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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 debate | 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 debate |
| Zac Goldsmith, who lost his seat as MP for Richmond Park last week, is being given a peerage, No 10 has announced. This will allow him to carry on as an environment minister based jointly in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and in the Department for International Development, an appointment that No 10 has also confirmed. | |
| In this role he will attend cabinet, as he did when he was doing this job before the election, government sources have confirmed. | |
| It was widely expected that Goldsmith would get a peerage. A lifelong environmentalist, he was regarded as particularly well qualified for his ministerial post. He is also a committed Brexiter (his billionaire father set up the Referendum party, an early Eurosceptic party that made the case for a referendum on the EU in the 1990s) and he is good friends with the PM’s partner Carrie Symonds, who once worked for Goldsmith as an adviser and who campaigned for him during the election. Like Johnson, Goldsmith is also an Old Etonian. | |
| In his speech in the Queen’s speech debate Ian Blackford, the SNP’s leader at Westminster, challenged Boris Johnson to explain why he would not allow the Scottish government to hold another independence referendum. Blackford said: | In his speech in the Queen’s speech debate Ian Blackford, the SNP’s leader at Westminster, challenged Boris Johnson to explain why he would not allow the Scottish government to hold another independence referendum. Blackford said: |
| At one point Blackford criticised Johnson for looking at his phone during the speech. It was “not a good look”, Blackford said. In response, Johnson said Blackford should say something interesting. Blackford replied: | At one point Blackford criticised Johnson for looking at his phone during the speech. It was “not a good look”, Blackford said. In response, Johnson said Blackford should say something interesting. Blackford replied: |
| This is what my colleague Simon Murphy wrote in September on the feasibility of building a bridge between Scotland and Northern Ireland. | This is what my colleague Simon Murphy wrote in September on the feasibility of building a bridge between Scotland and Northern Ireland. |
| Boris Johnson’s comment about a bridge between Northern Ireland and Scotland may help to explain this reference to a large-scale infrastructure project in a letter (pdf) published this week by the advisory committee on business appointments, approving a part-time job with an iron and steel making company being taken by the former minister Jo Johnson (the PM’s brother). At one point Jo Johnson was a transport minister. | Boris Johnson’s comment about a bridge between Northern Ireland and Scotland may help to explain this reference to a large-scale infrastructure project in a letter (pdf) published this week by the advisory committee on business appointments, approving a part-time job with an iron and steel making company being taken by the former minister Jo Johnson (the PM’s brother). At one point Jo Johnson was a transport minister. |
| 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 “Boris bridge” between Scotland and Northern Ireland. In response, Johnson hinted that he does want to pursue the idea. He said: | 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 “Boris bridge” between Scotland and Northern Ireland. In response, Johnson hinted that he does want to pursue the idea. He said: |
| 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”. | 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. | 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.) | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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”. | 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 him have been excellent. And he says Corbyn’s sincerity is not to be doubted. | He says, as his exchanges with Corbyn come to an end, he wants to say that his personal relations with him have been excellent. And he says Corbyn’s sincerity is not to be doubted. |
| Boris Johnson is speaking now. | Boris Johnson is speaking now. |
| He says this is the moment to repay the people who voted for the government. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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 that, according to Shelter, there will be 280,000 people homeless at Christmas – either sleeping rough, or in temporary accommodation. | 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 that, 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 flats, and to pay for the installation of sprinklers. | He challenges Johnson to fund the removal of dangerous cladding from blocks of flats, 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. |