Boris Johnson lays out vision for post-coronavirus UK, says pandemic a catalyst for change
- The prime minister told the Conservative Party conference he aims to make Britain a world leader in renewable energy
- Johnson also dismissed speculation that he had lost his ‘mojo’ after contracting Covid-19, saying it was ‘seditious propaganda’
In a sometimes combative speech to his Conservative Party, Johnson said simply defeating the virus was not enough, because history has shown that “events of this magnitude” often lead to social and economic change.
“We see these moments as the time to learn, and to improve on the world that went before, and that’s why this government will build back better,” Johnson said in a video address to the annual party conference, which is being held online this year due to the pandemic.
The speech was an effort to inject optimism into the political debate and shift focus away from the government’s response to the pandemic, which has killed more than 42,000 people in Britain, the highest death toll in Europe.
People from across the political spectrum have criticised the government’s test and trace system, and members of Johnson’s own party have opposed restrictions aimed at slowing the spread of the disease.
In his 30-minute speech Johnson underscored previous pledges to hire more nurses and police officers, upgrade highways and railways, and make Britain a world leader in renewable energy. This will give private industry the tools it needs to build a stronger, more equitable economy, he said.