BORIS JOHNSON has lent his support to proposals for a potential bridge between Northern Ireland and Scotland.
The Conservative leadership contender offered his endorsement during a hustings event with party members in Northern Ireland this week.
The idea of construction a road connecting the two regions is one that has previously been put forward by the DUP with leader Arlene Foster and MP Sammy Wilson both showing support for the idea.
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon also refused to rule out the idea when pressed on the matter earlier this year – and it would appear Johnson is also onboard.
According to the Press Association, Johnson told the assembled Conservative Party members:
“I am an enthusiast for that idea, I’m going to put it out there, I think it’s a good idea but again that is the kind of project that should be pursued by a dynamic Northern Ireland government championed by local people with local consent and interest, backed by local business and mobilised by the politicians in Northern Ireland.”
“That’s what should happen. I’m all in favour of it but it’s got to be supported by people here in Northern Ireland.”
(Photo by Chris J Ratcliffe - WPA Pool /Getty Images)Johnson went on to outline how the project could be financed, noting that any potential roadblocks to the idea would be purely political rather than fiscal.
“With infrastructure projects, finance is not the issue, the issue is political will, the issue is getting the business community to see that this could be something that works for them, the issue is getting popular demand and popular consent for a great infrastructure project, and that is why you need Stormont.”
Architect Professor Alan Dunlop previously put forward two options for the bridge that would potentially connect either Larne with Portpatrick or Mull of Kintyre and Torr Head.
Professor Dunlop suggested the cost of such a project would be somewhere in the region of £15 billion to £20 billion.
