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Boris Johnson speech in full: Watch and read every word of his farewell statement before resigning as PM today

Boris johnson delivered his final speech as prime minister before flying to balmoral to tender her official resignation to the queen.

Boris Johnson has delivered his farewell speech outside 10 Downing Street before officially resigning as Prime Minister later today .

The PM pledged his “fervent support” for Liz Truss in an address at 7.30am on Tuesday, before making the trip to Balmoral to meet the Queen and will hand over the reigns to his successor .

Mr Johnson promised that the next premier’s administration would do “everything we can” to help people struggling with the cost-of-living crisis .

And he branded Vladimir Putin “utterly deluded” if he thought he could succeed by “blackmailing and bullying” the British public through restricting gas supplies, driving up global energy prices .

Boris Johnson’s farewell speech in full

Well this is it folks. Thanks to all of you for coming out so early this morning.

In only a couple of hours from now I will be in Balmoral to see Her Majesty the Queen and the torch will finally be passed to a new Conservative leader.

The baton will be handed over in what has unexpectedly turned out to be a relay race – they changed the rules half-way through, but never mind that now.

And through that lacquered black door a new Prime Minister will shortly go to meet a fantastic group of public servants.

The people who got Brexit done – the people who delivered the fastest vaccine roll out in Europe.

And never forget: 70 per cent of the entire population got a dose within 6 months, faster than any comparable country.

That is government for you – that’s this Conservative Government.

The people who organised those prompt early supplies of weapons to the heroic Ukrainian armed forces, an action that may very well have helped change the course of the biggest European war for 80 years.

And because of the speed and urgency of what you did – everybody involved in this Government – to get this economy moving again from July last year in spite of all opposition, all the naysayers, we have and will continue to have that economic strength to give people the cash they need to get through this energy crisis that has been caused by Putin’s vicious war.

And I know that Liz Truss and this compassionate Conservative government will do everything we can to get people through this crisis, and this country will endure it and we will win.

And if Putin thinks that he can succeed by blackmailing or bullying the British people then he is utterly deluded.

And the reason we will have those funds now and in the future is because we Conservatives understand the vital symmetry between government action and free market capitalist private sector enterprise.

We are delivering on those huge manifesto commitments:

Making streets safer – neighbourhood crime down 38 per cent in the last three years, 13,790 more police on the streets.

Building more hospitals – and yes we will have 50,000 more nurses by the end of this parliament and 40 more hospitals by the end of the decade.

Putting record funding into our schools and into teachers’ pay.

Giving everyone over 18 a lifetime skills guarantee so they can keep upskilling throughout their lives.

Three new high speed rail lines including northern powerhouse rail.

Colossal road programmes from the Pennines to Cornwall.

The roll-out of gigabit broadband up over the last three years, since you were kind enough to elect me, up from 7 per cent of our country’s premises having gigabit broadband to 70 per cent today.

And we are of course providing the short and the long term solutions for our energy needs and not just using more of our own domestic hydrocarbons but going up by 2030 to 50 GW of wind power, that is half this country’s energy electricity needs from offshore wind alone, a new nuclear reactor every year.

And looking at what is happening in this country, the changes that are taking place, that is why the private sector is investing more venture capital investment than China itself.

More billion pound tech companies sprouting here than in France, Germany and Israel combined

And as a result unemployment, as I leave office, down to lows not seen since I was about ten years old and bouncing around on a space hopper.

And on the subject of bouncing around and future careers, let me say that I am now like one of those booster rockets that has fulfilled its function.

And I will now be gently re-entering the atmosphere and splashing down invisibly in some remote and obscure corner of the pacific.

And like Cincinnatus I am returning to my plough, and I will be offering this government nothing but the most fervent support.

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This is a tough time for the economy.

This is a tough time for families up and down the country.

We can and we will get through it and we will come out stronger the other side but I say to my fellow Conservatives it is time for the politics to be over folks.

And it’s time for us all to get behind Liz Truss and her programme and deliver for the people of this country.

Because that is what the people of this country want, that’s what they need and that’s what they deserve.

I am proud to have discharged the promises I made my party when you were kind enough to choose me, winning the biggest majority since 1987 and the biggest share of the vote since 1979.

Delivering Brexit; delivering our manifesto commitments – including social care; helping people up and down the country; ensuring that Britain is once again standing tall in the world; speaking with clarity and authority, from Ukraine to the Aukus pact with America and Australia.

Because we are one whole and entire United Kingdom whose diplomats, security services and armed forces are so globally admired.

And as I leave I believe our union is so strong that those who want to break it up, will keep trying but they will never ever succeed.

