Political parties love a quick win; make some hay with the electorate whilst landing a few body blows on your opponents.

But the thing about such behaviour is the risk that it comes back to bite you! Understanding risk is critical to understanding what’s happening with the Metropolitan Line Extension (MLX).

The MLX has united nearly everyone in terms of wanting to see it getting built. It’s been in the news recently because the future of the scheme now looks in some doubt.

The Conservatives launched an attack on the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, for ‘cancelling’ the project on January 25, in what appears to be a co-ordinated plan, given multiple Tory spokespeople all responding at the same time.

Once the bandwagon was rolling, the local Liberal Democrats jumped on board, with an appalling leaflet criticising the London Mayor, including ‘blacked-out’ Labour spokespeople.

As ever, the truth is somewhat more complicated than a leaflet would have you believe.

Letters between Sadiq Khan and Transport Secretary Chris Grayling reveal that the £49 million the London Mayor made available for the scheme remains in place and that he is committed to the project proceeding.

The problem appears to have arisen over the ownership of the risk for completing it. The Mayor of London suggested that for a public infrastructure project outside London (his remit being London), the national government should be taking the risk for any additional overspend. The Government had whacked TfL with £700 million in cuts and then said no to taking the risk…

As a resident and councillor within the area directly affected by this project, I can only hope that the bigwigs cease tub-thumping long enough to look again at Sadiq’s proposals, get round the table and make this train line happen.

- Matt Turmaine is Labour councillor for Holywell