BORIS Johnson billed his legislative agenda as a blueprint to get the UK “back on track” after the coronavirus pandemic, and will hope it can bolster his troubled premiership.
But attention will quickly turn to what the Queen’s Speech lacks, with the Prime Minister saying he cannot “completely shield” everyone from the cost-of-living crisis - moments after the UK's future king read out the Government's agenda from a gold-adorned backdrop, packed with Lords entitled to £323 a day.
There are 38 bills in the programme, but absolutely nothing to alleviate people's soaring household expenses right now.
The OBR has warned that UK residents face the biggest living standards drop on record while GDP growth is predicted to be the worst in the G7 next year, according to the IMF.
Critics, and possibly those on the Conservative backbenches too, are bound to seize on the absence of any measures to immediately alleviate the pain of spiralling prices.
Ian Blackford, the SNP's Westminster leader, already hit out at the lack of action ahead of Prince Charles's address - the Queen's son stepped in after the monarch pulled out last minute.
Blackford warned that people in Scotland are being forced to pay a heavy price for the cost of living crisis and accused the Prime Minister and Chancellor of "being missing in action" over the emergency, citing rising food prices, record inflation levels (set to hit a 40-year high later this year), and a hard Brexit all playing their part.
%image('13763621', type="article-full", alt="Angela Rayner, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak during the State Opening of Parliament")
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The Queen's Speech contained no windfall tax on the soaring profits of energy giants, which has been demanded by opposition parties and others campaigning to ease the cost-of-living crisis.
Instead, ministers highlighted a £22 billion package already announced while hinting at further support in the future.
Referring to the Russian invasion and the “aftershocks” of Covid-19, Johnson said: “No country is immune and no government can realistically shield everyone from the impact.”
Peter Kelly, director of the Poverty Alliance, branded Tuesday's State of Parliament opening a failure.
He said: “People in poverty are struggling to keep their heads above water, and more and more of us are being drawn into a current of poverty by the cost of living crisis. The UK Government needs to deliver urgent help with rising bills to keep households afloat. There was nothing but a brief mention of that.
“The speech talked a lot about promoting growth, but now more than ever we need a just economy, focused on wellbeing, that secures adequate incomes for people, so we can all live a dignified life. Growth must help those who need it the most.
“This Queen’s Speech shows that the UK Government still hasn’t got the courage to make the changes we need. They have failed to put forward a vision for our future, failed to have compassion for people, and failed to promise the economic justice we all need.”
The legislation announcements were also condemned by the Scottish Greens.
The party's economic spokesperson Maggie Chapman said: "Beneath the pomp and pageantry, this speech offered more of the same failed Tory policies that have already done so much damage.
"It offered nothing to meaningfully address the climate crisis and nothing to help the millions of people facing the cost of living crisis, having to choose between heating their homes or feeding their families."
"The situation is urgent, and we need bold and transformative action."
Blackford added on Tuesday: "Instead of tackling the Tory cost-of-living crisis and focusing on people's priorities, Boris Johnson set out measures for a race to the bottom in standards through the 'Brexit Freedoms Bill' to repeal EU retained law and the other Brexit legislation.
"The SNP have been consistently clear that we needed to see real support to help put money into people's pockets, including converting the £200 energy loan into a more generous grant, scrapping the National Insurance tax hike, reversing the £1040 cuts to Universal Credit, matching the Scottish Child Payment UK-wide, introducing a Real Living Wage to boost incomes, reducing or removing VAT on household energy bills, and following the Scottish Government’s 6% uprating of benefits."
The 38 bills in the package include the following:
– Measures to establish a UK Infrastructure Bank – A Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill seeking to drive local growth and regenerate towns and cities across England – The Harbours (Seafarers’ Remuneration) Bill aims to deter companies repeating P&O’s mass firing of staff by giving ports powers to refuse access to ferries not paying the UK minimum wage – Ridding remaining EU laws through Brexit Freedoms Bill – The sell-off of Channel 4 enabled by the Media Bill – A Bill of Rights that will replace the Human Rights Act – Legislation to deal with the legacy of violence in Northern Ireland, which appears to be watered down to include immunity from prosecution for only those who cooperate with a new commission
