Outgoing PM Boris Johnson to leave ‘major’ fiscal decisions to next PM
August 8, 2022, 7:46 pm

Outgoing PM Boris Johnson to leave ‘major’ fiscal decisions to next PM

File photo. UK PM Boris Johnson's official Facebbok page

Prime Minister Boris Johnson will not make “major fiscal interventions” before leaving office next month, his spokesman said on Monday (August 8) amid calls for immediate government action to tackle Britain’s cost-of-living crisis, the Alarabiya English reported, citing the AFP.

Johnson, back at his desk after a five-day belated honeymoon with wife Carrie in Slovenia last week, has been criticized for being absent just as the Bank of England warned that a year-long recession is looming.

His trip coincided with finance minister Nadhim Zahawi also being away on holiday, as the central bank hiked interest rates by the biggest margin in nearly three decades in a bid to stem surging inflation.

Johnson, who announced last month that he would step down on September 6 following a slew of scandals, is set to hand power to either Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak after a summer-long leadership battle.

“By convention, it is not for this prime minister to make major fiscal interventions during this period,” Johnson’s spokesman told reporters. “It will be for a future prime minister.”

Outgoing PM Boris Johnson to leave ‘major’ fiscal decisions to next PM - Pic. Official Facebook account

Johnson’s government had already unveiled several measures to help people with rising prices, he said, but acknowledged “some of the global pressures have increased since that was announced”.

Both Truss, the frontrunner to replace him, and Sunak have vowed to tackle Britain’s spiraling inflation rate and worsening economic landscape from their first day in office.

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But figures from across the political spectrum have been demanding more urgent moves -- including former Prime Minister Gordon Brown on Monday.

“When I say people have been asleep at the wheel, it’s not true -- they’ve not been at the wheel,” Brown told LBC radio, as he toured various broadcast studios to highlight the worsening cost-of-living situation.

“That’s the problem. And we’ve got to get them back to work to take the action that is necessary,” he said, adding: “it’s not good enough acting in September or October.”

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Downing Street last week refused to confirm Johnson’s honeymoon destination, but insisted he was still at the helm, rather than handing over temporarily to Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab.

Slovenian television news outlets reported he left the country on Sunday evening after spending four nights at a mountain resort and visiting the capital Ljubljana, in what sounded like a work-light trip.

The British leader told Slovenian TV stations as he departed: “We climbed every available mountain, we jumped in the lakes, we (went) on bicycles and we had a wonderful time.”

Source: alarabiyaenglish

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”