Mon, 17th August Cardiff 23°
Nation.Cymru wordmark
Advertisement

News

'HS2 all over again': Oxford - Cambridge rail project classed as 'England and Wales'

By Emily Price
A Chiltern Railways train departs Oxford bound for London Marylebone. Photo Jon Ritchie

Emily Price

A multi-billion pound rail project between Oxford and Cambridge will be classed as an England and Wales scheme, the UK Government has confirmed.

This means that despite East West Rail being entirely in England, Wales will not receive Barnett consequentials from the project.

The designation was uncovered in response to questions put forward by Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe MP, David Chadwick.

The Liberal Democrat MP asked the Secretary of State for Transport, Heidi Alexander whether the £6.6 billion project - which will launch later this year - will be marked as an England and Wales scheme.

The rail link between Oxford, Milton Keynes, Bedford and Cambridge is set to be one of Britain’s largest transport projects.

It will provide easier and faster connectivity across the region, opening up better access to jobs and education opportunities, as well as regenerating town centres and supporting tens of thousands of new homes.

[mid-content-banner]

Upgrade

The proposals include an upgrade between Oxford and Bicester, the reintroduction of a section of railway between Bicester and Bletchley, line refurbishment between Bletchley and Bedford and brand new railway infrastructure between Bedford and Cambridge.

In a written response to Chadwick, the UK Government said: "East West Rail is set to cover the route from Oxford to Cambridge and is therefore part of the Rail network enhancements pipeline (RNEP) portfolio which covers funding for projects in England and Wales.

"The RNEP portfolio can be distributed to any scheme across England and Wales."

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have branded the decision as "yet another example of Labour short-changing Wales on vital infrastructure funding."

[lower-mid-content-banner]

Funding

The party says that were Wales to be treated like Scotland, it could have received around £360 million in consequential funding to spend on transport projects in Wales.

It comes following the UK Government’s controversial handling of HS2 funding, where the £100 billion high-speed rail link was classified as an "England and Wales" scheme despite none of the track crossing the Welsh border.

The classification meant no consequential cash was released to Wales by the Treasury using the barnett formula.

This is usually determined based on whether the UK Government increases or decreases funding for departments that cover devolved areas.

In contrast, Scotland and Northern Ireland both received full funding uplifts.

Cash

The cash amount thought to be owed to Wales from HS2 was previously calculated by Plaid Cymru and the Welsh Government at billions.

But Welsh ministers have since revised that figure down to £350m.

The Senedd’s Finance Committee and academics at Cardiff University say Wales lost out on over £4 billion as a result of HS2 alone.

Until the General Election, Labour had publicly backed Wales receiving the HS2 money it should have been paid if the project had been correctly classified.

Scandals

The Liberal Democrats say rail should be fully devolved to Wales to ensure these "funding scandals" do not continue to happen.

David Chadwick said: "This is HS2 all over again. Wales is being denied hundreds of millions in funding that could transform our own rail network, all because Labour insists on cooking the books and pretending these projects benefit Wales when they clearly do not.

"East-West Rail is between Oxford and Cambridge. Not a single centimetre of track will be laid in Wales.

"Yet Labour expects people across Wales to believe the ridiculous idea that this project will benefit them, and they are justified in not giving Wales the money it needs to improve our own public transport systems.

"It’s a disgrace, and it shows there has been no meaningful change since in the way Wales is treated since Labour took power compared to the Conservatives.

"All we want is Wales to be treated fairly, to receive the same treatment as Scotland and Northern Ireland.

"The Welsh Liberal Democrats won’t stop demanding our fair share on behalf of the communities we represent."

'Exciting'

The Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales, Ken Skates says the Welsh and UK Government are working together on "exciting" plan to deliver rail reform.

He said: "This is not new. The system used for paying for rail improvements puts Wales and Borders within a wider network which has historically disadvantaged us.

"Previous governments have failed to change that, but the current UK Government has acknowledged that it shortchanges Wales.

"Past Ministers could have delivered a fair funding settlement, but failed to. Instead, they backed HS2 with no fair funding for Wales.

"In stark contrast, the present UK Government has admitted that the Wales and Borders network has been underfunded in the past.

"We have an agreed and ambitious pipeline of improvements that will make up for underinvestment by previous governments.

