Today’s Queen’s Speech will be quickly forgotten: it was a preliminary skirmish in a six-month-long pre-election battle, or, if you prefer, a taster before a four-course banquet.
By definition, it was a mini-speech, as there are at most six months before the election campaign starts, and perhaps just four and a half months before Parliament is dissolved.
That means that few even of the reduced list of bills will become law in their full version, though some may be gutted and their non-contentious provisions enacted. Shortage of time is likely to be more a problem for the bills announced today than opposition in Parliament.
The Conservatives have been dismissive of some of the aspirational bills, such as on fiscal responsbility and eliminating child poverty, but they will not vote against them.
Read Full Article »