Bountiful Boris can’t afford to get it wrong

ANOTHER day, another spending commitment from our new Prime Minister, bountiful Boris Johnson.

This time it was a £1.8billion cash boost for frontline NHS services and the essential refurbishment of 20 hospitals, put on hold because of the financial squeeze, with £180million earmarked for Scotland.

It comes on top of his promise to recruit more police, allocate £3.6billion to help revitalise ‘left behind’ towns, and provide new cash for schools and fast broadband.

Meanwhile, he has also pledged to cut the tax burden on individuals and business, and lay out an extra £2.1billion for No Deal preparations.

Individually, these pledges are not colossal. But they do add up. Of course, there is some method in the madness of this spend, spend, spend approach. Crime and the NHS cut across all party lines. This is a recognition that the new Prime Minister is keen to invest in them.

Equally, tax cuts are seldom unpopular. There may be an election coming and he needs to show voters of all stripes that he has a vision for the future of this country beyond Brexit.

Similarly, the referendum exposed the growing gap between affluent London and struggling ‘left behind’ towns in other parts of the country. It’s clear Mr Johnson hopes to convince people in those neglected regions that he can be their champion.

With Parliament in recess, he has so far had a fairly clear run. When the Commons reconvenes, the scale of opposition to his plans to take Britain out of the EU without a deal if necessary will come into stark relief.

Ultimately, he will be judged on his pledge to take Britain out of the EU by October 31. His senior aides say it’s too late for Parliament to prevent No Deal, but that remains to be seen.

If we don’t leave by Halloween, an early election seems inevitable. Going to the country would be a huge gamble, but last week’s by-election in Brecon and Radnorshire showed a significant ‘Boris Bounce’. And he calculates that the giveaways he is announcing now will add further fuel to his campaign, especially outside the London bubble.

But election or no election, Mr Johnson should be cautious about spending public money like a man with no hands.

Austerity may be over. But financial prudence should be forever.