James Forsyth James Forsyth

MPs gear up for 2015 slugfest in Queen’s Speech debate

The Queen’s Speech debate is always a mix of MPs patting each other on the back and political combat. This year, in a sign that the next election is looming ever larger in the minds of the party leaders, there was far more of the latter than the former.

Ed Miliband in his speech majored on what he considers to be Cameron’s weaknesses. He claimed that the PM had lost control of his party, was trying to ape Ukip and went on about the ‘millionaires’ tax cut’ and the poshness of the government.

Miliband brushed off a string of pointed Tory interventions and had one particularly good joke, ‘they used to call Ukip clowns, now they want to join the circus.’ But if Miliband wants to keep on about the so-called ‘millionaires’ tax cut’, then he’s going to have to say if Labour would bring the 50p rate back in 2015.

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