Queen’s Speech opens new session of UK Parliament amid Brexit deadlock

Boris Johnson has wrapped up his speech, and the House of Commons has begun days’ worth of debate over his Queen’s Speech.

But it’s hard to ignore the reality that this legislative agenda will probably never see the light of day in this Parliament. Rather, it seems a precursor to an inevitable general election.

In any case, we’ll know much more about the shape of British politics at the end of this monumental week.

Johnson is mandated by law to request a Brexit extension at the end of this week, unless he has agreed a deal with the EU by then. He’s pledged, repeatedly, not to request Brexit – but something has to give over the next few days.

We’ll be covering all the twists and turns as Britain creeps closer to a dramatic showdown before the current deadline of October 31.

But for now, we’re winding down our live coverage of the Queen’s Speech. You can read a breakdown of the day here.

Boris Johnson is responding to Jeremy Corbyn in the House of Commons, attacking the Labour leader over his Brexit policy.

“I fear for his political health because we can all see the Soviet-era expulsions that are taking place in his circle,” Johnson adds, likening Corbyn’s personnel decisions to purges by Lenin against Trotsky’s associates. (Johnson, you may recall, has been partial to a purge or two himself.)

“I hope very much that in spite of some of our differences, he will support at least some of the measures in the gracious speech,” Johnson goes on, calling the plan an “ambitious program to unite our country.”

“Without being chauvinistic or disrespectful to anywhere else in the world, in important respects, this country is the greatest place to live in the world,” he adds.

Debate has begun in the House of Commons on Boris Johnson’s Queen’s Speech, with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn savaging the Prime Minister’s agenda.

He adds: “We may only be just weeks away from the first Queen’s Speech of a Labour government. And in that Queen’s Speech Labour will put forward the most radical and people-focused program in modern times, a once-in-a-generation chance to rebuild and transform our country.”

Repeating his party’s position that there should be a second Brexit referendum after a general election, Corbyn says: “This government has had three and a half years to get Brexit done and they’ve failed. The only legitimate way to sort Brexit now is to let the people decide with the final say.”

And he again urges Johnson not to break the law by refusing to request a Brexit delay later this week.

“A Withdrawal Agreement Bill was announced, but we don’t yet know if the government has done a deal,” Corbyn says.

“What we are sure of is that this House has legislated against crashing out with No Deal and that the Prime Minister must comply with the law if a deal does not pass this House.”

There was little said between Prime Minister Boris Johnson and opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn as the rivals walked to the House of Lords together for the Queen’s Speech.

But several users on Twitter have been sharing this rather unflattering grab of Corbyn, which appears to sum up his feelings about the PM quite accurately.

The pageantry might be over, but the UK’s bumper Brexit week has only just begun.

Parliament will now spend the next five days arguing about what it just heard from the Queen. There is a very good chance that Boris Johnson’s legislative agenda is dead on arrival. He leads a minority government and is 40 shorts vote of winning anything in Parliament.

The point of Johnson’s Queen’s Speech wasn’t to kick off a program of governing, but to tease Brexit-weary voters and show them what life might be like after Brexit, if only he had a majority to get on with it.

For months now, Johnson has been laying the groundwork for a general election which pitches the people versus parliamentarians. The people want Brexit done, but Parliament keeps frustrating his efforts to do so.

A working theory in British politics right now is that Johnson is hammering away at Brexit despite knowing that his efforts to do so are futile. It is a performance, that ensures voters see that he is on their side.

And it’s in this context that we should view the Queen’s Speech. Johnson went so far as dissolving parliament and having the Queen lay out his Brexit plan to lawmakers. Johnson knows full well that Parliament is more than likely to throw it back in his face. And that might be exactly what he wants.

Boris Johnson has pledged to “get this amazing country of ours moving again,” in his statement on the Queen’s Speech.

“People are tired of stasis, gridlock and waiting for change” on issues such as healthcare, crime and education, Johnson writes in the statement, which has just been published by Downing Street.

But he also refers to the elephant in the chamber – Brexit. “They don’t want to wait any longer to get Brexit done and to answer that clarion call of 17.4 million people in the greatest exercise of democracy in our national history,” Johnson wrote.

The prime minister’s comments echo those he has made on several occasions in recent months – but in order to secure Britain’s exit from the EU, he will need help from a Parliament in which he lacks a majority.

In that regard, Johnson is dealing with the same set of constraints Theresa May tried and failed to overcome – and he even takes a phrase out of his predecessor’s lexicon, stressing that Brexit will help Britain “take back control of our borders, our money, and our laws.”

“We are going to get the gears on our national gearbox working away,” Johnson says, calling Brexit a “defining opportunity for us to set a new course and a new direction for our country” and indicating legislation on Britain’s trade, fishing and immigration policies.

The very first topic tackled in the Queen’s Speech – and, in reality, the only important one right now – was Brexit.

