Queen’s Speech: Everything you need to know
Queen Elizabeth II will make the trip from the palace to Westminster tomorrow to deliver her second Queen’s Speech in less than three months.
She will lay out the new government’s agenda in the speech, while also officially opening parliament for a new term.
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However, be prepared for a more subdued Queen’s Speech than usual this year.
Westminster officials have said it will “take place with reduced ceremonial elements” because of the “unique circumstances of the General Election and the proximity to Christmas”.
When is the Queen’s Speech?
The Queen’s Speech will take place tomorrow, Thursday 19 December. The Queen will travel from Buckingham Palace to Westminster in a procession to deliver the speech. It marks the formal state opening of parliament, a ceremony that marks the arrival of MPs after an election.
The Queen is scheduled to begin her speech at 11.30am.
Why is the speech important?
The speech is a chance for the incoming government to outline its legislative agenda for its five-year term. The Queen will read out the laws the government wants to approve in front of MPs, peers and various dignitaries.
This Queen’s Speech is the second of the year after Prime Minister Boris Johnson initially held one on 14 October.
But his snap election victory means he must have another to officially open his Tory-dominated parliament.
How to watch the Queen’s Speech
Television coverage of the speech begins at 10.30am on BBC One and will last for just under two hours.
Th speech is expected to be around 11.30am, after the Queen rides from Buckingham Palace to Westminster in her Gold State Coach.
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One of the highlights of the ceremony includes the Queen being whisked away to parliament’s “robing room” for her to don the official royal garb for the occasion.
Westminster’s Black Rod will fetch parliamentarians from the House of Commons during this time and lead them to the House of Lords.
What is the government’s agenda?
The Queen’s Speech is expected to include:
- A legislative guarantee that the government will add £34bn extra spending to the NHS each year
- Commitments to reform immigration
- A pledge to leave the EU before 31 January – to “get Brexit done”
The speech is also expected to include plans to increase infrastructure investment, particularly in the North and the Midlands.
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Johnson won a commanding majority after flipping a host of Labour heartland seats in northern, working class areas.
It is expected he will have to commit to public spending in these areas to retain them in future elections.
The speech will also likely include commitments to curb train strikes and increase prison sentences for violent offenders and people convicted of terrorist offences.