"We are also working together on exciting plans for rail reform that will further strengthen the Wales and Borders network. We are seeking a fair share of investment."

'Systemic'

Plaid Cymru's Transport Spokesperson, Ann Davies says the classification of the new Oxford and Cambridge rail link was part of a "systemic issue that neglects Wales’ needs".

She said: "Claiming that a line between Oxford and Cambridge somehow benefits Wales is yet another insult to Wales under Labour. Years of underfunding by successive governments have left Wales’ transport network falling behind.

"However, let us be clear, this neglect isn’t accidental. It’s a deliberate policy choice that continues to deprive Wales of its fair share of infrastructure funding.

"HS2 is a clear example - despite not running through Wales, billions have been withheld due to a flawed classification by the Treasury that treats it as an England and Wales project.

"Before the general election, Labour agreed with us that Wales was owed its rightful £4bn of HS2 funding. However, now in government, they perpetuate this injustice.

"The recent confirmation of the East West Rail project between Oxford and Cambridge, also classified as an 'England and Wales' project despite not extending into Wales, will result in further millions of pounds of losses for Welsh rail infrastructure.

"This pattern of misclassification and Labour’s inaction to rectify these wrongs is a systemic issue that neglects Wales’ needs, showing just how little they care about the communities of Wales."

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: "Transport is an essential part of our mission to rebuild Britain, and improving rail connectivity in Wales is a key part of this.

"East West Rail is funded via our rail network enhancements pipeline which funds projects in both England and Wales. This includes the redevelopment of Cardiff Central Station, improved level crossings in north Wales and support for the upgraded South Wales Relief Lines."

For the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us create an independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by the people of Wales.

Get more trusted Welsh news

Choose Nation.Cymru as a preferred source in Google News to see more of our journalism.

Choose Nation.Cymru as a preferred source in Google News

62 comments

Hal

London Labour are determined to gift the Senedd to Reform.

Reply
R W

I suspect Reform will fully support this designation of it being an "England and Wales" project. However, Labour are doing an excellent job of turning people towards voting for Plaid Cymru at next year's Senedd election, so there's some positives to take from this.

Reply
Gyoung

Reform? Hopeless organisatio, we need a new party completely. Now Rory Stewart has bottled out of forming a new party we just have to suffer under Labour for way too long

Reply
Nia James

Well, knock me down with a feather duster. I'm really shocked....NOT! Add this to Keir's love affair with nuclear weapons and we can see where the spending priorities are (and they certainly ain't west of Offa's). But don't worry, that nice Mr Farage is coming through the Brynglas Tunnel and he's going to spend lots and lots of cash in our towns and villages....NOT!

Reply
Mab Meirion

These air launched weapons, what flight path will they take next to deliver stand-off missiles, the B-52's or the Tornados are now two obsolete delivery systems... Diplomacy might be the only option, the man from Cork needs to be questioned so as to ascertain his mental state, also his security risk... Clark is well and truly out of his phone box now with a new cash card in his back pocket. No sign of Superman yet though just a startled rabbit... My point, my vantage point, is the Mach Loop low level training, and to the ranges all the way across the bay... The hunted ones in their dreams will rattle the windows of Llanbedr in their flight for safety chased by the Hawks of Ynys Mon... This is more England and Wales than the proposed Oxford line... (if only Wales had a Champion in that Senedd)...

Reply
Only Considerable Upsides

This is about rail infrastructure funding in Wales and England. I have no idea why UK defence spending, which is vital for our protection here in Wales, has been brought into the conversation.

Reply
Johnny

There is no external threat to The Nation of Cymru. Our so called enemies have been created by the Wasteminster establishment.

Reply
Paul ap Gareth

Because UK defence spending is focused in England. Many years ago Blair's government planned for a defence academy in Saint Athan to compensate Wales for the lack of military spending - but the Conservative government chose to build it in Wiltshire instead. (multiple links) Original plan https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/report-reveals-6000-jobs-boost-2083957 Moved to Wiltshire https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/tories-accused-letting-wales-down-6397823

Reply

In reply to Paul ap Gareth

Only Considerable Upsides

Given the relative differences in population, it's inevitable that the lion's share of any UK government pubic spending will be spent in England. Nevertheless, Wales is home to a number of important defence contractors. Rail infrastructure is no different, with the majority of funding going to English rail projects. This is why Wales needs to have fully devolved powers over its own rail infrastructure, then we might see the sort of investment in North Wales that's gone into the impressive South Wales Metro.

