BY FRED KING
The Tories first Queen’s speech for 2 decades was finally given today, with the EU referendum by 2017 top of the agenda. In the meantime the government will seek to renegotiate the United Kingdom’s relationship with the European Union with a view to pursuing reform that will benefit all members with the topping the list of programs to be implemented by the government within a set time frame.
Also, topping the list by the government are plans to bring forward proposals for a British Bill of Rights to replace the Human Rights Act, with legislation expected following consultation later in the parliament.
Plans to scrap the Human Rights Act has been delayed to avoid confrontation with backbenchers, many of who oppose any motion to extinguish the Human Rights Act established in 1998. The Labor party, SNP, and the Liberal Democrats all oppose any plans to scrap the Human Rights Act, so it seems there will be a mountain to climb in that respect.
PROGRAM FOR WORKING PEOPLE
The speech was said to be a “program for working people” that would create full employment and “bring our country together”.Also high on the agenda was a marked out plan for education. The speech pledged to provide 500 more free schools and also to turn failing schools into academies.
TRANSFORMATION OF SCHOOLS
Britain was reported in today’s Metro newspaper to be last in a league table of developed nations ”measuring the literacy gap between jobless young people and those in work. This is a disgraceful state of affairs, and reflects badly on the both the discipline implemented in schools and the education standard. The implication is that there are more illiterates in England than other parts of Europe. A transformation of failing schools into academies will be most welcome in this respect
BAN ON LEGAL HIGHS
An interesting topic included was a ban on ‘legal highs’, an issue covered before by eye of media earlier this month. The obvious dangers in legal highs have been recognized, so the ban is a most welcome and needed one.
REDUCED INCENTIVES FOR FOREIGN MIGRANTS
Measures to reduce incentives for foreign migrants to come to the UK was also inclusive in the bill. The government will include a new incentive of ”illegal working” and a skills levy” on businesses using foreign Labor to fund apprenticeships. Also included will be extended powers to deport foreign criminals before they can appeal to all immigration cases, whilst tagging foreign offenders in order to ”know where they are”
CHILD CARE/TAXES
Further positive on the agenda are plans for more free childcare, an income tax freeze, and the right-to-buy for housing association tenants.
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Working age benefits will be frozen, as will tax credits and child benefits for 2 years from 2017. Provision of 30 hrs of free child care a week for 3 and 4 year old’s by 2017 is also included in the plans, and a cap of £23,000 will be put on the amount one family can claim on housing benefits.
TRADE UNIONS
The trade union bill will be banned under tough new laws unless at least 50% balloted to vote for the strike. In essential public services, at least 40% will have to be in favor of the strike in essential public services like the NHS, education Fire fighters, transport, and NHS workers will be banned from walking out under tough new laws. This seems tough at first sight, but still fair because if conditions are bad enough for any organisation to want to strike, they should not be able to gather enough support for a strike. There is the obvious possibility that others may oppose a strike for reasons of convenience, not because they don’t believe the government needs to listen to some issue of concern they have. Trade Unions and some Labor members have heavily criticized the Tory policy in this area, but it seats well with me and registers only as a tough law being set by the government.
The Queen declared ”My government will legislate in the interests of everyone in the country. It will adopt a one nation approach, helping working people get on, supporting aspiration, giving new opportunities to the most advantaged and bringing different parts of our country together”
