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Queen's speech: coalition to bring in law letting voters sack MPs Queen's speech: coalition to bring in law letting voters sack MPs
(about 2 hours later)
The government will bring in a new law allowing voters to sack misbehaving MPs under new legislation included in the Queen's speech.The government will bring in a new law allowing voters to sack misbehaving MPs under new legislation included in the Queen's speech.
The new power of recall – promised in the coalition agreement in 2010 – will be triggered only if MPs are given jail sentences or if the House of Commons resolves that they have engaged in "serious wrongdoing". Voters would then have to collect the signatures of 10% of constituents to force a byelection.The new power of recall – promised in the coalition agreement in 2010 – will be triggered only if MPs are given jail sentences or if the House of Commons resolves that they have engaged in "serious wrongdoing". Voters would then have to collect the signatures of 10% of constituents to force a byelection.
Campaigners for the law – including the Tory backbencher Zac Goldsmith – claimed the bill did not go far enough because MPs would still have a veto on the powers. He claimed that voters had been "duped" by its inclusion in the speech and that the government had watered down the promise fearing it could lead to "kangaroo courts" for MPs. Campaigners for the law – including the Tory backbencher Zac Goldsmith – claimed the bill did not go far enough because MPs would still have a veto on the powers. He claimed that voters had been "duped" by its inclusion in the speech and that the government had watered down the promise fearing it could lead to "kangaroo courts" for MPs. Caroline Lucas, the Green MP for Brighton, said it looked like a "cynical fudge which deprives constituents of real powers", while the TaxPayers' Alliance branded it "embarrassingly weak".
The Queen's speech, which sets out new legislation, contained a mixed bag of 11 bills for the final year of the coalition, including proposals for local elections to national park authorities, a law to prevent invasive species entering the UK and legal protections for have-a-go heroes. The Queen's speech, which sets out new legislation, contained a mixed bag of 11 bills and three draft bills for the final year of the coalition. Some of the newer proposals were for local elections to national park authorities, prevention of invasive species entering the UK, protection for have-a-go heroes and plans to force supermarkets to charge 5p for plastic bags from 2015.
Other measures include plans to force supermarkets to charge for plastic bags. The bills are largely uncontroversial for the coalition partners but they fail to finalise powers to allow fracking for gas under people's homes in time to set out details in the speech. The bills are largely uncontroversial for the coalition partners but one area that is still be resolved is new powers to allow fracking for gas under people's homes. The new infrastructure bill is expected to "streamline the underground access regime" to allow fracking under private property but this is still subject to consultation before it is definitely included.
Fracking is a difficult issue for many MPs whose constituencies contain shale resources and is being fiercely resisted by many environmental groups. Hours before the speech, police were called in to remove protesters from David Cameron's Oxfordshire home where they had constructed a fake fracking plant.
Some of the infrastructure bill's measures to speed up housebuilding could also be opposed by countryside campaigners. Ministers said the changes would "get Britain building again", giving developers power to push through applications without the need for council approval and making it easier for the government to sell off unused public land for development. The bill also waters down a promise to make all new homes "zero-carbon" by 2016, as it exempts small sites from the target.
Labour has suggested the coalition is running out of ideas as the speech does not contain many grand ideas for transforming the country. The opposition has accused the government of creating a "zombie parliament", as Conservatives and Liberal Democrats find it increasingly difficult to find areas of agreement.Labour has suggested the coalition is running out of ideas as the speech does not contain many grand ideas for transforming the country. The opposition has accused the government of creating a "zombie parliament", as Conservatives and Liberal Democrats find it increasingly difficult to find areas of agreement.
Most of the bigger proposals have already been announced by George Osborne, the chancellor, at the budget and the autumn statement. These include a pensions bill giving people more control over how they save their money for old age, a small business bill that cuts red tape, increases transparency about corporate ownership and reforms zero-hours contracts, and a childcare payments bill offering tax relief on childcare. Most of the bigger proposals have already been announced by George Osborne, the chancellor, at the budget and the autumn statement. These include a pensions bill giving people more control over how they save their money for old age, a small business bill that cuts red tape, increases transparency about corporate ownership and reforms zero-hours contracts, and a childcare payments bill offering tax relief of up to £2,000 on childcare.
