UK’s Johnson vows to spend to boost infrastructure
June 30, 2019, 1:10 pm

UK’s Johnson vows to spend to boost infrastructure

Currently the favorite against Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, Johnson told Sky News there was cash available to spend on public services. File photoReuters

Boris Johnson said he would be willing to increase government borrowing to boost Britain’s infrastructure as he set out plans to take on the opposition Labour Party if he wins the race to be the next prime minister.

Currently the favorite against Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, Johnson said the government had not spent enough on public services such as education in recent years and needed to increase spending and cut tax rates to spur economic growth.

Johnson also said he would be an evangelist for business, adding that a crude remark he made last year dismissing corporate concerns about Brexit had been taken out of context.

“At the moment there is the headroom available and we intend to use it,” Johnson told Sky News.

Asked if he would increase borrowing he replied: “If it’s borrowing to finance a great infrastructure project, and there’s the opportunity to borrow at low rates for the long-term benefit of the country, then we should do them.”

Johnson has already made a series of pledges to increase public spending if he becomes prime minister, from hiking investment in transport to demanding a national rollout of superfast broadband and increasing police numbers, while cutting taxes for the lower and higher paid.

Former foreign minister Johnson and Hunt are battling each other to succeed Theresa May as prime minister and finally deliver Brexit, which has been delayed until October 31.

With the winner decided by the Brexit-backing Conservative Party members, Hunt has toughened his language around how he plans to leave the European Union, saying he would withhold some of the divorce agreement and reiterated his desire to leave by October 31.

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has announced its sponsorship of the “Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition (GU - IST Solutions), hosted by Gulf University at its main campus.
This strategic sponsorship reflects BENEFIT’s active role in advancing technological innovation and fostering sustainable solutions to future challenges. It also seeks to empower Bahraini youth by enhancing their skills, capabilities, and competitiveness in innovation and solution development—contributing meaningfully to the broader goals of sustainable development across all sectors.
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Dr. Aseel Al Ayash Dean of the College of Engineering in Gulf University commented, “We extend our sincere gratitude to BENEFIT for their generous sponsorship and support of the Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition. This contribution plays an instrumental role in helping us achieve the strategic goals of this initiative, namely, cultivating a culture of innovation and sustainability, encouraging efforts that address the imperatives of sustainable development, and enhancing the practical and professional capabilities of our students and participants.”
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The competition seeks to inspire participants to develop and present innovative, sustainable technologies aimed at addressing pressing environmental, social, and economic challenges. It encourages the formulation of business models that integrate advanced technological solutions with core principles of sustainability. Moreover, it serves as a platform for emerging leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators to contribute to the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals, promote the ethos of responsible technology, and demonstrate its transformative potential across various sectors.
Attendees will have the opportunity to view a series of project presentations submitted by participants, covering diverse areas such as eco-friendly product design, smart and sustainable innovations, renewable energy technologies, water conservation and management, waste minimisation and recycling, green architectural solutions, and sustainable transportation systems. Outstanding projects will be formally recognised and awarded at the conclusion of the event.