What is the point of today’s Queen’s Speech? The government’s legislative programme for the year is being briefed as light and safe, given the ructions in the Tory party over Europe and David Cameron’s tiny majority. But it is also being briefed as a social justice speech, one focused on getting on with the important reforms to improve the life chances of disadvantaged people. The main story is the reforms to the prison system, which will be carried out by Michael Gove and include ‘in-cell technology’ such as iPads to help prisoners learn independently (a far cry from the ‘book ban’ over which Gove’s predecessor Chris Grayling tussled with the criminal justice establishment). It will also include satellite tracking that will mean some offenders only need spend the weekend in prisons, and new freedoms for prison governors.
Reforms to schools – but not forced academisation as originally planned – changes to university fees, another shake-up of the adoption process and a life chances strategy are all aimed at showing that Cameron has a clear plan for his legacy as Prime Minister – and for the time he has left in that job, rather than hanging on for the sake of it.
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