UK - Many contentious policies, such as those on social care, means-testing winter fuel payments, and scrapping the pensions triple lock, appear to have been dropped along with plans to lift the legal ban on opening new grammar schools. Instead, the speech put efforts to secure the “best possible deal as we leave the European Union” of the unusually long parliament, with promises to reach a broad consensus in order to “make a success of Brexit”, establishing new policies on issues such as immigration, agriculture, and fisheries.
Whilst the Government hopes to establish a “deep and special partnership with European allies”, it appears to have committed to leaving the EU’s Customs Union and Single Market, in order to pursue an “independent trade policy”.
Measures to support British businesses to export their products “around the world” will be part of these efforts, with a “new modern industrial strategy” intended to strengthen the domestic manufacturing base. Curiously, whilst a state visit by the Spanish royal family was announced, there was no mention of one for US President Donald Trump, previously thought to have been all but a done deal following the prime minister’s own visit to Washington, DC.
The Queen concluded her speech by telling the assembled members of the House of Commons and the House of Lords: “I pray that the blessing of Almighty God may rest upon your counsel.”