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Queen's speech: national living wage increase could be shelved if economy falters, government suggests – live news Queen's speech: national living wage increase could be shelved if economy falters, government suggests – live news
(32 minutes later)
Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments as they happen, including the Queen’s speech and Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn speaking in the subsequent Commons debateRolling coverage of the day’s political developments as they happen, including the Queen’s speech and Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn speaking in the subsequent Commons debate
Towards the end of Boris Johnson’s speech, the DUP MP Ian Paisley intervened and asked him to go ahead with the proposal to build a bridge between Scotland and Northern Ireland. In response, Johnson hinted that he does want to pursue the idea:
Johnson has hinted at his support for the construction of a bridge linking Scotland and Northern Ireland several times in the past, most recently in September, although one expert has described the idea as “about as feasible as building a bridge to the moon”.
In the Commons Boris Johnson is now winding up. He says, after dithering and platitudes, the time has come for action. That is what is is offering, he says.
Here is the shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, commenting on the revelation in the Queen’s speech briefing pack that the commitment to raise the national living wage to £10.50 is now conditional on the economy continuing to prosper. (See 2.14pm.)
Johnson says the system of government at Westminster needs to meet the challenges of a new era.
So the government will set up a commission to look at measures that could restore trust in government.
As a first step, it will repeal the Fixed-term Parliaments Act, he says.
Johnson says tomorrow he will “peel back the plastic wrapping” and present his oven-ready Brexit bill.
Then, he says, he wants to focus on the NHS. And he invites the opposition to join in cross-party talks on social care.
The government will abolish no-fault eviction for renters, he says. And it will ban strikes that target commuters.
He says he wants to revolutionise local transport. Leeds is the biggest city in Europe without an underground or light rail system, he says.
Johnson jokes about Corbyn being “a stickler for watching the Queen’s speech at the right time”.
He says, as his exchanges with Corbyn come to an end, he wants to say that his personal relations with Corbyn have been excellent. And he says Corbyn’s sincerity is not to be doubted.
Boris Johnson is speaking now.
He says this is the moment to repay the people who voted for the government.
People do not just want the government to get Brexit done, he says. He says they want it to move on and address other problems.
Johnson sums up some of the Queen’s speech proposals. And he says its ambition stretches beyond one parliament.
He claims a “new golden age for this United Kingdom” is on offer. And the government will work flat out to deliver it, he says.
The Queen’s speech does nothing for young people worried about tuition fees, and nothing for older people facing poverty, he says.
And there is no mention of universal credit - a cruel policy that has ruined many lives, he says.
Corbyn says rough sleeping has doubled under the Tories in government. He says everyone who sees people sleeping on the streets knows this is morally wrong. He says, according to Shelter, there will be 280,000 people homeless at Christmas - either sleeping rough, or in temporary accommodation.
He challenges Johnson to fund the removal of dangerous cladding from blocks of flat, and to pay for the installation of sprinklers.
Corbyn says the Queen’s speech contains nothing of substance to deal with the climate emergency.Corbyn says the Queen’s speech contains nothing of substance to deal with the climate emergency.
He says many of the big polluters fund the Tories.He says many of the big polluters fund the Tories.
Corbyn says Labour will oppose the government’s attempt to limit the right of transport workers to go on strike. He claims the proposals on this would contravene the International Labour Organization conventions.Corbyn says Labour will oppose the government’s attempt to limit the right of transport workers to go on strike. He claims the proposals on this would contravene the International Labour Organization conventions.
Corbyn asks Johnson to deny reports that he wants to merge the Department for International Development. He says setting up DfID was a proud Labour achievement.Corbyn asks Johnson to deny reports that he wants to merge the Department for International Development. He says setting up DfID was a proud Labour achievement.
Turning to Brexit, Corbyn says Johnson has resurrected the threat of a no-deal Brexit, and included it in his bill.
Johnson’s priority is a toxic trade deal with Donald Trump, he says. He says the British do not want chlorinated chicken. Under Johnson, trade talks could go on for years, Corbyn says.
Back in the Commons Jeremy Corbyn is now on to the serious substance of his speech.
He says Labour won the argument on austerity.
And he mocks the proposal for an NHS funding bill. He says the last Labour government did not need to pass legislation to force itself to invest in the NHS.
He criticises Boris Johnson’s claim to be delivering 50,000 new nurses and 40 new hospitals. There are only 30,000 new nurses, he says, and only six new hospitals.
And, referring to what Johnson said about social care when he took office, Corbyn says Johnson’s claim to have a plan (see 1.45pm) was just an empty promise.
And this is from MLex’s Matthew Holehouse.
Faisal Islam, the BBC’s economics editor, has more on the new version of the EU withdrawal agreement bill.
Jeremy Corbyn is speaking now in the debate.
He starts with tributes to the backbenchers who proposed and seconded the loyal address.
The government has published the EU (withdrawal agreement) bill. It runs to 101 pages and you can read it here (pdf).
This is from Graeme Cowie, a Commons clerk.
No 10 had already announced that the clause allowing the transition to be extended would be removed. And we knew the workers’ rights protections were going - although Michael Gove has claimed that the protections in the employment bill will compensate. (See 1.16pm.)
The original bill had a long clause, clause 31, titled “Oversight of negotiations for future relationship”. It said the government could not engage in negotiations on the future relationship with the EU unless a statement setting out the negotiating objectives had been passed by MPs. That clause has gone, and the new clause 31 relates to the repeal of section 13 of the EU Withdrawal Act.
Eddie Hughes, the Conservative MP for Walsall North, is speaking now.
He says he normally only gets called right at the end of debate, when the chamber is empty.
Crouch says she hopes the Conservatives will govern in the one-nation tradition.
She represents Chatham. Charles Dickens lived in Chatham, and she says he was a great social reformer. He also knew the importance of laughter and good humour. She says she hopes MPs will learn from that.
Crouch jokes about Penny Mordaunt’s famous “cock” speech in the Commons, and then delivers a very sharp joke about Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary, saying he now realises that Dover is an important trading post. It is a reference to this admission from Raab when he was Brexit secretary – a comment he would rather forget.
Tracey Crouch, the Conservative former sports minister, is proposing the loyal address to the Queen.
Two backbenchers are invited to propose and second the loyal address. They are expected to give short, witty speeches.
Crouch starts by saying this honour normally goes to someone whose career is behind them. Given that it is panto season, she prompts MPs to shout “Oh, no it’s not” when she says her career is behind her.
Switching to a Christmas Carol theme, she suggests that Philip Hammond (who is no longer an MP) would fit the role of Scrooge. And Jeremy Corbyn could be Marley, she suggests.
Corbyn remains stony-faced at this allusion.