Johnson Abandons His Pet Project Tunnel Link to Northern Ireland
- Decision comes ahead of spending review expected in the fall
- Premier appears optimistic HS2 rail plan will proceed in full
Boris Johnson
Photographer: Sarah Silbiger/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson abandoned a controversial plan to build a tunnel or bridge between Scotland and Northern Ireland, saying it is now last on his list of ambitions for U.K. infrastructure projects.
The proposed link, dubbed the “world’s most stupid tunnel” by the prime minister’s former chief adviser Dominic Cummings, has long divided opinion over its feasibility and a reported price tag of at least 15 billion pounds ($21 billion). The Financial Times reported this month the idea was vetoed as part of a Treasury crackdown on public spending in the wake of the pandemic.