One day there will be a superb book to be written about the shenanigans over the decision whether to build HS2 or not. Ever weekend there were predictions that this would at last be the week when puffs of white smoke would emerge from the roof of Downing Street to announce the fate of the controversial project. But no, instead we got endless partial leaks of what was in...

This is one of those rare times when the fact that this column has to be written nearly a week before anyone can read it is causing me enormous difficulties. I hate to make predictions about the near future when they can so obviously be totally wrong almost by the time the ink is dry but for once I will take the risk rather than write about some timeless...

Here is the news: Crossrail is happening. Yes, of course it is late and the most recent announcement, which has kicked the opening date further forward to the autumn of 2021 is a disappointment. The cost is now expected to be £18.5bn, nearly £3bn more than the budget fixed by George Osborne (remember him) nearly a decade ago. And keeping with the negatives, it still strikes me as incomprehensible...