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| Cameron's one-nation programme laid out at Queen's speech | Cameron's one-nation programme laid out at Queen's speech |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Queen has outlined the one-nation programme of the first majority Conservative government in two decades as she listed the 26 bills of David Cameron’s second term as prime minister. | |
| A bill to permit the first referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU since 1975 was at the heart of the monarch’s 62nd Queen’s speech of her 63-year reign. The bill will be published on Thursday as the prime minister embarks on a tour of European capitals where he will outline his renegotiation plans ahead of an EU summit in Brussels next month. | A bill to permit the first referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU since 1975 was at the heart of the monarch’s 62nd Queen’s speech of her 63-year reign. The bill will be published on Thursday as the prime minister embarks on a tour of European capitals where he will outline his renegotiation plans ahead of an EU summit in Brussels next month. |
| Related: Queen's speech 2015 - Politics live | Related: Queen's speech 2015 - Politics live |
| But Downing Street has delayed plans to replace the Human Rights Act in favour of a British bill of rights. The government will instead simply publish proposals for such a bill. | But Downing Street has delayed plans to replace the Human Rights Act in favour of a British bill of rights. The government will instead simply publish proposals for such a bill. |
| The prime minister signalled his plans for the Queen’s speech at the first meeting of the 1922 committee after the election when he waved a copy of the Tory manifesto. The 26 bills, which include plans for a tax lock to block rises in VAT, income tax and national insurance and plans to extend childcare, adhere closely to the manifesto. | The prime minister signalled his plans for the Queen’s speech at the first meeting of the 1922 committee after the election when he waved a copy of the Tory manifesto. The 26 bills, which include plans for a tax lock to block rises in VAT, income tax and national insurance and plans to extend childcare, adhere closely to the manifesto. |
| Priti Patel, the employment minister, confirmed that the repeal of the Human Rights Act has been delayed. Patel told the BBC: “When it comes to legal and constitutional affairs, the Human Rights Act, you have to work externally and have the right consultation. That takes time. It is important that we concentrate on doing these things properly and look at the delivery mechanisms we have in government to deliver the legislation.” | Priti Patel, the employment minister, confirmed that the repeal of the Human Rights Act has been delayed. Patel told the BBC: “When it comes to legal and constitutional affairs, the Human Rights Act, you have to work externally and have the right consultation. That takes time. It is important that we concentrate on doing these things properly and look at the delivery mechanisms we have in government to deliver the legislation.” |
| The prime minister was facing criticism from some of his backbenchers, many in the judiciary, as well as Labour, the SNP and his former deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg, over the Tory manifesto pledge to replace human rights laws with a British bill of rights. | The prime minister was facing criticism from some of his backbenchers, many in the judiciary, as well as Labour, the SNP and his former deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg, over the Tory manifesto pledge to replace human rights laws with a British bill of rights. |
| It is being announced as a consultation rather than a draft law, as Cameron may not have the support to get it through the Commons with his wafer-thin majority of 12. | It is being announced as a consultation rather than a draft law, as Cameron may not have the support to get it through the Commons with his wafer-thin majority of 12. |
| Alex Salmond, the SNP MP and former first minister of Scotland, told the BBC it showed the government was in “headlong retreat” and that it “had not taken long to get blown off course”. | Alex Salmond, the SNP MP and former first minister of Scotland, told the BBC it showed the government was in “headlong retreat” and that it “had not taken long to get blown off course”. |
| The centrepiece of the Queen’s speech is Cameron’s law promising a referendum on Britain’s EU membership before the end of 2017, which was blocked by the Lib Dems in the coalition government. | The centrepiece of the Queen’s speech is Cameron’s law promising a referendum on Britain’s EU membership before the end of 2017, which was blocked by the Lib Dems in the coalition government. |
| Other key legislation includes: | Other key legislation includes: |
| Related: Queen's speech: your guide to all the parliamentary pomp and pageantry | Related: Queen's speech: your guide to all the parliamentary pomp and pageantry |
| Cameron said his legislative programme would mean “wherever you live, you can have the chance of a good education, a decent job, a home of your own and the peace of mind that comes from being able to raise a family and enjoy a secure retirement”. | Cameron said his legislative programme would mean “wherever you live, you can have the chance of a good education, a decent job, a home of your own and the peace of mind that comes from being able to raise a family and enjoy a secure retirement”. |
| However, the omission of any proposed legislation to scrap the current human rights laws is the biggest surprise. The proposals will be on hold until Michael Gove, the justice secretary, has conducted a wider consultation. | However, the omission of any proposed legislation to scrap the current human rights laws is the biggest surprise. The proposals will be on hold until Michael Gove, the justice secretary, has conducted a wider consultation. |
| Although the government has an overall majority of 12 seats in the Commons, Cameron is massively outnumbered in the House of Lords, and his whips will have to be alert to any signs of rebellions by backbench MPs, possibly made restive by the prime minister’s promotion of an insufficiently ambitious EU renegotiation agenda. | Although the government has an overall majority of 12 seats in the Commons, Cameron is massively outnumbered in the House of Lords, and his whips will have to be alert to any signs of rebellions by backbench MPs, possibly made restive by the prime minister’s promotion of an insufficiently ambitious EU renegotiation agenda. |