Government dodges crunch vote in 2018 by scrapping next Queen's Speech
2 min read
There will be no Queen’s Speech next year after the Government announced plans for a rare two-year parliament.
No 10 said the legislative programme set out on Wednesday would feature a “substantial” number of new laws to deliver Brexit as well as a “domestic agenda which aims to tackle the social injustices in our country”.
The two-year session will mean that the Government will not face a crunch vote next spring, when Brexit negotiations – which get underway tomorrow – will be ongoing.
Andrea Leadsom, the Leader of the Commons, confirmed the Great Repeal Bill, which aims to transpose existing European Union laws onto the UK statute book, will form part of Wednesday’s Queen’s Speech.
She said: “Whilst our top priority right now is supporting the victims of the terrible tragedy at Grenfell tower, we also need to look ahead by setting out a legislative programme that not only delivers a successful EU exit but also a domestic agenda which aims to tackle the social injustices in our country.
“The UK will spend the next two years preparing for our departure from the European Union in a way that best places us to realise the opportunities ahead and build a fairer society.
“This will require substantial amounts of legislation, beginning with the Great Repeal Bill.
“We will build the broadest possible consensus for our Brexit plans and that means giving Parliament the maximum amount of time to scrutinise these bills by holding a two-year session of Parliament.
“It will mean we can work together to deliver a successful Brexit deal and a strong social legislative programme that delivers justice and opportunity to everyone.”
The last time a two-year parliament was announced was in 2010, at the formation of the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition.
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