However, one new measure that does not require legislation is a new 5p charge on plastic carrier bags in an effort to reduce waste and litter. From October 2015, large shops will have to impose the charge, although small and medium-sized businesses will be exempt. Similar measures in Wales led to a 76% decrease in the distribution of single-use plastic carrier bags. Responding to the speech, Ed Miliband said there were some worthy measures, including a bill to tackle modern slavery, the recall bill for MPs and a bill introducing a new armed forces ombudsman.
Another potentially contentious piece of legislation is the new infrastructure bill, which is intended to boost housing and allow exploitation of the UK's natural energy resources. The bill contains measures to encourage the development of North Sea oil and gas, geothermal energy and shale gas, as well as new relaxation of planning laws for developers. But he said the legislative programme was not radical or ambitious enough to deal with the major problems facing families across the country. Labour would have had a speech offering a "new direction for Britain, not one which offers more of the same", he said. There was a "chasm" between the needs of the country and the action taken by parliament to address these, Miliband said.
However, the speech also contains the caveat that powers allowing companies to drill under people's property are "entirely dependent on the outcome of a consultation" into the issue. "It is a basic belief of the British people that if you work all the hours God sends you should at least be able to make ends meet," he said. "All of us say that if you do the right thing, you should be rewarded. But we should listen to the voices of all of those people who say that their reality today is that hard work is not rewarded."
Fracking is a contentious issue for many MPs whose constituencies contain shale resources and is being fiercely resisted by many environmental groups. Hours before the speech, police were called in to remove protesters from David Cameron's Oxfordshire home where they had constructed a fake fracking plant. In particular, he criticised the government for failing to include measures to reduce energy bills, raise the minimum wage, boost housebuilding, tackle concerns about immigration, devolve power to the regions or introduce more secure rental contracts.
There was disappointment among animal rights campaigners that there was no legislation creating a ban on wild animals in circuses, which had been widely trailed and expected. The TUC general secretary, Frances O'Grady, agreed that the new laws failed to go far enough and were not tackling the real issues for most workers.
"It is missing anything that will allow them to share in the recovery with a proper wage increase," she said. "It has nothing to ensure properly funded public services, particularly the NHS, and there is nothing to rebalance the economy to ensure we create good jobs and a sustainable future. This is an underwhelming programme that misses the main challenges that this country faces."
There was also disappointment among animal rights campaigners that there was no legislation creating a ban on wild animals in circuses, which had been widely trailed and expected.
The bills were announced by the Queen speaking before parliamentarians in the House of Lords. She delivered the coalition's key messages and slogans in a short speech, saying: "My government's legislative programme will continue to deliver on its long-term plan to build a stronger economy and a fairer society."The bills were announced by the Queen speaking before parliamentarians in the House of Lords. She delivered the coalition's key messages and slogans in a short speech, saying: "My government's legislative programme will continue to deliver on its long-term plan to build a stronger economy and a fairer society."
Six bills will be carried over from the previous parliament, including the consumer rights bill, the criminal justice and courts bill (including knife crime, the subject of a coalition row), the deregulation bill, a second finance bill, the HS2 paving bill and the Wales bill.Six bills will be carried over from the previous parliament, including the consumer rights bill, the criminal justice and courts bill (including knife crime, the subject of a coalition row), the deregulation bill, a second finance bill, the HS2 paving bill and the Wales bill.
The new billsThe new bills
• Small business, enterprise and employment bill• Small business, enterprise and employment bill
• National insurance contributions bill• National insurance contributions bill
• Infrastructure bill• Infrastructure bill
• Pensions tax bill• Pensions tax bill
• Private pensions bill• Private pensions bill
• Social action, responsibility and heroism bill• Social action, responsibility and heroism bill
• Childcare payments bill• Childcare payments bill
• Slavery bill• Slavery bill
• Armed forces bill• Armed forces bill
• Serious crime bill• Serious crime bill
• Recall of members of parliament bill• Recall of members of parliament bill