Ceremony, bills and a joke
Peter Hoskin 11:53am
Nothing especially exciting to report on State Opening day yet. The Queen's delivered her Speech, leading with the line that "My Government's overriding priority is to ensure stability of the British economy during the global economic downturn" (see full text here). And Dennis Skinner's delivered his traditional "joke", asking whether there are "Any Tory moles in the Palace?" Much more likely that any fireworks will come later, when we'll see both Michael Martin's statement on the Damian Green arrest and Parliamentary debate over the Government's legislative programme.
P.S. Good point from James Kirkup on the deemphasising of constitutional reform.
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Ken
December 3rd, 2008 12:23pm Report this comment"...My Lords and Members of the House of Commons.
I pray that the blessing of Almighty God may rest upon your counsels."
Surprised HM's still allowed to say that. Perhaps Ma'am needs some diversity training/PC counselling? - Broon send round an overpaid goon.
William Norton
December 3rd, 2008 1:01pm Report this commentSince the Queen has now been caught on film revealing Government plans, will she be raided by the rozzers?
Alfred T Mahan
December 3rd, 2008 1:03pm Report this commentI wish I'd had a bet on 'global economic downturn' being in the first 20 words. Especially 'global'.
Don't know what odds I'd have got, though.
C Powell
December 3rd, 2008 1:10pm Report this commentNothing especially exciting to report?!
Well, try this: Clause 28 of the new Immigration Bill apparently gives the police power to stop anyone anywhere to demand ID documents without having to give reason. Failure to comply will mean jail or a large fine.
I'm sure you can work out for yourself what this means. I find it frightening. I fear the state which Labour has created; I no longer respect the police and I am also beginning to fear them.
The fact that the Tories - with the honourable exception of David Davis - and the Spectator do not understand and are not opposing in any meaningful sense the assault on traditional British freedoms and liberties makes me despair because I have little hope that, even if the Tories win power, they will do anything to reverse these measures.
Tiberius
December 3rd, 2008 1:16pm Report this commentDidn't someone have the wit to respond to Skinner, "no, but there are plenty of Labour insects in the Commons and one in the Lords".
Pete Hoskin
December 3rd, 2008 1:25pm Report this commentC Powell: apologies, I should have been clearer. I meant on the Parliamentary protest front...
C Powell
December 3rd, 2008 2:41pm Report this commentPeter: Thank you.
"Parliamentary protest front" indeed! There are real measures which have been passed and are now being proposed which will irrevocably change, for the worse, the country we live in and all commentators are worried about are possible protests (which detract from the real issues) and who's up and who's down.
Time to get serious....
Chuck Unsworth
December 4th, 2008 11:07am Report this commentSkinner is a clapped out old clown. He doesn't seem to understand that they're laughing at him, rather than with him.
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