SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford branded yesterday’s Queen’s Speech “an election broadcast for the Tory Party”.
A raft of anti-crime bills dominated the state opening of Parliament, as well as proposed legislation on immigration and the environment, leading the opposition parties to dismiss it as a pre-election stunt.
The Government used the set-piece occasion to again insist making sure Brexit is achieved on the October 31 deadline is a priority, and with the Prime Minister pushing for a snap General Election, the legislative programme presented was being seen as a bid by Boris Johnson to set out his campaign agenda.
Ahead of the speech, the pre-election atmosphere intensified as Chancellor Sajid Javid announced a Budget on November 6 – just six days after the UK’s scheduled exit date from the EU.
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SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford tweeted: “The Queen’s Speech was an election broadcast for the Tory Party more than anything else. A speech heavy on law & order from a Prime Minister willing to break the law.”
Labour also branded the event “farcical” and a “stunt”.
In a heavily trailed package of 26 Bills, seven related to crime and justice, many of which do not apply to Scotland. The seven included legislation to keep serious criminals in prison for longer, impose tougher sentences on foreign offenders who return to the UK and provide better protection for victims of domestic abuse. However, it the programme also included legislation to end freedom of movement and introduce a points-based immigration system from 2021.
Responding to the speech in the Commons, Blackford said Johnson is an “egotist” who does not have a hope of making the United Kingdom “great again”.
He said: “The Prime Minister has vowed to make the UK the greatest place on Earth – that is a comment straight out of the Trump playbook.”
He continued: “We cannot ignore the behaviour in this place, and in particular the language that is used – the language of the ‘surrender bill’, accusing those of us that wish to stay in the European Union, that our constituents have voted for, that we are calamitous.”
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After being interrupted by Tory MPs calling out to disagree with his comments, Blackford went on: “The fact that we lost a member of this House two short years ago and we have this sort of behaviour – there are too many members of this House that are being threatened, and the behaviour that is being exhibited in this place is a crying call to those who wish to send threats to members of Parliament.”
With no Commons majority, it is questionable how much of the proposed legislation in the Queen’s Speech ministers can get through Parliament before a General Election.
And there is a major question mark over whether MPs will pass the legislative programme, which will go to a vote after several days of debate.
The law and order package includes a Bill to “drastically” increase the sentences for foreign criminals who return to the UK in breach of a deportation order, a move ministers say will help disrupt the activities of international crime gangs.
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Proposed legislation will make it easier for police to arrest internationally wanted fugitives who are the subject of an Interpol Red Notice without the need to apply for a UK arrest warrant, a process that can take a minimum of six to eight hours. Initially it will only apply to those issued by a limited number of countries, the other members of the Five Eyes intelligence group, the US, Australia, Canada and New Zealand, and two non-EU European states, Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
However, the Government will be able to add other countries by statutory instrument.
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