As ever, the best ideas in this Queen’s Speech are Conservative ideas

Nigel Evans, Member of Parliament for the Ribble Valley, today made the following response to the Queen’s Loyal Address:

“This Queen’s Speech is all about the short-term political prospects of the Prime Minister, and not the long-term future of this country. After almost 18 months in charge, Gordon Brown still has no big vision for Britain. All his policy announcements so far have been about political survival rather than aimed at helping the country.

“As ever, the best ideas in this Queen’s Speech are Conservative ideas. The NHS Constitution, the independent exam regulator, the points system for immigration, the welfare reform package, and the direct elections for police accountability are all ideas lifted from previous Conservative manifestos and policy documents. Without the Conservative substance, there would be nothing significant in this Queen’s Speech.

“We have been told that the economy is the overriding priority for the coming Parliamentary session. How is that believable? We have a Prime Minister who has presided over the economy for the last decade but who has refused to take any of the blame during the current economic downturn. His fiscal rules have collapsed and we, the taxpayer, have been left to pick up the bill. That, sadly, is the legacy of all Labour Governments and as a consequence, the Queen’s speech was about all about the short-term survival of an individual rather than the long-term prospects of the British people.”