Hoping to win back voters, UK’s Johnson returns to election pledges
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British Prime Minister Boris Johnson returned to his election pledges to tackle regional inequalities and maximise post-Brexit freedoms on Tuesday, hoping to win back voters in southern England who abandoned his party in local polls last week.
In the traditional Queen’s Speech, read for the first time in 59 years by Prince Charles rather than Queen Elizabeth due to her mobility problems, Johnson said his Conservative government would “deliver on the promises we made” in the 2019 election.
But there was little to comfort the millions of people struggling with higher fuel and food costs, with the government reiterating that it would “repair the public finances” rather than channel additional money to cushion the blow.
“Her Majesty’s government’s priority is to grow and strengthen the economy and help ease the cost of living for families,” Charles said, reading a text written by the government that sets out its plans for the next parliamentary session.
“Her Majesty’s government will drive economic growth to improve living standards and fund sustainable investment in public services. This will be underpinned by a responsible approach to the public finances, reducing debt while reforming and cutting taxes.”
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak will have more to say in the coming days on helping voters with the current cost of living crisis, Johnson said later in parliament.
Speaking during a debate on his legislative agenda, announced earlier in the day, Johnson outlined the damage the COVID-19 pandemic had done to the economy and public finances, compounded by a spike in energy prices.
He said the government had already helped families with the increase to their cost of living, and would continue to do so.
“We will continue to use all our ingenuity and compassion for as long as it takes. My Right Honourable friend the Chancellor (Sunak) and I will be saying more about this in the days to come,” Johnson said
It was not clear whether Johnson was signalling another imminent round of support.
A finance ministry source said plans for any support on energy bills would be announced once details of the next price cap level, due to be set from October, were known.
