News from the New Party

Queen's Speech a matter of the 'government's new clothes'

The government may have sought to dress the Queen's Speech in robes but the reality is that Labour is in the altogether, with a truncated collection of legislation, distant-future targets and IOUs, said New Party leader Richard Vass today.

"This is certainly the case of the Government's new clothes. There is very little legislation and what is most noticeable is what is missing. The Housing Bill, for example, would have been a shot in the arm to the UK economy, as well as hard pressed council tenants. But there is no sign of it.

"The Health Bill has also been shelved. This is the shortest Queen's Speech since Labour came to power. There is no acknowledgment that the country is broke and in a mess and certainly no indication as to how it is to be put right.

"It has all the hallmarks of a government that knows its time is up. It is disgraceful. When the country needs its leaders most they choose to desert them. They may as well have sent the speech out as a press release," Vass said today.

As well as being short on substance the Speech was also dishonest, he said. The promised House of Lords Bill, promising a 80%-100% elected second chamber, is a good example.

"The Labour government has had since 1997 to deal with the reform of the Lords. All it has managed to do is replace Tory cronies with Labour cronies. It is a bad joke that they should introduce this Bill now when they look set to lose power.

"I suppose the government can claim it has further introduced the free market into the system. After all, it has widened the sale of peerages for services rendered," Vass said today.

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