> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# HS2 campaigners hit back at ‘privileged’ claims
- URL: https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/hs2-campaigners-hit-back-at-privileged-claims/
- Published: 2011-07-05T09:00:41.000Z
- Updated: 2011-07-04T07:57:45.000Z
- Author: Lichfield Live
- Tags: Transport, HS2, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-07-22 19:32, News

Campaigners fighting against plans for a high speed railway that will cut through parts of Lichfield and the surrounding area have hit back at criticism from a pro-HS2 supporter.

Professor David Begg, director of the campaign group [Yes to High Speed Rail](http://www.campaignforhsr.com/?ref=lichfieldlive.co.uk), [told the BBC](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-13943014?ref=lichfieldlive.co.uk) that some of those fighting the line were “in a very, very privileged position economically while a number of people who would benefit from high-speed rail are not in the same position”.

But his comments have angered Joe Rukin, founder of the Stop HS2 campaign group. He said:

> “As a single father hardly surviving on income support, I find the idea that I am ‘economically privileged’ coming from a man who [charges between £4,000 and £7,000](http://www.cityspeakersinternational.co.uk/speakers/speaker%5Fdavid%5Fbegg.php?ref=lichfieldlive.co.uk) just for speaking utterly disgusting. That man only has to open his mouth twice to earn more than I do in a year.  
>  
> “Stop HS2 has spent only around £15,000 in over a year of operation, which equates to about what just two speaking engagements could net that man. Professor Begg is simply a propagandist mercenary who, in line with the whole case for HS2\. hopes that people won’t inspect the facts behind the spin.”

And Mr Rukin has claimed his rival campaigners are the ones who have the real financial clout.

He explained:

> “Within weeks of launching asking for funding, the Yes campaign have got enough money from big business for paid staff and an open-top bus. After a year of operation, we can stretch to banners, t-shirts and leaflets. We’ve just managed to secure a rent-free office, simply because Warwickshire County Council were going to demolish it as part of the programme to build a train station in Kenilworth.  
>  
> “As you might expect, that project, one which would actually be of benefit to the environment and local people, didn’t get funding so rather than leave the building derelict, the Council have taken the Government’s Big Society programme to heart and kindly let us use it.”  
>  
> “The building is a mess and will be got into shape by an army of volunteers and everything that goes into the building will get there as a result of begging. Just last week I was building a concrete step so I could weld the fire escape we got from eBay into position.  
>  
> “The reality of our campaign is a world away from the bowler hat propaganda that the Yes campaign are punting. It’s also a world away from the plush offices they surely sit in while they dream up ways of ignoring the facts about HS2 by demonising the opposition to this fast train for fat cats trying to conduct a debate from the gutter.”