Commenting on the Queen’s Speech today (Thursday 19th December), Daniel Zeichner MP said:

“It is ridiculous that the Government is legislating to fix the problems they have themselves created, including passing a law to force them to invest in the NHS – a law they will doubtless go on to break.

“The 88 words on our future relationship with the EU in no way reflect the huge complexity of what is facing our nation. Johnson’s deal was a terrible deal for our country before the election, made worse when he caved in to Nigel Farage, and it remains a terrible deal now. It will take us down a path of further deregulation, weaken our rights and threaten our manufacturing base and research institutions. Meanwhile rather than provide for certainty the Government’s plans will only lead to another cliff edge, no deal scenario in a year’s time.

“There is nothing that will help tackle the huge need for investment in the transport sector, just union busting measures to stop train and bus drivers going on strike when working conditions are unsafe. The absence of urgent measures to tackle the climate emergency puts us all at risk.

“We should also be concerned about the “Constitution, Democracy and Rights Commission”. We certainly need to do things like replace the House of Lords with a democratically elected second chamber but this is really about weakening laws that protect us against an over-mighty Government, and making it harder for people to vote.”