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| Brexit: Queen's speech says government priority is to leave EU on 31 October - live news | Brexit: Queen's speech says government priority is to leave EU on 31 October - live news |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Here is an extract from Boris Johnson’s statement about the Queen’s speech in his introduction to the Queen’s speech briefing pack (pdf). As befits a former motoring correspondent of GQ, he uses a driving metaphor – promising to “get the gears on our national gearbox working again”. | |
| This Queen’s speech delivers on my promise as prime minister to get this amazing country of ours moving again. People are tired of stasis, gridlock and waiting for change. They don’t want to wait for improvements in their hospitals. They don’t want to wait for their streets to be made safer. They don’t want to wait for their schools to have the funding they need to give their children the superb education they deserve. | |
| And they don’t want to wait any longer to get Brexit done and to answer that clarion call of 17.4m people in the greatest exercise of democracy in our national history. | |
| So we are going to get the gears on our national gearbox working again. Leaving the EU is a defining opportunity for us to set a new course and a new direction for our country – to do the things we have not been allowed to for decades, to tear away that bureaucratic red tape, to set our own rules, and to release the talent, creativity, innovation and chutzpah that exists in every corner of our United Kingdom. | |
| It is striking how, despite being one of the architects of the vote to leave the EU, Johnson is now desperate to move beyond the “gridlock” that the referendum result engendered. | |
| In his statement, Johnson also revives a line that he used during his speech to the Tory conference. He says: | |
| If there is one great British institution that has the emotional force to bring our country together, it is our NHS. It is sacred in our nation precisely because at its heart is the simple beauty of the principle that whoever you are, no matter where you come from, if you fall sick the whole country gathers figuratively at your bedside. | |
| (You can see why Johnson is taken by the metaphor, but I’m not sure it works. Personally, if I were in hospital, the last thing I would want would be the whole nation by my bedside.) | |
| I missed this moment earlier ... | I missed this moment earlier ... |
| pic.twitter.com/C3yZzQd7u0 | pic.twitter.com/C3yZzQd7u0 |
| The government has now published its 130-page Queen’s speech briefing pack (pdf). | The government has now published its 130-page Queen’s speech briefing pack (pdf). |
| This includes a statement by the prime minister, the full text of the Queen’s speech (always the most boring speech delivered by anyone during the political calendar – it is basically just a list), and briefing notes on all the government bills being planned. | |
| Here is my colleague Peter Walker’s story about the Queen’s speech. | Here is my colleague Peter Walker’s story about the Queen’s speech. |
| Queen's speech reveals tougher jail terms and end to free movement | Queen's speech reveals tougher jail terms and end to free movement |
| And this is how it starts. | And this is how it starts. |
| The government has announced a proposed legislative programme dominated by post-Brexit bills and a renewed focus on law and order in an unusual Queen’s speech, one mainly used by Boris Johnson as a preview of the Conservatives’ election manifesto. | The government has announced a proposed legislative programme dominated by post-Brexit bills and a renewed focus on law and order in an unusual Queen’s speech, one mainly used by Boris Johnson as a preview of the Conservatives’ election manifesto. |
| The summary of planned new laws read out by the Queen to mark the new session of parliament contained 26 new or returning bills, more than a third of which relate to new arrangements following departure from the EU. | The summary of planned new laws read out by the Queen to mark the new session of parliament contained 26 new or returning bills, more than a third of which relate to new arrangements following departure from the EU. |
| Other key elements of a speech widely trailed in advance included plans for tougher jail sentences and controversial proposals to oblige people to show photographic ID before they are allowed to vote. | Other key elements of a speech widely trailed in advance included plans for tougher jail sentences and controversial proposals to oblige people to show photographic ID before they are allowed to vote. |