Reply

In reply to Only Considerable Upsides

Badger

Per capita funding numbers and percentages exist to avoid "confusion" between disparate population sizes. It's absurd to suggest that spending under 2% of UK rail funding on 5% of the UK population is somehow justified because England has a larger population. It should be higher than population share because "levelling up" should mean something. And the South Wales Metro only happened with EU funding.

Reply

In reply to Badger

Only Considerable Upsides

Agreed. Welsh rail infrastructure has been neglected by previous UK governments, and this is wholly reliant on decision-making in Westminster where Wales has even less MPs now than it used to. The only fair solution is for No10 to agree to the requests by the current Welsh government for Wales to have full devolution of rail, plus an additional sum to cover the historic shortfall. And whilst they're at it: where is the promised replacement for the EU funding Wales used to receive?

Reply
Wiwergoch

There's only one party who would prevent this from happening and it isn't Reform.

Reply
Geraint

Henry Tufnell the new Labour MP for Mid and South Pembrokeshire was appalled with the west Wales rail service after he had to use it to get to Westminster. His views were on his social media and in the local press. I wonder how he will respond to this piece of news?

Reply
Rob

Oh come on Geraint, Henry was only saying that in order to get the people of Haverfordwest, Milford Haven, Tenby and Pembroke Dock to vote for him. He has more pressing matters to concern himself with now, such as England's economic development.

Reply
Owen Williams

HS2 all over again. How much more of this do we take? A £5bn rail project in the heart of England—badged as England and Wales. Two Labour governments, one at each end of the M4, yet Wales is left out of the conversation again. We are a nation, not a region. Wales deserves control. Wales deserves independence.

Reply
Anianegwr

I can highly recommend Tom Nairn's book "The Breakup of Britain" to UK ministers. He proposes a well evidenced thesis that nationalisms arose in Europe in the 19thC that led to a spate of new nation states, all driven by a common theme: economic inequality. He examined Victorian Britain by the same metric and found that Scotland and Wales were net economic beneficiaries of Empire. However, he found that the same two nations suffered economic inequality as deindustrialisation took hold in the 20thC. Again, the same pattern of nationalidm arose. Keep it up and the result will be the same.

Reply
hdavies15

In my more subversive moments I begin to imagine that the Starmer regime is buying into the "Greater Cymru" vision where Cymru gains independence and also walks off with a big chunk of that which was known as Mercia plus a slice of Wessex. Then I pull myself together and recognise that it's just another piece of supremacist colonialist crap from London Labour. C'mon Eluned do something other than mumble dissatisfaction. Declare an intention to seek a clean break.

Reply
David Smith

I pose an open question to any Westminster politician: why is it not an all-Britain project, funding-wise, as it is one network spanning one island? Could it be that the SNP would actually kick up a stink over it and so you daren't try?

Reply
Hal

If railways run as a "England and Wales" project gets hijacked by Whitehall and turned into a "railways for London" project that's not a great advert for your all-Britain proposal, is it?

Reply
David Smith

It's a thought experiment illustrating the ridiculousness of an EnglandAndWales project in this regard. The geographical argument fails, as does the 'local autonomy' argument.

Reply

In reply to David Smith

Hal

There's no reason why centralised railways shouldn't work well. In Spain, despite a much stronger devolution model their centrally run railways are modern and efficient with 2500 miles of high speed line connecting Madrid to many remote areas. In the UK there's 70 miles of high speed line connecting London to .. the continent. That's Whitehall's priorities in a nutshell, because mandarins would rather lunch in Paris than get the rest of the UK economy working properly.

