JOHNSON REVAMPS AGENDA TO MEET DEEP RECESSION

Boris Johnson plans to reset his government’s agenda with a major speech and a financial statement to prepare the United Kingdom for the new reality after the pandemic. Amid forecasts of the worst recession in 300 years, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak is drawing up options to bolster the economy after the government withdraws its package of financial support in the months ahead, according to people familiar with the matter. For Johnson, the priority will be to focus on reasserting his broader political mission, one said. The Conservative leader and public face of Brexit, Johnson was elected with a majority six months ago on a promise to “level up” the forgotten parts of the country. Yet his plans have been derailed by the global pandemic.