Thank you to everyone behind me in this building for looking after me and my family over the last three years so well including Dilyn, the dog.

And if Dilyn and Larry can put behind them their occasional difficulties, then so can the Conservative party.

And above all thanks to you, the British people, to the voters for giving me the chance to serve.

All of you who worked so tirelessly together to beat Covid, to put us where we are today.

Together we have laid foundations that will stand the test of time, whether by taking back control of our laws or putting in vital new infrastructure: great solid masonry on which we will continue to build together, paving the path of prosperity now & for future generations.

And I will be supporting Liz Truss and our new government every step of the way.

Thank you all very much.

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What was in Boris Johnson’s Queen’s Speech – and does it matter?

Professor of History and Policy, University of Westminster

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Pippa Catterall works for the Hansard Society and is a member of the Liberal Democrats.

University of Westminster provides funding as a member of The Conversation UK.

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Looking back, it seems strange to think that Boris Johnson claimed he needed to prorogue parliament for five weeks to prepare his first Queen’s Speech . What finally emerged, after all the drama, was a pretty thin piece of work.

A Queen’s Speech is supposed to set out what a government hopes to achieve in a parliamentary session, but this was clearly intended as curtain call for an election. If Johnson has his way, this parliament won’t sit for long enough to implement the content of the speech.

There was a roughly average number of bills put forward in this speech but many of them were very vague. The nearest to large-scale legal reform is the proposed Immigration Bill . Far from simplifying immigration rules, however, this is likely to make the process more complex and bureaucratic. If past experience is anything to go by, it is also likely to be ineffective. Like most of the programme in the Queen’s Speech, it looks more like a soundbite than a well-conceived policy.

Much attention naturally focused on what the speech said about Brexit. It included a subtle change of language around Johnson’s “do or die” pledge to leave the EU by October 31. Instead, this date simply became a “priority”. After all, the legislation also announced on trade, agriculture and fisheries will be required to provide legal clarity after Brexit – and there seems little prospect of any of that passing before the end of the month.

Wooing a certain kind of voter

Given that the government is in a minority of 43 and has lost every vote so far in the House of Commons, the whole speech had something of the flavour of “fantasy government”. The opposition majority may not be able to propose legislation, but they can certainly dispose of it, should they be able to agree among themselves to take action.

They might be particularly minded to vote down the hardline law-and-order measures on sentencing and foreign offenders announced in the speech. The latter, in particular, reflects the exaggerated social anxieties of strongly right-wing voters which the Leave campaign carefully fed. In a Queen’s Speech almost entirely constructed with an eye to the election Johnson is desperate to hold, its inclusion indicates that he has no intentions yet of trying to appeal to more centrist electors.

Proposals on serious violence similarly look like electoral window-dressing in face of a moral panic about knife crime, and seem designed to shift blame onto cash-strapped local authorities rather than seriously address the issue.

There was also a sketchy proposal to require people to present ID when they go to vote. This is an answer to a non-existent problem given that there was only one conviction for electoral fraud in 2017, the year of the last general election.

Concerns have naturally been raised that this proposal is not about tackling such issues, but about disbarring certain voters from the polls. After all, similar policies in the US are estimated to have kept 1 million disproportionately African-American electors from voting in the 2016 presidential election , effectively costing Hillary Clinton certain key states.

That ethnic minorities will also be among the victims of such policies in the UK as well was suggested by a 2015 study showing that they were over-represented among the 3.5m British citizens who do not have any official form of photo ID. But they are not the only such group. When Conservatives themselves realise many of their elderly and upper working-class Leave voters also do not have passports or other forms of ID this might be a proposal which gets no further.

On the keep list

There are, however, some things in the Queen’s Speech that opposition MPs will be disinclined to dump. Legislation that opposition MPs have long called for, such as enabling restaurant staff to keep tips, is uncontroversial. The proposed Environment Bill is also widely seen as important, though the government’s current proposals are likely to be regarded as inadequate.

If we get that far I would expect such legislation to be strengthened very substantially by amendments by opposition parties, for instance, to embed environmental standards firmly in law. Complex schemes with, as yet, scant detail, such as the pensions proposals, may well also end up being extensively amended.

The speech did at least feature one promise Boris Johnson has kept. Among the various bills mentioned was the revival of the long-awaited Domestic Violence Bill following his unlawful prorogation of parliament. It was joined by most of the other pieces of legislation killed by that prorogation, including measures to relax divorce laws and to introduce tougher sentences for animal cruelty.