The Queen repeated Boris Johnson’s pledge to leave the European Union on October 31 – but whether that is possible will become clear in the coming days.

Watch the key part of her speech below.

MPs are reacting to the Queen’s Speech, with several on opposing benches criticizing Boris Johnson for using the process to set out what essentially amounts to an election manifesto.

Ian Blackford, the SNP’s leader in Westminster, said the speech was “heavy on law & order from a Prime Minister willing to break the law” – referring to Johnson’s public reluctance to request a Brexit delay later this week, despite him being mandated to by law if he cannot pass a withdrawal agreement.

Labour’s shadow home secretary Diane Abbott said Johnson pledged to end freedom of movement “without any serious alternative to replace it.”

Lib Dem and former Labour MP Luciana Berger said the speech was “embarrassing.”

And Green Party MP Caroline Lucas attack Johnson for not giving enough attention to the climate emergency in his agenda.

Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn walk to the House of Lords.

MPs are filing back into the House of Commons, where they will spend days debating the contents of Boris Johnson’s Queen’s Speech.

There is plenty in there to discuss – including bills on important issues such as domestic abuse, pensions, healthcare, the environment and animal welfare.

Several bills were also dedicated to criminal justice, as Johnson continues to make law and order a central plank of his pitch to the public.

But it’s fairly unlikely that any of these bills will see the light of day in this Parliament, thanks to the very first part of the agenda – Brexit – which is expected to force a general election in the coming weeks.

Elizabeth II has finished delivering her Queen’s Speech, in which she announced plans for 26 bills – most of which focused on domestic policies.

She has now left the throne in the House of Lords, alongside her son, the Prince of Wales.

It’s all fun and games these days, but in a reminder of the historical violence between the Commons and the Crown, a member of parliament will be held “hostage” in Buckingham Palace while the Queen is in Westminster.

This tradition, stemming from the time of King Charles I, is intended to ensure the monarch’s safe return.

Charles I was convicted of treason and beheaded on January 30, 1649 at the end of the Civil War between the monarchy and Parliament. A copy of his death warrant is still displayed in the Robing Room in Westminster, just in case any future monarchs get any ideas about interfering with Parliament.

The hostage is usually the Vice-Chamberlain of the Household (also a government whip), who is said to be kept well entertained before being released when the monarch returns to the palace.

On Monday, the hostage is lawmaker Stuart Andrew. His diary during the Queen’s Speech is marked as “confidential and full.”

The first and most important piece of legislation announced by the Queen is the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill, which will lay out the plans for Britain’s departure from the EU.

“My government’s priority has always been to secure the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union on 31 October,” the Queen says, at the start of her speech. “My government intends to work towards a new partnership with the European Union, based on free trade and friendly cooperation.”

Johnson plans to put the bill before MPs next week, once debate on the Queen’s Speech has wrapped up – but it’s not clear if he’ll get the chance, given that his perilous position in Parliament means he is at risk of losing the vote on his agenda.

Even more pressing is the fact that Johnson is yet to agree any deal with the EU. If he hasn’t done so by the EU summit at the end of this week, he’s mandated by law to request another Brexit extension.

“An immigration bill, ending free movement, will lay the foundation for a fair, modern and global immigration system,” the speech adds.

“My Government remains committed to ensuring that resident European citizens, who have built their lives in, and contributed so much to, the United Kingdom, have the right to remain. The bill will include measures that reinforce this commitment,” she added.

“Steps will be taken to provide certainty, stability?and new opportunities for the financial services and legal sectors.”

One of the most unique features of parliamentary pomp is now underway, with Black Rod having the door of the House of Commons symbolically slammed in her face.

Black Rod then bangs on the door of the chamber three times with her (you guessed it) black rod, inviting the gathered MPs to join the Queen in the House of Lords.

Sarah Clarke is the current Black Rod, the first woman to fulfil the role in its centuries-long history.

You can read more about the role of Black Rod here.

The Queen has emerged from the robing room and is now dressed in the long crimson velvet Robe of State.

She has taken her place on the throne in the House of Lords with the Prince of Wales, and is about to start her speech.

Queen Elizabeth II has arrived at the Palace of Westminster for the State Opening of Parliament, accompanied by Prince Charles and his wife Camilla Duchess of Cornwall.

As the Queen’s chariot drew up to the Sovereign’s Entrance, the union flag was lowered and replaced by the royal standard above the Victoria Tower.

The royals are set to be received by the Lord Great Chamberlain and the Earl Marshall and will be escorted to the Robing Room where the Queen will don the Royal Robes before entering the chamber for her speech.?

The pound fell 0.7% on Monday as investors look increasingly skeptical that UK negotiators can reach a Brexit deal with EU officials ahead of the high-stakes summit this week.

Sterling had notched its best week in more than two years following a positive meeting between UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Leo Varadkar, his Irish counterpart.

But Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, threw cold water on the notion of major progress on Sunday, when he warned EU ambassadors that the latest negotiations had been “difficult.”

The pound is now trading at $1.255, off its recent peak of $1.27 on Friday.

The Queen has left Buckingham Palace in a golden, horse-drawn chariot, on her way to Westminster to open Parliament.

Alongside her are Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, who are accompanying the Queen.

It’s a short gallop to Parliament, so the royals will arrive in just a few minutes.

Boris Johnson’s girlfriend Carrie Symonds, and his father Stanley, are in position in the Palace of Westminster as they await the start of the Queen’s Speech.

Jacob Rees-Mogg, Johnson’s leader of the House of Commons, has also taken his seat in the royal gallery.

The Queen’s Speech is the most pomp-filled event in Parliament’s calendar, and the proceedings are well underway.

A carriage carrying the Imperial State Crown, Great Sword of State and the Cap of Maintenance is making its way to the Palace of Westminster ahead of the State Opening of Parliament.

The Crown Procession, carrying the three symbols of sovereign power, travel in their own state coach and arrive at Parliament before the Queen’s arrival.

Elizabeth II will leave Buckingham Palace in just a few minutes, travelling the short distance to Parliament. She will deliver her speech just after 11:30 a.m. (6:30 a.m. ET).

Inside the House of Lords, where the speech will take place, the ceremonial search of the Palace of Westminster has taken place and the Household Cavalry have lined the Sovereign’s Staircase.

Welcome to the most important week in modern British political history.

By 11 p.m. on Saturday, the UK will finally have answers to some of the questions it has been asking since it voted to leave the EU three years ago.

First, we’ll be treated the grand spectacle of the State Opening of Parliament, where Queen Elizabeth II will read Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s legislative agenda to British lawmakers.

Yet, for all the pomp and ceremony, today’s pageantry will be the least important part of a very important few days.

Sure, knowing the government’s plans for the nation is important. However, the single most important part of Johnson’s plan for the UK remains totally unresolved.

The Queen is expected to say that her government’s first priority is to get Brexit done by passing the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill. The problem for Johnson is that the Withdrawal Agreement part of this bill doesn’t currently exist in any meaningful way.

It’s being negotiated in Brussels with EU officials and Johnson has very little control over where this negotiation ends up. His hope is that an agreement can be reached on Wednesday, before EU leaders meet on Thursday to agree it, meaning Johnson can bring a deal back to London.

There’s a lot of road to travel before Wednesday. And even if Johnson does get a deal from Brussels, getting it through Parliament will be no walk in the park.

Should he fail on all fronts, then he will have to decide whether or not to break the law. Opposition lawmakers recently passed legislation stating that if no deal is in place by 11 p.m. on Saturday night, then Johnson must request a further Brexit delay.

It’s all a bit of a mess and international observers would be forgiven for asking why, exactly, Johnson is making the Queen read out ambitious spending pledges on things like healthcare, cracking down on crime and pumping money into schools.

Virtually everyone in the UK thinks that there is going to be an election sooner rather than later. So, this Queen’s speech isn’t designed to pass lawmakers in parliament; its purpose is to advertise Johnson and his government to the country at large.

Politics has become something of a game of chess at one of the most critical moments of the UK’s history. Today, Boris Johnson will use the Queen to make his opening move.?

In a phone call to his Cabinet on Sunday, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson reiterated that he could still see a “pathway” to a?Brexit?deal, “but that there is still a significant amount of work to get there,” according to a statement released by Downing Street.?

Johnson said, however, his team needed to “remain prepared to leave on October 31st.”

Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson says he sees a "pathway" to a Brexit deal.

It’s important to point out, though, that the Prime Minister still faces one major obstacle even if he can strike a deal between London and Brussels: It still has to be passed by the UK Parliament.

Johnson’s predecessor Theresa May tried three times to get her deal ratified – only to see it rejected by opposition lawmakers and hardline Brexiteers.

Here’s the full statement from a Downing Street spokesperson:?

The Queen’s Speech one of Queen Elizabeth II’s most important functions of the year – but while monarchs in the past used their power of prorogation to suit their own purposes, the Queen’s role nowadays is purely ceremonial.

The Queen's role in the process is purely formal

The UK doesn’t have a written constitution, but the Queen’s powers are commanded by conventions that give her very little room to maneuver.

As Head of State, the Queen holds a non-political position so she’ll be careful not to give too much away about what she may feel about the government’s plans.

Even by British standards, the pomp and pageantry of the?State Opening of Parliament?is off the scale.

The event – which marks the monarch’s symbolic association with the British legislature – includes a grand carriage procession, a particularly heavy crown, and a part where the Queen must read out a speech that the government writes on her behalf.

Here’s what to expect from the event:

Then, the serious stuff begins again: A new parliamentary session starts and MPs return to the House of Commons to debate the content of the speech. The Prime Minister kicks off the debate, which can last for several days before it is voted on.