State Opening: Queen to outline PM’s Brexit and NHS agenda
Published: 19 December 2019, 2:37:46
PM Boris Johnson says he wants to unite the UK and “level up” opportunity.
Downing Street said an ambitious programme of “far-reaching” domestic reforms would be put before MPs, with education and infrastructure among other priorities.
Thursday’s State Opening will see less pageantry than usual, as was the case the last time a snap election was held in 2017.
The Queen will travel by car from Buckingham Palace to Parliament, rather than by horse-drawn carriage.
She and the Prince of Wales, who has accompanied her since the Duke of Edinburgh retired from royal duties in 2017, will not wear ceremonial dress and there will be a reduced procession.During his election campaign, Mr Johnson promised a welter of new legislation within the first 100 days if the Tories won. Much of this will be carried over from the last Queen’s Speech, which took place on 14 October.
The prime minister now has a Commons majority of 80 – the largest enjoyed by a Conservative leader since Margaret Thatcher in 1987.
The first debate and vote on an updated EU Withdrawal Agreement Bill is expected on Friday before MPs leave for the Christmas recess.