Of course, all these revived bills could swiftly disappear again into legislative limbo if Johnson gets his way and manages to hold the election. At present it seems highly unlikely that this parliament will run its course. If it does, much of the legislation resulting from the Queen’s Speech will probably be shaped substantially by what the opposition parties allow to pass, or choose to amend.

In the meantime, it seems quite possible that Johnson could be facing yet another defeat in the House of Commons when MPs vote on this Queen’s Speech. The last government to be defeated on what was then the King’s Speech was that of Stanley Baldwin in January 1924 . Baldwin immediately resigned, paving the way for the first Labour government. The chances of Johnson resigning and paving the way for a Corbyn government, however, seem pretty remote.

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Queen's Speech: From house building to voter ID - what's in Boris Johnson's legislative agenda

Political reporter @alixculbertson

Tuesday 11 May 2021 14:30, UK

The government has set out its legislative agenda for the new parliamentary session in the Queen's Speech today.

Its usual pomp and ceremony was scaled back drastically due to the COVID-19 restrictions that remain in place.

It was also the Queen 's first major public ceremonial duty since the death of her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh .

This is what was in the speech, setting out the government's promises for the new parliamentary session:

Education and skills

A focus on education and training for older teenagers and adults is among a series of new bills to "revolutionise" the adult education and training system.

The promise of a "lifetime skills guarantee" is central to Boris Johnson 's plans, as the prime minister has pledged to put "rocket fuel" into his "levelling up" agenda.

Fresh legislation will seek to change the student loan system to give every adult access to a flexible loan for higher-level education and training at university or college.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson will also be given greater powers to intervene in colleges seen as failing to meet local needs.

The government has also said it will prioritise children's early years and will commit to address "lost learning" during the pandemic.

The prime minister has promised to bring jobs and skills to "red wall" areas (traditional Labour-voting seats taken by the Tories at recent elections) so people no longer have to leave their home towns in search of prosperity.

With the Advanced Research and Invention Agency Bill, the government is promising the "fastest ever increase" in public spending for research and development.

An advanced research agency will be established if the bill is voted through.

And it will bring forward plans to create and support jobs, as well as improve regulation.

A National Insurance Contributions Bill will see eight new freeports being built to create "hubs" for trade and to regenerate communities, the government said.

Employers in freeports will get National Insurance contributions relief.

The relief will also be introduced for employers of veterans and for the self-employed who receive NHS Test and Trace payments.

The government is planning an advanced research agency as it promised the "fastest ever increase" in public spending for research and development.

Domestic UK subsidy controls will be introduced under the Subsidy Control Bill to reflect the UK's "strategic interests" and to drive economic growth.

A Procurement Bill will be introduced to "simplify procurement in the public sector" by streamlining the more than 350 EU-derived regulations, the government said.

It said the bill will make procurement quicker and easier, and allow more freedom for suppliers and the public sector to work with the private sector.

And a new Professional Qualifications Bill will create a framework for the UK to recognise professional qualifications from across the world so employers can access professionals where there are UK shortages, the government said.

An additional £880 million of dormant assets will be released for social and environmental initiatives under the Dormant Assets Bill.

"Unnecessary bureaucracy" will be reduced to support the voluntary sector and so additional funds can be released for good causes.

A Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill to give police in England and Wales more powers to curtail protests will feature despite vociferous opposition to it in recent months.

The return of the controversial Bill comes after being shelved as demonstrations took place over concerns it would curtail the right to protest.

It will increase sentences for the most serious and violent offenders, and ensure justice is carried out in a timely manner.

A Draft Victims Bill will put forward plans to address violence, especially against women and girls, and to support victims.

Online safety

A Draft Online Safety Bill will be introduced to make the internet safer, especially for children, while protecting freedom of expression.

External threats

A Counter-State Threats Bill will be introduced to give the security services and law enforcement agencies the tools to tackle hostile activity by foreign states, the government said.

And a Telecommunications (Security) Bill will ensure the "long-term security and resilience" of the UK's telecoms networks and minimise the threat of "high-risk vendors".

Environment

New legally binding environmental targets are also expected to feature in the speech.

An Environment Bill will set these out ahead of the COP26 climate change summit in Glasgow later this year.

It will also set out commitments to restoring nature and biodiversity, tackling air pollution, cutting plastic use and will "revolutionise how we recycle".

An independent Office for Environmental Protection will be created.

NHS and healthcare

Additional NHS funding will be provided for the COVID-19 vaccination programme to continue.

Under a Health and Care Bill, the government is promising to introduce legislation to "empower the NHS to innovate and embrace technology".

It will allow patients to receive "more tailored and preventative care, close to home".

Obesity and mental health will be two of the main focuses, with junk food adverts banned pre-watershed on TV - and entirely online.