| Back to Brexit, and at the European commission’s daily briefing the commission’s spokeswoman, Mina Andreeva, got sidetracked into musing about lighting effects when responding to a question about progress in the Brexit talks. Asked about “light at the end of the tunnel” and whether the light was “static” or “approaching”, she replied: | Back to Brexit, and at the European commission’s daily briefing the commission’s spokeswoman, Mina Andreeva, got sidetracked into musing about lighting effects when responding to a question about progress in the Brexit talks. Asked about “light at the end of the tunnel” and whether the light was “static” or “approaching”, she replied: |
| I’m really not a technician in light bulbs or light effects. Maybe it could be a flashing light, because sometimes it’s stronger, sometimes it’s less strong. So let’s see what kind of light we will see at the end. Hopefully there will be light indeed. | I’m really not a technician in light bulbs or light effects. Maybe it could be a flashing light, because sometimes it’s stronger, sometimes it’s less strong. So let’s see what kind of light we will see at the end. Hopefully there will be light indeed. |
| From Jack McConnell, a Labour peer | From Jack McConnell, a Labour peer |
| Behind the scenes, the carriages ‘park up’ #QueensSpeech pic.twitter.com/uPVS4Nu6Fy | Behind the scenes, the carriages ‘park up’ #QueensSpeech pic.twitter.com/uPVS4Nu6Fy |
| She says the union is of the utmost importance to the government. | She says the union is of the utmost importance to the government. |
| Steps will be taken to protect the integrity of democracy, she says. | Steps will be taken to protect the integrity of democracy, she says. |
| The government will maintain defence spending at 2% of GDP. | The government will maintain defence spending at 2% of GDP. |
| And the UK will continue to play a leading role in global affairs, she says. | And the UK will continue to play a leading role in global affairs, she says. |
| She tells MPs that estimates (measures that decide how government money is spent) will be presented to them. | She tells MPs that estimates (measures that decide how government money is spent) will be presented to them. |
| And “other measures” will be introduced during the session, she says. | And “other measures” will be introduced during the session, she says. |
| And that’s it. | And that’s it. |
| The Queen says the government is committed to the environment. There will be measures to improve air and water quality, and to promote the welfare of animals. Trophy hunting will be banned. | The Queen says the government is committed to the environment. There will be measures to improve air and water quality, and to promote the welfare of animals. Trophy hunting will be banned. |
| The Queen says the government wants everyone to have access to an excellent education. | The Queen says the government wants everyone to have access to an excellent education. |
| There will be measures to help those working hard. | There will be measures to help those working hard. |
| A national infrastructure strategy will bring the benefits of a prospering economy to every corner of the kingdom, she says. | A national infrastructure strategy will bring the benefits of a prospering economy to every corner of the kingdom, she says. |
| Legislation will ensure the delivery of fast, reliable broadband to millions of homes. | Legislation will ensure the delivery of fast, reliable broadband to millions of homes. |
| There will be an aviation bill, and proposals on railway reform. | There will be an aviation bill, and proposals on railway reform. |
| She says the government’s new economic plan will be underpinned by a new fiscal strategy. | She says the government’s new economic plan will be underpinned by a new fiscal strategy. |
| There will be measures to strengthen the NHS, she says. There will also be plans to reform adult social care. | There will be measures to strengthen the NHS, she says. There will also be plans to reform adult social care. |
| She says the government is committed to addressing violent crime. New sentencing laws will be introduced, she says. And measures will improve the handling of foreign national offenders. | She says the government is committed to addressing violent crime. New sentencing laws will be introduced, she says. And measures will improve the handling of foreign national offenders. |
| There will be measures to improve prison safety and to help victims. | There will be measures to improve prison safety and to help victims. |
| Public sector bodies will be under a duty to address serious violence. | Public sector bodies will be under a duty to address serious violence. |
| There will also be laws to help the victims of domestic abuse and to minimise the impact of divorce. | There will also be laws to help the victims of domestic abuse and to minimise the impact of divorce. |
| The Queen starts by saying the government’s priority “has always been to secure the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union on 31 October”. | The Queen starts by saying the government’s priority “has always been to secure the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union on 31 October”. |
