LEAKED emails show ministers and officials were warned in 2016 about "impending chaos" over Northern rail, MPs have heard.
Labour's Lisa Nandy added officials also described "key" northern routes as "valueless", had developed "handling strategies" for MPs and debated generating myths to divert public attention from agreed planned route closures.
DfT officials describe key routes as 'not really valued' and discuss giving a "sop" to campaigners. pic.twitter.com/WVueg4EtIX
— Lisa Nandy (@lisanandy) June 20, 2018
The Wigan MP said the details were included in emails from the Department for Transport (DfT) which had been handed to her.
Shouts of "resign" could be heard from some Opposition MPs as Ms Nandy read out the information before questioning if Prime Minister Theresa May was "so incompetent" that she "literally has not got a clue what is going on in her Government".
They admit key Northern routes will be axed as early as 2015... pic.twitter.com/hh1EW20TOA
— Lisa Nandy (@lisanandy) June 20, 2018
...but Ministers continued to assure MPs those routes will be saved. pic.twitter.com/A8B0in4t6H
— Lisa Nandy (@lisanandy) June 20, 2018
May declined to comment on leaked information, adding the DfT was advised by an independent panel over timetable changes.
Thousands of passengers have suffered following timetable changes, including those travelling on Northern and Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR).
Speaking during Prime Minister's Questions, Nandy said: "After four weeks of Northern rail chaos, passengers in the north of England have had enough.
"The Government has said Network Rail didn't deliver and Northern wasn't prepared.
"But I have been handed emails from within the Department for Transport that show ministers and officials were warned of impending chaos as long ago as two years ago.
"These emails are a disgrace.
"In them, officials describe key northern routes as valueless, discuss classic handling strategies for Members of Parliament, discuss whether to throw a sop to Northern passengers groups, and debate whether to propagate myths in order to divert public attention from agreed planned route closures."
DfT officials discuss spreading false information to deflect public attention from route closures. pic.twitter.com/afEvsdvMsl
— Lisa Nandy (@lisanandy) June 20, 2018
Nandy added: "Will the Prime Minister explain to this House why she has withheld this key information from us and the public, or is she so incompetent she literally has not got a clue what is going on in her Government?"
May replied: "No government responds across the despatch box to leaked documents that they have not seen.
"Can I also say to (Nandy) in advance of the timetable changes that took place for both Northern and Govia in May, there was a separate independent panel set up by the DfT to reassure the Department for Transport about the the nature of those plans.
"She may shake her head but that independent panel was set up and advised the Department for Transport."
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