Reply
Peter J

It's a really great question, and one for a constitutional lawyer! A deeper understanding of UK public finances and how Barnett formula works is needed than what you'll find on this forum! While it may seem intuitive to treat rail projects as an all-Britainproject, UK gvmt funding classifications are based where the direct benefits of spending occur AND whether it's devolved. In the case of Oxbridge link, although it is entirely within England, it has been classed as an “England and Wales” project despite Wales not directly benefiting, as rail infrastructure is non-devolved here, so no Barnett consequential for Wales. If you built a new line in west Wales (lol!), same applies; it’s an ‘England and Wales project.’ In NI and Scotland rail is devolved, so they get funding when comparable spending occurs in England AND Wales. This inconsistent logic has nothing to do with fear of the SNP, it simply reflects the Treasury rules. Wales was offered devolution of railway before HS2, but turned it down. The question I always have is “is there any legal and parliamentary mechanism for classing projects as ‘England-only?” I think there isn’t - not until railway infrastructure is devolved to Wales.  

Reply
David Smith

It all serves to illustrate what a mess this rancid state really is.

Reply
Only Considerable Upsides

The short answer is that rail infrastructure is devolved to Scotland and Northern Ireland, which is why these countries receive a Barnett consequential from Westminster spending in England, but not fully devolved to Wales, so we don't.

Reply
Hal

Devolution shouldn't be needed for fair funding, only to spend that money in ways that better reflect the needs of the local population. So any difference in rail funding between devolved vs reserved scenarios is a measure of the quality of Whitehall governance. A population share is the fairness minimum. A successful state would be spending proportionally more in Wales as part of an effort to level up the UK economy. What we actually have is in rogue state territory.

Reply

In reply to Hal

Only Considerable Upsides

Yes, you're right to say that devolution shouldn't be required to ensure fair and proper funding for all parts of the UK, but clearly successive UK governments haven't lived up to their responsibilities regarding rail funding in Wales. The obvious answer, given that the mechanisms for delivery are already in place, is to fully devolve rail to the Welsh government.

Reply
Anianegwr

"Wales doesn’t receive a Barnett consequential from UK government spending on rail infrastructure in England because it’s not a fully devolved matter." Ah, I see. That's us told then ...

Reply
Hogyn y Gogledd

Out! Now!!

Reply
Paddy

When your party is in government, "fighting for" or "making the case" just won't cut it.

Reply
Gwyn Hopkins

The UK Labour Government’s decision to designate the proposed new Oxford - Cambridge railway an England – Wales project is absolutely outrageous, on par with the previous Tory government’s identical classification of HS2. It is a bare-faced lie, of course – flagrant and grotesque cheating and deceit and shows the utter contempt that the Westminster Labour government has for Wales. With an enormous 84% of the Parliamentary Labour Party being MPs representing English constituencies and Wales’ weak independence movement no threat to the UK, we can expect a lot more of it.  

Reply
CymroDownUnder

Westminster show nothing but contempt towards us. It's an absolute disgrace, though sadly it's no surprise.

Reply
Peter J

As an infrastructure project, it's a great one. It'll pay for itself many times over, and the Oxford-Cambridge arc has a much bigger GVA than the whole of Wales, despite having a smaller population. To be blunt, and ever so simple, that region subsidises public services in Wales. The bone of contention is that it's classified as England and Wales project because the railway infrastructure is non-devolved in Wales

Reply
Hal

If you applied that logic to parenting - overfeeding the fastest growing child at the expense of the other children - the parents would be jailed for neglect. Central government should be investing more in the underperforming parts of the UK because this would make the UK richer overall than trying to squeeze a bit more out of the areas already performing well.

Reply
Anianegwr

Does it not occur to you that investing in infrastructure leads to productivity gains? Would you care to check capital expenditure per capita around the UK and compare it with GDP/GVA? In this case, it is the UK subsidising the core. The problem is the core-periphery cash cow that successive UK governments favour. A self-fulfilling prophecy that leads us to comments such as yours.

Reply
Peter J

I fully agree that certain infrastructure investments drives productivity, but not all, and some ideas can be speculative. The Oxford Cambridge Arc is one of the most productive parts of the UK, GVA per is far above the rest of the UK, bar the Sq mile. That’s why investment here generates outsized returns. That in turns benefit the entire UK, including through tax revenues that fund public services. It's not about ignoring Wales or the North/SW/midlands, it’s about recognising that different types of investment serve different purposes. Some areas need infrastructure to unlock potential; others need it to sustain high-value activity - the type that subsidises the rest of the country. Ideally, we’d see both. At the moment, the UK gvmt can’t do much of the former as borrowing is already so high and bond markets/investors want to be sure their money is safe!  It is a bit of a cath-22 situation. YOu shoudln't look at this as a zero-sum gain but you should recognise the logic in investing in proven growth engines. What we need to do in Wales is develop a clear, ambitious infrastructure strategy tied to economic growth goals. The UK does invest in big projects across the rest of the UK - see city and growth deals, and NPR is progressing. More could be done, but we don't always need to look to westminster - in Europe local taxes or levies are often used to bring about new projetcs

