THE QUEEN’S SPEECH 21 June 2017
OVERVIEW WILL WALDEN Managing Director, Public Affairs Former Director of Communications to Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson On the longest – and possibly the hottest – day of the year, the Queen came to Parliament shorn of royal finery to deliver her 64th Address from the Throne. It was Theresa May’s first – and, in all probability, her last. For the Prime Minister, every day must feel like the longest day. An election reverse now laid firmly at her door - and with it her autocratic, wooden, Maybotic style of leadership painfully exposed. Her two senior advisors gone. The fallout from the Grenfell Tower fire – no empathy, no timing, help that came too late. The terror threat – and with it claims of underinvestment in policing. A bullish DUP. Brexit. This is a Prime Minister who is without not just a majority but also much of her authority. She can still manage to get along to party fundraisers, assure donors that “at least we saved the Union” and get ultra-loyalists like Damian Green to defend her, but today’s is a programme for a Government led by a PM whose time in office may in all probability be measured in months rather than years. The Speech itself was undeniably thin. David Cameron used regularly to put forward 50-odd Bills for debate in one Session. For the next two years, we are promised barely 30. There will be plenty of parliamentary time to fill with backbench-led debates (good news for those who would like MPs to push this minority Government, vulnerable to well-organised rebellions, to listen to campaigns). There will also be plenty of time for MPs and Peers to make mischief: snap votes, Urgent Questions and emergency debates will wear government down and catch Ministers out. The Speech was, of course, dominated by Brexit and we can expect to see the Repeal Bill (no longer Great, it seems) sooner rather than later. It will be the first big controversy of this Parliament. Ministers want ‘Henry VIII’ powers to abolish, amend and reorganise legislation without reference to Parliament. Labour, as well as the 18th century tendency on the Tory backbenches – step forward, Mr Jacob Rees-Mogg – will baulk at this Executive power grab. Perhaps more important, though, is what will take place away
from the Commons Chamber. Parliament already has to deal with hundreds of pieces of secondary legislation – the detailed regulations that underpin our laws – every year. Under the Repeal Bill and with Brexit, this will become a tsunami. Bodies like the Institute for Government predict anywhere from 800 to 1,300 Statutory Instruments. New MPs in particular are in for a baptism of procedural fire as Parliament strains at the seams to deal with the deluge. This is before we even get to the Bills which are necessary to set up new systems for the powers we’re getting back from Brussels. Each will be hugely controversial with different groups of MPs for Number 10 to politically manage. Immigration is the obvious hot potato, but the agriculture and fisheries Bills will get rough rides. Even seemingly innocuous Bills such as the one on nuclear safety will need to be taken forward carefully, keeping Cumbrian MPs on board while watching out for wrecking tactics from the SNP. Welcome to the new world of minority government. Elsewhere, Theresa May has at least tried to show that she hasn’t forgotten the pledges she made when she first stood on the steps of Number 10 what seemed like an age ago – but was in fact only July last year. Raising the Living Wage, skilling up people for the jobs of the future, tackling discrimination and action on mental health are all there. But junked are manifesto promises on fox hunting, school meals, grammar schools, the winter fuel allowance and the triple lock on pensions. She’s going ahead with a measure to “tackle unfair practices in the energy market” - perhaps gambling (something demonstrably she’s not good at!) that opposition support will outweigh grumbles from the Conservative backbenches, although it doesn’t specify the detail and will be out to consultation. As will the reform of social care – so very toxic to her brand in the election and now confirmed as having a ceiling as well as a floor. Oh, and in the ‘State Visits to look forward to’ section, there’s no mention of President Trump. How times have changed. The truth is that for all today’s pomp and circumstance, this Speech could be academic in a few weeks’ time. This is a Prime Minister and a Government at the mercy of events. If the DUP refuse to deal or external events further expose Mrs May’s shortcomings, Her Majesty could find herself delivering her 65th Queen’s Speech sooner than she expected. Mrs May must show she can listen and lead. She’s done it before, but the test now is real – and immediate. The clock is running.
WHAT IT MEANS FOR BREXIT LUCY THOMAS Director, Public Affairs Former Deputy Director, Britain Stronger In Europe What did we learn? No big surprises here. The purpose of all the Brexit Bills is to make sure there are no giant holes where EU law once was; and to give the Government the legal basis to make any necessary changes once we leave the EU. In this sense, it is not indicative of where any Brexit deal will definitely end up; rather, these Bills are about making it possible to reach certain conclusions, such as leaving the Single Market, Customs Union and ending the free movement of people.
wherever practical, the same rules and laws apply after exit and therefore maximising certainty for individuals and businesses.” Customs Union The Speech made clear that the UK’s prerogative would be to make our own trade deals with the rest of the world by operating a “standalone customs and indirect taxes regime.” Immigration
Given that the EU talks are ongoing, there is a limit to the amount of detail that can be provided about what any future trade arrangements, immigration rules and so on might be – hence the repeated phrase, “whatever the outcome of the negotiations”.
No detail on the specifics of what rules might be in place long term, but making it possible for the Government to end EU rules on free movement and “make migration of EU nationals and their family members subject to relevant UK law once the UK has left the EU.”
Some key phrases give an indication of how things might proceed. High up in the explanatory notes to the Speech was that the Repeal Bill should allow for a “smooth and orderly transition as the UK leaves the EU, ensuring that,
What was missing? There was no reference to how long any transitional arrangement might last, nor what the terms might be.
THE REACTION LAURA KUENSSBERG BBC Political Editor
Sky News Political Correspondent
Right at the top, claim Government wants to build ‘widest possible consensus’ – tone change is there.
Government spokesperson confirms it’s no longer a priority to repeal the Fixed Term Parliaments Act as set out in Tory manifesto. Wonder why …
STEVEN SWINFORD Telegraph Deputy Political Editor Number 10 can’t say if Salisbury Convention, under which Lords agree not to oppose manifesto pledges, will apply given Tory policy bonfire.
JANE MERRICK Freelance journalist The Queen announces state visit by King and Queen of Spain, but *not* the expected Donald Trump visit
21 June 2017
LEWIS GOODALL
BETH RIGBY Sky News Senior Political Correspondent Lib Dems will table amendment on Single Market membership. Over to you Chuka Umunna, Emma Reynolds et al …
GEORGE OSBORNE STRIPPED OF HER POWER The vengeful former Chancellor and Evening Standard Editor gives his paper’s verdict
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