Sizing-up Johnson’s builder credentials

There will be £1.5bn extra this year for NHS building and maintenance projects, according to Boris Johnson, in his speech in Dudley on 29 June, outlining measures to help the UK through the economic shock of the coronavirus pandemic. The £1.5bn is part of the “£5bn of capital investment projects, supporting jobs and the economic recovery”.

On closer inspection, most of the promises in the speech – on houses, schools and roads – have turned out to be money or schemes that have already been announced in the March budget.

The £1.5 bn for the NHS will be added on to the Capital budget and will be used “hospital maintenance, eradicating mental health dormitories, enabling hospital building, and improving A&E capacity.” according to the government statement.

Full story in The Lowdown, 7 July 2020