Reply

In reply to Peter J

Anianegwr

I thoroughly disagree with your take on this. Capital investment has been poor in Wales. Deindustrialisation has been a deliberate policy. Since then, economic development policy in Wales has been patchy to say the least. That is the cause of the problem. Your argument puts the cart in front of the horse. We are where we are because of policy and choices not because of some mystical economic happenstance. Overly-centralising the British economy has profound implications for Wales. The economic consequences causes demographic shifts and skewed markets which are threatening our language and culture. I'm sorry, but the case you are making is the "dependency/subsidy" scenario that people mistakenly believe is the case between England and Wales. I genuinely feel gaslit by the argument. Make policy choices to disadvantage. Make up shortfall from central pot. Call it dependency/solidarity. I will not accept it and I will continue to campaign to change it.

Reply
Dai Ponty

First of all it was Tories who insult our nation now its liebour no difference how much more are we going to take being treated like dirt we need to get of this Union

Reply
Hal

It's a disbenefit for Wales because it makes the "Golden Triangle" more attractive to investors which makes other areas relatively less attractive without similar investment. In other words, London gets richer at everyone else's expense, again.

Reply
Peter J

That only really applies if you think companies in the Oxford -Cambridge arc are somehow expanding or setting up there purely on the basis of better infrastructure. They're not- it's closer to London, better funding opportunities, R&D ecosystem, access to high quality staff and laboratories/offices. This region is not pulling jobs away from Wales, it's competing with silicon valley, Eindhoven, hsinchu, rhine-neckar etc. It's the most important tech centre in the UK, gvmt is right to support it

Reply
Hal

This narrative assumes that the UK can only sustain one "innovation" region. Other more successful economies don't work like that.

Reply

In reply to Hal

Peter J

I didn’t suggest that. I said they’re not pulling jobs from wales. There are other parts of the uk that are closer in terms of competitiveness with Oxford - Cambridge, but they aren’t in wales, my friend. That’s what we need to change.

Reply
Anianegwr

The demographic churn between England and Wales is over a quarter of the population of Cymru over the last 30 years. That is very much a consequence of the economic disparity. That's exactly why we're frustrated at UK Govt decision making. It's not the specific project. It's the overall imbalance.

Reply
R W

Only a clearcut vote for Plaid Cymru at next year's Senedd election can finally frighten Westminster into treating Wales with a tiny bit of respect.

Reply
Brychan

For Labour, see Tories. What's Eluned, the patsy for Starmer got to say?

Reply
Cwm Rhondda

For Wales see England. When will this nonsense stop!

Reply
Dewi

Have Labour no shame once defrauding the Wales but now twice in a row.Totally brazen and shows no respect for Wales and it's people !

Reply
Matthew

The HS2 designation of an England Wales project, although a bad deal for Wales on the whole, made some small sense as though it didn't go into Wales it did release capacity at places that Welsh trains go to (Birmingham New Street, Crewe, Manchester Piccadilly) or offers an alternative to using non-HS2 trains that go to Holyhead from London Euston for example, adding seats for people who want to use this route. Then it got cut back to just the first phase and the benefits were even less to Wales as this lost the capacity release at Manchester and possibly Crewe as well. I cannot see any Welsh benefits from East West Rail at all as things stand so this designation is even worse. Although as a much smaller project we are losing less, it's still not the way we should be treated.

Reply
Matthew

The line does not unlock any capacity at places that Welsh trains currently go to that I am aware of, which was at least the case for HS2. I cannot see the logic in the designation of England and Wales for East West Rail at all at the moment.

Reply
Rob

But that's the debate. Why should matters be devolved in some UK nations but not in others? It smacks of discrimination.

Reply
Only Considerable Upsides

It was the Second Rhodri Morgan government which decided not to accept full devolution for rail infrastructure.

