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| Queen's speech: NHS funding and terrorist sentencing at centre of plans | Queen's speech: NHS funding and terrorist sentencing at centre of plans |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Johnson government outlines its agenda, as Labour attacks its ‘woeful lack of ambition’ | |
| Boris Johnson has put new laws promising higher NHS funding and longer sentencing for terrorists at the heart of his Queen’s speech, after winning a majority that ensures he can get his legislation through parliament. | Boris Johnson has put new laws promising higher NHS funding and longer sentencing for terrorists at the heart of his Queen’s speech, after winning a majority that ensures he can get his legislation through parliament. |
| The prime minister’s programme for government is extremely similar to the Queen’s speech from October, but there were a few additions from the Conservative party’s election manifesto. | The prime minister’s programme for government is extremely similar to the Queen’s speech from October, but there were a few additions from the Conservative party’s election manifesto. |
| The main new piece of legislation is an NHS funding bill that would enshrine in law a £33.9bn cash increase in funding by 2023-4, in what appears to be largely a symbolic move. | |
| A new counter-terrorism bill has also been added in the wake of the London Bridge terrorist attack. It would legislate for tougher sentences for serious terrorist offenders and a 14-year minimum term for the worst. | A new counter-terrorism bill has also been added in the wake of the London Bridge terrorist attack. It would legislate for tougher sentences for serious terrorist offenders and a 14-year minimum term for the worst. |
| It would also remove the option of early release for terrorists who receive an extended determinate sentence and move the earliest point for discretionary release from halfway to two-thirds of the way through sentence for terrorists who are deemed less dangerous. | It would also remove the option of early release for terrorists who receive an extended determinate sentence and move the earliest point for discretionary release from halfway to two-thirds of the way through sentence for terrorists who are deemed less dangerous. |
| A third new element was the promise of “espionage legislation”, which would “provide the security services and law enforcement with the tools they need to disrupt hostile state activity”. | A third new element was the promise of “espionage legislation”, which would “provide the security services and law enforcement with the tools they need to disrupt hostile state activity”. |
| The details were vague, but it suggested “modernising existing offences to deal more effectively with espionage” and “creating new offences to criminalise other harmful activity conducted by and on behalf of states”. | The details were vague, but it suggested “modernising existing offences to deal more effectively with espionage” and “creating new offences to criminalise other harmful activity conducted by and on behalf of states”. |
| Two other new bills include one that insists on a minimum level of service for the railways, which would prevent strikes bringing trains to a halt, and another on renting that would abolish no-fault evictions and introduce lifetime deposits. | Two other new bills include one that insists on a minimum level of service for the railways, which would prevent strikes bringing trains to a halt, and another on renting that would abolish no-fault evictions and introduce lifetime deposits. |
| The Queen did not dress in formal robes and the ceremonial aspects were pared down, as the event had been quickly put together to make sure it happened before Christmas. It is also only a couple of months since the last Queen’s speech before the election. | The Queen did not dress in formal robes and the ceremonial aspects were pared down, as the event had been quickly put together to make sure it happened before Christmas. It is also only a couple of months since the last Queen’s speech before the election. |
| In his introduction to the new bills, Johnson claimed the legislative programme was designed to “move on” from Brexit and “focus on people’s priorities”, starting with the NHS and making streets safer. | In his introduction to the new bills, Johnson claimed the legislative programme was designed to “move on” from Brexit and “focus on people’s priorities”, starting with the NHS and making streets safer. |
| More than 30 bills have been proposed, of which a quarter relate to arrangements for the UK’s departure from the EU. This includes the crucial EU withdrawal bill that will ensure Johnson’s Brexit deal with Brussels is approved by parliament. | More than 30 bills have been proposed, of which a quarter relate to arrangements for the UK’s departure from the EU. This includes the crucial EU withdrawal bill that will ensure Johnson’s Brexit deal with Brussels is approved by parliament. |
| Other key elements of a speech widely trailed in advance included further 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 further plans for tougher jail sentences and controversial proposals to oblige people to show photographic ID before they are allowed to vote. |
| A new immigration bill would make EU citizens “subject to the same UK immigration controls as non-EU citizens”, thus ending free movement, and introduce an Australian-style points-based entry system, while another bill would update or replace EU regulations on financial markets. | A new immigration bill would make EU citizens “subject to the same UK immigration controls as non-EU citizens”, thus ending free movement, and introduce an Australian-style points-based entry system, while another bill would update or replace EU regulations on financial markets. |
| Eight bills outlined were devoted to law and order, reflecting the Tories’ election focus on crime and punishment – a direction that has prompted alarm from prison reform charities. | Eight bills outlined were devoted to law and order, reflecting the Tories’ election focus on crime and punishment – a direction that has prompted alarm from prison reform charities. |
| Under one measure, violent and sexual offenders would serve a minimum of two-thirds of their sentence before becoming eligible to be released on licence, compared with half under current guidelines. | Under one measure, violent and sexual offenders would serve a minimum of two-thirds of their sentence before becoming eligible to be released on licence, compared with half under current guidelines. |
| Another would significantly increase the six-month maximum jail term for foreign offenders who returned to the UK in breach of deportation orders. | Another would significantly increase the six-month maximum jail term for foreign offenders who returned to the UK in breach of deportation orders. |
| On top of that, there will be a new review of the criminal justice system in an effort o improve “efficiency and effectiveness”, at a time when charities and unions are warning that the system is crumbling and desperately needs more funding. | |
| A series of other bills outlined by the Queen had either already been before parliament or had been discussed in depth, for example on domestic abuse, no-fault divorce, a measure to oblige restaurants and other businesses to pass on all tips to staff, and tougher regulations on fire safety in high-rise buildings in response to the Grenfell disaster. | A series of other bills outlined by the Queen had either already been before parliament or had been discussed in depth, for example on domestic abuse, no-fault divorce, a measure to oblige restaurants and other businesses to pass on all tips to staff, and tougher regulations on fire safety in high-rise buildings in response to the Grenfell disaster. |
| As Johnson walked from the Commons to the Lords to hear the Queen outline his programme, the outgoing Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, walked alongside him in silence. | |
| Responding to the speech, John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, said: “This is more pomp and ceremony – the second Queen’s speech in three months – from a government hopelessly out of touch with the needs and hopes of people in this country. | |
| “There is nothing new in this Queen’s speech for our NHS and public services, or people struggling this Christmas, except for strong suggestions that this government wants to slash regulations on its way to making the UK a Trump-supporting tax haven. | “There is nothing new in this Queen’s speech for our NHS and public services, or people struggling this Christmas, except for strong suggestions that this government wants to slash regulations on its way to making the UK a Trump-supporting tax haven. |
| “There is a woeful lack of ambition on regional investment and infrastructure – and Labour will continue to show up the government for what it is: a government for the few and not the many.” | “There is a woeful lack of ambition on regional investment and infrastructure – and Labour will continue to show up the government for what it is: a government for the few and not the many.” |