully tipping into outright horror. These moments are brief but impactful, designed more to unsettle than to terrify.
Image: Supplied
The cast works strongly together to maintain this balance. Shvorne Marks brings emotional intensity to Jenny’s growing fear, while James Bye plays Sam with grounded scepticism that slowly begins to crack. Natalie Casey adds sharp humour and bite as Lauren, and Grant Kilburn provides openness and curiosity as Ben, keeping the debate lively and unpredictable.
The production design is another standout element. The modern, stylish home feels realistic and lived-in, but subtly shifts in tone as the story progresses. Careful lighting and precise sound design ensure the space never feels entirely safe, even in silence, reinforcing the idea that something might be just out of sight.
Image: Supplied
As the final moments unfold, the play returns to its central idea: the waiting. The quiet anticipation of night, the smallest unexplained sounds, and the creeping awareness of time passing.
Ultimately, 2:22 A Ghost Story succeeds because it is not really trying to scare its audience traditionally. Instead, it plays with uncertainty, asking viewers to decide what they believe and how far they trust their own senses. And let’s be honest, you might find yourself thinking what might happen if you were still awake when the clock strikes 2:22.
Running until 16 May at the Leeds Grand Theatre and Opera House - tickets available here.
Georgina Pellant -
22nd November 2021 
