UK PM Johnson pushes new policies to reset leadership after confidence vote

Embattled British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday sought to move on from the "Partygate "scandal by paving the way for tax cuts and promising to make home ownership easier for young people.

In his first policy speech since Monday's vote of confidence, in which 41 percent of his own lawmakers voted against him, Johnson tried to reset his leadership by promising to make economic growth his top priority.

The prime minister is attempting to mend relations with those Conservative members of Parliament who revolted against his leadership.

"Over the next few weeks, the government will be setting out reforms to help people cut costs in every area of household expenditure, from food to energy to childcare to transport and housing," Johnson said while on a visit to the northern county of Lancashire, according to excerpts from his speech released earlier.

The prime minister said he wants to extend the right to buy homes to people who rent from housing associations, and the BBC reported that the government could allow social welfare payments, known as housing benefit, to count toward a mortgage.

Johnson won the confidence vote called by his party colleagues after scandals over COVID-19 lockdown-breaking parties at Downing Street and questions over his integrity in general.

Some Conservative MPs remain disgruntled over taxation policy and there are growing concerns around the government's economic record.

The Financial Times on Thursday reported a warning from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, or OECD, that Britain is on the brink of a recession and predicted zero economic growth for the UK next year.

Worsening economy

The country's economic growth is set to be the worst of the G20 group of nations apart from Russia, said the OECD analysis, which attributes the forecast to the effect of rapid inflation on household spending and high levels of taxation.

The Paris-based OECD said living standards would continue to fall next year with the poorest groups worst impacted by the surging cost of living that is being stoked by the conflict in Ukraine. It said Europe was most affected because of its heavy reliance on Russian oil and gas imports, and that the conflict had slowed the global economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Johnson said: "We have the tools we need to get on top of rising prices. The global headwinds are strong. But our engines are stronger."

The opposition Labour Party said Johnson was deluded, reported Reuters.

"No wonder he is unwilling to face the reality that economic growth in the UK will grind to a halt next year," said Labour lawmaker Tulip Siddiq.

jonathan@mail.chinadailyuk.com