Queen’s speech signals battles ahead
The Queen’s speech has today set out a legislative programme that will both please and anger Labour backbenchers.
Following the bruising battle over foundation hospitals, the government appears to be willing to fight again, this time on university fees.
As many as one hundred Labour MPs are believed to be against so called top up fees. These are expected to amount to as much as £3,000 pounds per year, and many fear that this would deter poorer people from attending university.
There Queen has also announced an Immigration and Asylum bill, which will possib include measures for the imprisonment of asylum applicants who deliberately destroy their identification documents. It has also been reported that the bill will allow the removal of benefits from failed claimants refusing to take a free flight home, and that it will allow for powers to place their children into care.
Another measure that the government may have to battle for will be new powers for dealing with terror attacks. These could allow the government to destroy property and limit the right to free assembly, when an emergency is declared.
However, while some aspects of the Queen’s speech signal a willingness to confront controversial issues, others seem designed to appease those likely to rebel.
The legislative programme outlined will establish the proposed ‘baby bonds’ to give every child up to £500 to start saving for adulthood.
And there will be a civil partnerships bill to improve the rights of homosexual couples. This would create a civil union that allows gay couples the same legal, and financial rights as married couples.