Reply
Rob

Agreed, but that was in the 2000s, if recent Welsh governments are calling for its devolution then why is it being ignored?

Reply

In reply to Rob

Only Considerable Upsides

From what I've read, although the current Welsh government has been campaigning for full rail devolution, the sticking point appears to be with the historic under-funding from Westminster. Cardiff Bay wants full devolution plus additional funding to make good that neglect when No10 was in charge of the majority of rail infrastructure in Wales. The UK government has acknowledged this funding gap but would appear to be reluctant to grant compensation at this time.

Reply
DarkMrakeford

Happening under a Labour UK government. This is the Barnett formula that is clearly NOT paying dividends to Wales according thanks to Britnats. Unionism continues to rob us of development and growth while telling us to be thankful for it.

Reply
Rob

What we need in Wales is investing in greater north-south links. We need to rebuild the rail line from Carmarthen to Aberystwyth, and from Criccieth to Bangor. The UK's over-centralised economy in favour of London has harmed Wales for too long. The Beeching cuts of the 1960s deprived our nation of vital transport links. We need control of our own infrastructure projects. Our economy is suffering because we are being treated as second-class nation.

Reply
Rob

Section 184(c) of Schedule 7a the Government of Wales Act 2006 reserves planning of railways, but does not reserve railways that start, end and remain in Wales. In other words: Improving the rail infrastructure of the South Wales Valleys, or the Conwy Valley Railway are devolved matters because they are entirely within Wales. However, the Holyhead - Crewe, or the Swansea - London lines, are not devolved. Lets replicate this logic to England. HS2 is entirely within England, as is the Oxford to Cambridge service therefore should be designated as such an England only matter as per the above reservation. This sums up exactly what is wrong with the Union. The UK Government wears two hats as both the Government of England and the Government of the United Kingdom at the same time, creating a conflict of interest.

Reply
David Smith

We both know the answer. Obliterate this ghastly state.

Reply
Undecided

You are correct (no matter how many thumbs down you get!). The decision not to accept the devolution of rail infrastructure 20 years ago is the issue here - even if the “England and Wales” classification is dodgy. Westminster is not going to compensate Welsh government for a wrong choice they made. Why should they? About time our politicians stopped posturing, accepted responsibility and moved on.

Reply
Rob

Even if they accepted responsibility and moved on, what is stopping a future UK government from doing the same in the future? Under the current devolution settlement rail infrastructure are not devolved unless they are rail projects that only apply within Wales. (See Section 184 under the list of reservations within Schedule 7). Meaning a Wales-only rail project is a devolved matter, therefore logic dictates that unless a rail line does not leave England is it an England only matter. By your own admission an 'England and Wales' classification is dodgy. Do you think the Scots and Northern Irish would accept this? With polls even split on Scottish independence and the political sensitivities in N Ireland I'd doubt that any UK government would have the courage to treat them in the manner they treat Wales.

Reply
Howard Edwards

Nodweddiadol o Lywodraeth Llundain. Gorau po gyntaf y daw Cymru yn annibynol. Rydym yn cael ein trin yn ddinasyddion ail ddosbarth

Reply
Solomon Riley

If EWR project are classified as England and Wales scheme then why not to create new operator for get long-distance train service from Carmarthen/Swansea to Norwich/Great Yarmouth with calling at Llanelli, Swansea, Neath, Port Talbot Parkway, Bridgend, Cardiff Central, Newport, Bristol Parkway, Swindon, Oxford, Bicester Village, Bletchley HL, Stewartby, Bedford Midland, St Neots, Cambridge South, Cambridge, Cambridge North, Ely, Thetford and Norwich. Direct train without changes in London. That's for example like that as above. That can cover 'England and Wales' scheme. Ex-RAIL Librarian.

Reply
Hal

Extend that route from Carmarthen to Aberystwyth under the EWR project and you have yourself a deal.

Reply
Y Cymro

This is taking the proverbial. If this slur doesn't get through to those deluded Labour supporters in Wales that Conservative Keir Starmer and blue Labour are Anti-Wales I don't know what will?

Reply

Leave a reply

Replying to Hal Cancel

If railways run as a "England and Wales" project gets hijacked by Whitehall and turned into a "railways for London" project that's not a great advert for your all-Britain proposal, is it?

Comments are reviewed before they appear.