UK Government sets out 『Radical』 Programme

SIMON VEAZEY
Epoch Times Staff

The first legislative programme by a coalition government since the time of Winston Churchill was set out in the Queen』s Speech on Tuesday at the state opening of Parliament.

David Cameron called it a 「radical programme for a radical government」.

Twenty-two bills, to be pushed through the gauntlet of a coalition-controlled Parliament in the next 18 months, include major plans for education, the political system, and policing.

But the top priority of the Conservative-Lib Dem government remains the economy and more specifically the deficit.

The Queen said: 「My government』s legislative programme will be based upon the principles of freedom, fairness, and responsibility.」

The reining in of state powers is a common thread running through the legislative programme, appearing in various guises in many bills.

ID cards are to be scrapped along with the next generation of biometric passports and a Freedom (Great Repeal) Bill will regulate the retention of DNA by police and the use of CCTV cameras.

The prime minister will lose the power to call elections at his whim, with the introduction of fixed term parliaments, and MPs will be subject to 「recall」 by voters, should they be guilty of major wrongdoing.

Education is also a key priority and the Queen』s Speech includes plans to extend the academy school programme and to make it easier for parents and others to eschew the constraints of the state and set up 「free schools」.

Speaking in the house of commons, Mr Cameron highlighted the fact it was the first Queen』s Speech in 65 years from a coalition government. 「It is a Government not driven by party interest but by the national interest, with clear values at its heart,」 he said.

But the prime minister threw out the conventional ceasefire on party politics of the Queen』s speech debate, with a sharp attack on the former government.

He rounded on Labour leader Harriet Harmon, following her response to the Queen』s Speech.

Mr Cameron said there was 「something missing」 from her speech. 「Not one word of apology for the appalling mess that has been left in this country. Nothing to say about leaving Britain with a deficit that is bigger than Greece』s. Not a single idea for getting to grips with it,」 he said.

「Until they learn what they got so badly wrong I』m not sure people are going to listen to them again.」

Queen!|s Speech: Key Changes to Legislation

The deficit and the economy are the first priority of the government』s legislative programme.

A new Office for Budget responsibility will take financial forecasting away from the Chancellor.

The Bank of England will be granted new powers, with control over macro-prudential regulation in the city, in a Financial Reform Bill.

The British Airways Authority may be broken up, as a new bill promotes competition in the airport market.

Part of the Royal Mail would be sold, as set out by Lord Mandelson, while retaining the network of post offices in public ownership. The exact proportion is not specified.

Welfare & benefits

The welfare and benefits system are to be simplified and working incentives improved. The planned rise in state pension age to 66 – currently planned for 2024 – will be brought forward. The pensions earnings link, which was broken under Thatcher, will be restored.

Education

Changes to education have been hailed as flagship reforms for the coalition government. More schools will be able to become academies, and schools will have more say over the curriculum and management of pupil behaviour.

Downing Street also said it would contain measures to give parents the right to set up their own schools. Plans also include a 「pupil premium」, which was one of the Lib Dems』 key policies, to raise the standard of schooling for children from the most deprived backgrounds.

Reform of government

A parliamentary reform bill will introduce fixed-term Parliament and give the electorate the right to recall MPs guilty of serious wrongdoing with a petition signed by 10 per cent of electors in a constituency.

The bill also contains the coalition deal-maker of a referendum on the Alternative Vote system, which David Cameron has said will happen in 2011.

Parliamentary constituency maps will be redrawn to reduce numbers of MPs and make seats a similar size.

Councils and neighbourhoods will be granted more power through the decentralisation and localism bill, which also gives residents the ability to instigate referendums and veto excessive council tax increases.

The process of Scottish devolution is to continue, with the implementation of the final report of the Calman commission.

Home affairs & civil liberties

Police forces will be more directly accountable, through 「directly elected individuals」 in areas of key responsibility through the police reform and social responsibility bill. The bill will also create a dedicated border police force, and prevent health and safety legislation from getting in the way of 「common sense policing」 and overhaul the Licensing Act.

Authorities』 use of CCTV cameras and the police DNA database will come under new restrictions. There will be a ban on the storage of internet and e-mail records without good reason.

The ID card system – still in the early stages of being rolled out – will be abolished, together with the national identity register.

New powers will be granted to allow authorities to seize assets from terrorists.

UK economic growth revised up a little

The economy grew slightly faster than initially estimated in the first three months of the year, according to the Office for National Statistics.

Gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 0.3 per cent in the first quarter of 2010, revised from a rise of 0.2 per cent in the preliminary estimate of GDP.

Economic output was bolstered by a strengthening of industrial production and manufacturing.

The trade deficit in real terms rose from £8.3 billion in the previous quarter to £9.5 billion in the first quarter of 2010.

Sharp rise in UK foreign army recruits

The number of foreign recruits to the British Army has risen dramatically following the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq.

In 2008/09, 1,420 people from overseas joined the Army, compared to 30 in 2001/02.

Plaid Cymru』s Leanne Wood obtained the figures through a Freedom of Information request. She said they showed the Army was 「being extended beyond its means」.

Those outside the UK wishing to sign up must be a British dual national, a citizen of the Irish Republic, or from a Commonwealth country.

Foreign recruitment increased from 60 to 100 in 2005/06, leapt to 800 the following year, and reached 1,160 in 2007/08. There were 950 foreign recruits last year.

The Times puts up a pay-wall on news website

The Times and Sunday Times have launched their new paid-for websites, in a move that will be closely tracked by the media industry.

It is the first major consumer paper to erect a 「pay-wall」 for news content. The sites are free for the first eight weeks for registered users, but then afterwards will cost £1 a day or £2 a week to access.

「We will continue to add new features to ensure that the innovation that has been central to The Times for 225 years continues into the future,」 James Harding, editor of The Times, said in a statement.