Crossrail 'could be scrapped', admits Tory spokeswoman

Labour today accused the Conservatives of breaking a manifesto pledge only two days after launching their election proposals after a shadow minister admitted that a key rail project could be scrapped under a Tory government on the grounds of cost.

The Labour party seized on the comments made by Justine Greening, the shadow London minister, who told London's LBC radio that she "cannot guarantee" that the building of the £16bn Crossrail scheme – an east-to-west rail link across the capital – would continue under the Conservatives.

The Tories' opponents said Greening's comments contradicted a commitment in the Conservative manifesto, published earlier this week, which says: "We support Crossrail and the electrification of the Great Western line to south Wales."

Greening told LBC earlier today that she was unable to give "a line-by-line budget on projects across government, including Crossrail. Everything's up for review but we think it's important," she said.

Pressed on whether this meant that a Tory government would allow the Crossrail development to continue, Greening replied: "I can't give a guarantee that it will continue."

Asked if this meant it could be scrapped altogether, Greening said: "It's possible, but at the end of the day we've always said that we think it's an important project and actually the reason this is important is we want to be responsible, so we can't pretend that we can write an entire budget outside of government. We've said we'll do one within 50 days of getting into government if we get elected and we will then provide some clarity and certainty."

Greening's comments are likely to alarm Boris Johnson, the Tory mayor of London, who has repeatedly hailed Crossrail as a scheme which will create thousands of jobs and boost the capital's economy.

Lord Adonis, the transport secretary, accused the Conservatives of "weasel words".

"The Tories' supposed commitment to Crossrail lasted just two days. Now Justine Greening has exposed the weasel words in the Tory manifesto for what they are," he said.

"This sends an alarming message to business in and around the capital, to Londoners, and also calls into question the extent of their commitment to all other infrastructure projects, including high-speed rail."

Johnson stood shoulder to shoulder with Adonis and Gordon Brown last year to mark the formal start of the construction the major railway project.

At the time, he said: "The years of hesitation, irresolution and vacillation are over, the shovels have tasted earth and the construction of a railway that is crucial to the economic prosperity of this great city has begun.

"This amazing project will create and support thousands of jobs, relieve congestion and provide a high-speed link between east and west of London. When the first of Crossrail's chariots glide smoothly along its lines in 2017 it will change the face of transport in London and the south east forever."

Kulveer Ranger, Johnson's transport adviser, said today: "The mayor's passion and support for Crossrail is unquenched and his view is it is not a want but a must for the capital. Every inch of London will benefit from the jobs, increase in capacity and easing of congestion that Crossrail will bring."

The Conservative party, which has been keen to call attention to Johnson's administration during the election campaign, insisted its position on Crossrail was "very clear".

A spokeswoman said Crossrail would be part of a Tory government's spending review alongside everything apart from health and international development, whose funding has been ring-fenced.

"Our position is consistent and claims to the contrary are disingenuous," she said.

The party issued a quote David Cameron made last November, in which he said: "I back Crossrail. I want Crossrail to go ahead. Obviously everything has to pass the value-for-money test and all the rest, but we want it to go ahead."