| She says the government wants a new partnership with the EU, based on free trade. | She says the government wants a new partnership with the EU, based on free trade. |
| There will be new regimes for fisheries and agriculture. | There will be new regimes for fisheries and agriculture. |
| An immigration bill, ending free movement, will be introduced. | An immigration bill, ending free movement, will be introduced. |
| And steps will be taken to deliver stability in financial services, she says. | And steps will be taken to deliver stability in financial services, she says. |
| Robert Buckland, the lord chancellor, gives the Queen the text of the speech to read out. | Robert Buckland, the lord chancellor, gives the Queen the text of the speech to read out. |
| The Mirror’s Kevin Maguire heard what Dennis Skinner said. | The Mirror’s Kevin Maguire heard what Dennis Skinner said. |
| BOOM! "I'm not going" - Dennis Skinner's briefest if most direct heckle after Black Rod announced the Queen was summoning MPs to the House of Lords | BOOM! "I'm not going" - Dennis Skinner's briefest if most direct heckle after Black Rod announced the Queen was summoning MPs to the House of Lords |
| Black Rod is entering the Commons. | Black Rod is entering the Commons. |
| She tells the Speaker the Queen has commanded MPs to attend her in the House of Lords. | She tells the Speaker the Queen has commanded MPs to attend her in the House of Lords. |
| Dennis Skinner, the Labour MP famous for heckling Black Rod at this point in the ceremony, expresses some sort of dissent, but from the TV coverage it is hard to hear what he said. | Dennis Skinner, the Labour MP famous for heckling Black Rod at this point in the ceremony, expresses some sort of dissent, but from the TV coverage it is hard to hear what he said. |
| Downing Street has expressed scepticism at the idea the UK could part-exit the EU on 31 October – agreeing a deal to satisfy political demand while allowing a “technical extension” for details to be finalised. | Downing Street has expressed scepticism at the idea the UK could part-exit the EU on 31 October – agreeing a deal to satisfy political demand while allowing a “technical extension” for details to be finalised. |
| Asked about the idea, which would allow Boris Johnson to reach an interim agreement at the European council summit this week while giving more time for parliament and the EU to approve it, Johnson’s spokesman said: “It’s news to me that something like that is even possible.” | Asked about the idea, which would allow Boris Johnson to reach an interim agreement at the European council summit this week while giving more time for parliament and the EU to approve it, Johnson’s spokesman said: “It’s news to me that something like that is even possible.” |
| Asked if Downing Street would thus not agree such a plan even if it was mooted, the spokesman said: | Asked if Downing Street would thus not agree such a plan even if it was mooted, the spokesman said: |
| The prime minister has been clear on many occasions that we are going to leave on 31 October. | The prime minister has been clear on many occasions that we are going to leave on 31 October. |
| There was also little news on negotiations to even reach a deal at the summit in Brussels this Wednesday and Thursday. “Talks remain constructive but there is a lot of work still to do,” Johnson’s spokesman said. | There was also little news on negotiations to even reach a deal at the summit in Brussels this Wednesday and Thursday. “Talks remain constructive but there is a lot of work still to do,” Johnson’s spokesman said. |
| The prime minister currently has no calls with EU leaders scheduled, despite reports he was due to talk to people including Angela Merkel. | The prime minister currently has no calls with EU leaders scheduled, despite reports he was due to talk to people including Angela Merkel. |
| If a deal was reached, he said, MPs would be expected to “work around the clock” to get it through parliament in time. However, as yet it is not confirmed whether the Commons will definitely sit on Saturday, as mooted, to either agree a deal or decide on a possible extension, as dictated under the so-called Benn act. | If a deal was reached, he said, MPs would be expected to “work around the clock” to get it through parliament in time. However, as yet it is not confirmed whether the Commons will definitely sit on Saturday, as mooted, to either agree a deal or decide on a possible extension, as dictated under the so-called Benn act. |
| A motion to sit on Saturday would need to be tabled on Wednesday for a vote of MPs on Thursday, the spokesman said. | A motion to sit on Saturday would need to be tabled on Wednesday for a vote of MPs on Thursday, the spokesman said. |
| The Queen is now on the throne in the Lords. | The Queen is now on the throne in the Lords. |
| But MPs are still in the Commons. They now need to be summoned by Black Rod. | But MPs are still in the Commons. They now need to be summoned by Black Rod. |