Queen's Speech 2016: Edelman Briefing by Edelman

QUEEN’S SPEECH 2016 OVERVIEW If a week is a long time in politics, a year is an eternity. The mood music around this year’s Queen’s Speech couldn’t be more different to that just twelve months ago. This time last year a buoyant David Cameron, re-energised by a surprise majority victory, set out an ambitious legislative programme in the first fully Conservative Queen’s Speech for almost twenty years. One year and ten U-turns later, the weight of one of those early decisions hangs heavy around the Prime Minister’s neck. The Queen’s announcement of an in-out EU referendum last year was greeted with almost hysterical fanfare as Ministers hailed victory for democracy. It’s fair to say it hasn’t inspired much positivity since. This week we were warned to expect an altogether lower-key affair, as David Cameron seeks to push the narrative away from internal party turmoil towards what he wants to be his legacy: compassionate Conservatism and greater social cohesion.

The PM was warned not to attempt anything that could prompt another uncomfortable volte-face. There were therefore few surprises, though plans to reform higher education may cause controversy – and proposals for a Bill of Rights will be furiously contested. Of course, it would take a strong Labour Party to capitalise on any inconsistencies – and the jury is still very much out on whether Jeremy Corbyn can mount a strong opposition to his first Queen’s Speech as Leader. A lot can happen in twelve months and how this year’s legislative programme will fare is hard to call – especially considering that the nation Her Majesty addresses in 2017 may be led by a different Prime Minister and may – politically at least – be cut off from the Continent.

As expected, a legislative programme aimed at improving life chances for all has been set out and it is hard to criticise measures to speed up adoption, improve schools and reform prisons – especially when placed alongside innovative plans to modernise infrastructure and safeguard against extremism.

POLITICAL REACTION David Cameron @David_Cameron

“This is a One Nation Queen’s Speech from a progressive, One Nation, Conservative ” Tim Farron

Emily Poole - Account Director Emily is a consultant at Edelman who recently joined the team from the role of Special Adviser to a Secretary of State.

KEY FACTS

937 27 21 5 1 1

WORDS LONG

BILLS OVERALL

@timfarron

“#QueensSpeech is all about Weekend prisoners, announced by a weakened Government. 30 announcements, but 28 have been made before.” Paul Waugh

BRAND NEW BILLS

‘CARRY OVER’ BILLS FROM THE LAST SESSION

@paulwaugh

“Confirmed: source close to Jeremy Corbyn says today was indeed the very first time he has heard the Queen’s Speech in person.” Robert Peston @Peston

“@David_Cameron grand plan to reinforce the sovereignty of parliament seems to have shrunk to something barely visible in #QueensSpeech.”

PROPOSAL TO CONSULT ON A NEW BILL OF RIGHTS

GOVERNMENT WHIP HELD ‘HOSTAGE’ AT THE PALACE TO ENSURE THE QUEEN’S SAFE RETURN – KRIS HOPKINS MP

QUEEN’S SPEECH 2016 KEY BILLS DIGITAL ECONOMY BILL Granting consumers a legal right to fast broadband connection will be hugely welcomed by households up and down the country; a guaranteed minimum speed of 10Mbs will see a significant upgrade for millions of households in rural areas. Speculation has already begun as to how much compensation consumers would receive for poor internet service. Electricity firms currently pay £75 if power is out for longer than 12 hours and extending this to internet providers would likely force the much criticised Openreach, and others, to get people back online quicker. This Bill is likely to be popular with the digital generation and it’s already been welcomed by The British Chambers of Commerce. The Bill will also introduce a new Electronics Communications Code, and give Ofcom the power to order communications providers to release data. Communications companies will be required to coordinate switches on behalf of customers, meaning consumers would only have to deal with their new provider in order to switch. Differences in online and offline copyright laws will also be addressed under the Bill and all websites containing pornographic images will require age verification for access.

CHILDREN AND SOCIAL WORK BILL It’ll be hard for this Bill to prove controversial. Few can disagree that children leaving care require a higher standard of support into their adult life. The Children and Social Work Bill will see adoption procedures sped up in another plank of Cameron’s social justice agenda with the intention of getting children out of the care system and permanently adopted into a loving, permanent and stable home. The Bill will tip the balance in favour of adoption, rather than sending children to live with relatives for short periods. There will be a new “care leavers covenant” to ensure councils set out clearly healthcare, job and housing entitlements for care leavers (under-25s who have spent time in care). The Government continues its endeavour to increase social mobility through the introduction of the Higher Education and Research Bill; making it easier for new universities to open and reforming funding to link with the quality of teaching rather than student numbers. Critics will argue that competition is not the answer to increasing social mobility as the sector piles the cost of higher education onto students.

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MODERN TRANSPORT BILL Driverless cars, which are already well ahead in the trial stage in the UK, will come under new legislation so that they may be insured under ordinary policies. The fast growing industry is expected to be worth as much as £900bn globally by 2025. Hubs for commercial space flights (like those being turned into reality by the likes of Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic) will be among plans for Britain to increase money raised from space endeavours from £12bn to £40bn - a 10 per cent share of the global market - by 2030. Airports in Wales, Cornwall and several in Scotland have already submitted pitches to become spacehubs by 2018. The space tourism proposals will also secure low-cost access to space for smaller UK firms, encourage investment in spaceplane operations, spaceports and related emerging technology companies as well as creating highly skilled jobs. Meanwhile, innovation to grow the drone industry will be considered following a public consultation on drone technology over the summer.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS TO WATCH: Soft Drinks Industry Levy – The proposal to take forward George Osborne’s sugary drinks tax through primary legislation in the Finance Bill pre-empts the publication of the Government’s much-trailed Child Obesity Strategy. This is a clear signal of intent from the Government and could set a precedent for the sugar debate in the UK and beyond. The Better Markets Bill – This came in place of an anticipated Energy Bill, though it appears to have taken on a wider scope and there is also no mention of the smart meter roll-out. The Bill will seek to speed up the decision making process for competition investigations, and give the competition authorities more powers to take on anti-competitive behaviour. It is another signal of the Government’s intent to wrestle grip away from the Big Six and empower consumers. Local Growth and Jobs Bill: This will legislate to allow local authorities to retain 100% of business rates, to allow mayors to levy a supplement on business rates, to fund local infrastructure and to allow authorities to reduce rates. The Government is starting from a blank sheet of paper on this and the key question will be what additional services local authorities will have to take on. Neighbourhood Planning and Infrastructure Bill: This Bill will implement many of the pledges made in the recent Budget, including to statutorily establish the National Infrastructure Commission and, controversially, to privatise the Land Registry. Given rumours that Lord Adonis will take up a role with the new Mayor of London, it will be interesting to see if he is in place to benefit from these powers. British Bill of Rights: The Government has once again committed to consult on bringing forward a British Bill of Rights to replace the Human Rights Act. These proposals are likely to come as a disappointment to those in the Tory Party who called for a full Sovereignty Bill.