Sturgeon Derides Johnson’s Bridge to Ireland, But Wants the Cash

(Bloomberg) -- Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon dismissed Boris Johnson’s suggestion of building a bridge from Scotland to Northern Ireland -- but said her government would be happy to take the cash instead.

The U.K. prime minister’s spokesman, James Slack, said on Monday the government is undertaking a “proper piece of work” to investigate the feasibility of constructing a bridge of more than 20 miles (32 kilometers) across the Irish Sea.

But speaking at a climate change event on Tuesday, Sturgeon said she could find better use for the money in helping Scotland on its path to cut carbon emissions to zero. Some media reports have put the cost of building the bridge at 20 billion pounds ($26 billion).

“I’m happy to take the 20 billion, Boris, but maybe not spend it on your latest bridge,” Sturgeon said at a conference in London organized by Green Alliance. “This is deep water with a munitions dump at the bottom of it. I think there are some big questions.”

To contact the reporter on this story: Alex Morales in London at amorales2@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Tim Ross at tross54@bloomberg.net, Stuart Biggs, Mark Williams

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