Blair's last Queen's Speech

11.32.25am GMT Thu 16th Nov 2006

Not quite sure why, but I watched the Queen's Speech yesterday. The Speech itself did not say very much at all, but the papers and briefings that have followed it tell us a lot more. And it is more of the same, more legislation on crime and terror, most of it illiberal, much of it could have been done last time there introduced legislation on this matter. There is a couple of proposed Bills which should be a step in the right direction - A Climate Change Bill and a reform of pensions, including restoring the link with earnings, I suspect neither will quite go far enough for my liking.

Two noticeable omissions from the Queen's Speech were funding of political parties and a Marine Bill, which I am sure my former colleagues at the RSPB are not happy with either. This Session will probably see the Government try again to detain people for 90 days, re-visit trial by jury and also possibly debate the future of both the use of nuclear power and Trident. We will also see at some point in this Session Tony Blair step down as Prime Minister, a Labour Leadership election and a new Prime Minister.