5
may
2014
infrastructure
investor
EDITOR’S CHOICE
In return for his help in the run-up to the UK general election in 2015,
LondonMayor Boris Johnson is reported by the
Evening Standard
newspaper
to be targeting an infrastructure “super-post” in the cabinet in the event of
a Conservative victory.
The role would be seen as due reward for Johnson’s delivery of the
OlympicGames andCrossrail projects during hisMayoral tenure andwould
hand him responsibility for transport, business and housing – and a big
chunk of government spending.
The outspoken Johnson held shadow posts in government (in arts in
2004 andhigher education from2005 to 2007) before taking over asMayor
of London fromKenLivingstone inMay 2008. He has long been tipped for
an eventual return to government – possibly as Conservative leader should
the vacancy arise.
Some of our readersmay recall Johnson’s description of the Tube Lines
public-private partnership (PPP) as “an attempt at daylight robbery” in 2010.
“In other countries this would be called looting, here it is called PPP,” he
also said of the ill-fated project.
In the event of Johnson attaining the role he is said to covet, the UK’s
PPP professionals will no doubt be hoping he does not see all PPP deals
in the same light.
n
Clean energy boosters on Capitol Hill have
borrowed a page from World War bonds with
their introduction of a new bill: the Clean
Energy Victory Bonds Act of 2014.
Introduced by two Democrat Representa-
tives – California’s Zoe Lofgren and Doris
Matsui – the bill has 14 Democrat co-sponsors
from various states. Endorsed by clean energy
promoter Green America and the American
Sustainable Business Council, a proposed new
US treasury bond would enable Americans to
invest in the nation’s clean energy future in
denominations as low as $25.
Ultimately, the so-called “Victory Bonds”
would aim to leverage $50 billion of investment to provide
up to $150 billion in public and private financing to fund
the production of innovative energy technolo-
gies and create at least a million jobs.
“There are currently few investment oppor-
tunities for the average investor interested in
supporting the shift to a clean energy economy
so this bond fills a need for both investors and
industry,” said Todd Larsen, corporate respon-
sibility division director at Green America, in
a statement.
War bonds are issued by governments to
finance military operations and other expendi-
ture in times of war and were particularly popu-
lar during the two World Wars of the 20th Cen-
tury. In the US, so-called “Liberty Bonds” were
issued to help pay for the country’s involvement in World
War One. The measure raised $21.5 billion.
n
Boris wants infra post – PPPs beware?
Sign up for the war on climate change
London Mayor Boris Johnson is reported to have his sights on an infrastructure
brief next year
Americans are being asked to write cheques for clean energy in a move bringing
back memories of the two World Wars
Johnson
: was no fan of Tube Lines
