Boris Johnson’s former chief adviser Dominic Cummings had previously described the plan as "stupid".
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson's plan to build a tunnel between Northern Ireland and Scotland is reportedly "dead".
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The project was floated with an eye to make it quicker for people to travel and transport goods, as well as to help maintain the union following Brexit.
However, according to the Financial Times, UK government officials have said the plan will not be coming into fruition anytime soon amid cuts in a spending review.
The project was estimated to cost at least £15 billion and has been reportedly put on hold as the UK government looks to rebuild its economy following the Covid-19 pandemic.
A government official told the Financial Times: “It’s dead - at least for now”.
The Prime Minister is, however, said to have ordered a review of “union connectivity” that will report on priority schemes ahead of the 27 October Budget.
While a spokesperson for the government declined to reveal to the Financial Times if the tunnel would survive the spending review, they said boosting connectivity across the UK and improving transport infrastructure are at the heart of the government's "levelling-up" agenda.
Meanwhile, Johnson’s former chief adviser Dominic Cummings said in July about the Northern Ireland link: “The prime minister’s only agenda is to buy more trains, buy more buses, have more bikes and build the world’s most stupid tunnel to Ireland.”
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