• Privacy policy
  • T&C’s
  • About Us
    • FAQ
    • Meet the Team
  • Contact us
  • Guest Content
TLE ONLINE SHOP!
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
  • JOBS
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
SUPPORT THE LONDON ECONOMIC
NEWSLETTER
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
  • JOBS
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
No Result
View All Result
Home Opinion

This is why Boris is obsessed with big infrastructure

As well as being a fantasist Boris Johnson is also a master of deception, and he knows the more time we spend talking about big bridges and floating airports the less we spend examining things that matter in the real world.

Jack Peat by Jack Peat
2019-07-03 12:30
in Opinion
credit;PA

credit;PA

FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmailWhatsapp

Yesterday Boris Johnson declared his support for a £20 billion bridge linking Northern Ireland to Scotland as he appeared at a hustings in Belfast.

Two options for the bridge – connecting either Larne with Portpatrick or Torr Head with Mull of Kintyre – were tabled by architect Alan Dunlop last year and have already garnered significant criticism, namely over their practicality and expense.  

But that is unlikely to be of concern to Johnson. He has used big infrastructure projects throughout his political career as a useful distraction over his obvious inability to tackle the real issues.

You only have to look at his London Mayor legacy. In a period dominated by London riots, a financial crash and redundant water cannons the three things he is often remembered for are the three that he put his name to; Boris Island, Boris bikes and the Boris bridge.

His airport plans dominated the press for months but were eventually scrapped at huge cost to the taxpayer because they were simply unworkable. Not unlike the “Brexit bridge” his plans for an airport in the Thames Estuary were pie in the sky, described by one aviation expert as being the ‘very worst spot’ for the south-east to put an airport.

His London garden bridge project also collapsed after he shelled out £37 million developing plans for it. The “garden paradise” was canned by Sadiq Khan who said he could not justify the £200 million construction, but that didn’t stop it making the headlines at the time despite many other more pressing issues being deserving of more attention.

And of course the Boris bikes will likely remain associated to him for years to come even though the scheme was initially proposed by Ken Livingstone. Projects like Crossrail and the 2012 Olympic Games were also carried out under his name even though he had little to do with their conception. But that, in many ways, seems to be the point.

As well as being a fantasist Boris is also a master of deception. He knows that if we talk about big bridges, floating airports and public bicycle systems with his name on it then we will spend less time examining the things that matter in the real world.

As I wrote here, he has a long history of making bad policies that make good headlines, and that should be his legacy. But unfortunately people still get blinkered by his dreamy ideas, which is precisely why he is odds-on to become the next British Prime Minister.

RelatedPosts

Elevenses: Agenda Setting

Elevenses: The Illusion Of Action

Anti-immigration sentiment has plummeted in the UK – have the Tories failed to read the room?

Is the key to the migrant crisis allowing them to contribute?

Content Protection by DMCA.com
Tags: headline

Since you are here

Since you are here, we wanted to ask for your help.

Journalism in Britain is under threat. The government is becoming increasingly authoritarian and our media is run by a handful of billionaires, most of whom reside overseas and all of them have strong political allegiances and financial motivations.

Our mission is to hold the powerful to account. It is vital that free media is allowed to exist to expose hypocrisy, corruption, wrongdoing and abuse of power. But we can't do it without you.

If you can afford to contribute a small donation to the site it will help us to continue our work in the best interests of the public. We only ask you to donate what you can afford, with an option to cancel your subscription at any point.

To donate or subscribe to The London Economic, click here.

The TLE shop is also now open, with all profits going to supporting our work.

The shop can be found here.

You can also SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER .

Subscribe to our Newsletter

View our  Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions

Trending on TLE

  • All
  • trending

Elevenses: Exposing the Tories’ Deepfake Illegal Immigration Bill

Elevenses: Rishi’s Finest Hour

Elevenses: Fear and Loathing in the New Conservatives

More from TLE

Figures show major growth in trade between Republic and Northern Ireland

No-deal Brexit chills send pound to a five-month low vs euro

‘You’re turning into Piers Morgan’: Adil Ray blasts Edwina Currie over NHS migrant worker comments

Tory minister says food banks are the “perfect way” to help the poor

Pogba’s Man Utd future still uncertain? Arsenal to land long-term target?

How to make the ultimate tuna sandwich (with actual tuna and actual bread)

‘I don’t want to curtail his right to be noisy’: Labour MP sarcastically responds to Tory loudly protesting from the front bench

Low-paid workers in insecure jobs are more likely to die from Covid-19

Flashback: To when Boris Johnson claimed money for a Remembrance wreath

Dementia may run in the wider family

JOBS

FIND MORE JOBS

About Us

TheLondonEconomic.com – Open, accessible and accountable news, sport, culture and lifestyle.

Read more

Contact

Editorial enquiries, please contact: [email protected]

Commercial enquiries, please contact: [email protected]

Address

The London Economic Newspaper Limited t/a TLE
Company number 09221879
International House,
24 Holborn Viaduct,
London EC1A 2BN,
United Kingdom

SUPPORT

We do not charge or put articles behind a paywall. If you can, please show your appreciation for our free content by donating whatever you think is fair to help keep TLE growing and support real, independent, investigative journalism.

DONATE & SUPPORT

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.




No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Food
  • Travel
  • JOBS
  • More…
    • Elevenses
    • Opinion
    • Property
    • Tech & Auto
  • About Us
    • Meet the Team
    • Privacy policy
  • Contact us

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.