Off. On. Off. Northern Powerhouse Rail, the proposal to build a dedicated high-speed line to connect major cities in the north of England, is once again in peril of cancellation. That comes after a commitment made by short-lived prime minister Liz Truss was reversed by her successor Rishi Sunak. An interview given by the new chancellor of the exchequer Jeremy Hunt, confirmed as much when he rubbished the concept of boring new tunnels under the Pennines, the mountain range known as the spine of England.