The government will then introduce legislation to require large food businesses to calorie label their food.

The Health and Care Bill will include provisions to improve the oversight of how social care is commissioned and delivered.

The government wants to ensure there is greater integration between health and care services by placing Integrated Care Systems "on a statutory footing across the UK", so there is more power and autonomy in local systems.

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Social care

There is no commitment to reforming adult social care just yet, with the government saying reforms will be "brought forward to 2021".

Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove said at the weekend that a plan will be "heading for the statute books" by the end of the year.

It is expected to include a cap on how much people will need to pay for social care so they do not have to sell their homes to pay for it, and a long-term plan to reform the sector.

Inequality and conversion therapy

The government said "measures" will be brought forward to address racial and ethnic disparities.

It also said it will move to ban conversion therapy entirely, with new funding, expected by this summer, to support victims.

New homes, renting and building controls

The Planning Bill aims to modernise the planning system so more homes can be built and more people can own their own home.

The rights of renters will be enhanced under it.

The Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Bill will ensure leaseholders of new, long residential leases cannot be charged ground rent "for no tangible service".

And a new Building Safety Regulator law will be established to ensure tragedies like Grenfell "are never repeated".

"Rigorous" safety standards for construction products will be introduced and a "clearer path" to redress for homeowners.

A Building Safety Bill will introduce a new regime of safety regulations and inspections for buildings under construction in the aftermath of the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire .

Immigration

The government will put forward plans for a "fairer immigration system" that also deters criminals facilitating "dangerous and illegal journeys".

It will enable the government to remove "those with no right to be here" more easily.

In a bid to "strengthen the economic ties across the union", the government wants to invest in and improve national infrastructure.

Proposals for rail and bus links between Crewe and Manchester will be taken forward.

Measures to tackle voting fraud

The Electoral Integrity Bill would require identification to vote in a polling station and would remove the 15 year limit on the voting rights of British expats.

MPs and civil liberties groups have hit out at plans to require voters to provide proof of identity when casting a ballot, with Labour describing them as "cynical and ugly".

At the moment, people only have to walk into a polling station and give their name and address to vote.

End to fixed-term parliament

The Fixed-term Parliaments Act introduced under David Cameron , which creates a five-year period in between general elections, is set to be repealed and the prerogative power to call early elections will be brought back.

Separate judiciary

The Judicial Review Bill will protect the judiciary from being drawn into political questions.

Northern Ireland

A bill will give Northern Ireland's devolved government more powers, while another will address the legacy of the Troubles to deliver "better outcomes for victims and survivors".

It will end investigations into British soldiers during the Troubles as part of the government's commitment to veterans.

Animal welfare

Better standards of animal welfare will also feature in the speech, including tougher penalties for animal cruelty.

The Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act 2021 will be announced, which will increase maximum prison sentences for animal cruelty from six months to five years.

An Animal Sentience Bill will give vertebrates (animals with backbones) the right to have their feelings recognised in law, while legislation to stop live animal exports and ban families from keeping primates as pets, is also expected.

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What to expect from the Queen’s Speech as Boris Johnson sets out government’s agenda

The queen’s speech will be heavy on the ‘levelling up’ rhetoric, but campaigners will be hoping for commitments on legislation that failed to materialise in the last parliament, writes ashley cowburn.

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U nveiling the government’s agenda for the coming year from a golden throne situated in the House of Lords , the Queen will this week deliver a short speech – prepared for her by No 10 – which will touch on Boris Johnson ’s key priorities.

While no stranger to the pomp and ceremony of the event — it will be the 67th occasion on which the Queen has opened parliament since November 1952 — the monarch will find a scaled-down affair compared to previous years due to the Covid restrictions, with guests banned and social distancing measures in force.

Expect the speech itself to be littered with rhetoric on the government’s “levelling up” agenda and how the prime minister, buoyed by the local election results in England and the Conservatives’ victory at the Hartlepool by-election , intends to spread opportunities across Britain.

As the coronavirus crisis recedes, No 10 said at the weekend the new agenda will also focus on the nation’s recovery, supporting jobs, backing the NHS, and delivering plans on how the government intends to reach the legally binding net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 — ahead of a crucial climate change summit in the autumn.

After the Queen has finished delivering her speech, the government is expected to publish a document outlining around two dozen bills the prime minister intends to introduce over the course of the next parliament.

While some pieces of legislation will be new, many have been well trailed in recent weeks, including a planning shake-up to overhaul rules on house building in England, and an NHS reform bill to return decision making powers to ministers. 

Some pieces of legislation will be carried over from the last parliament, including the Environment Bill, which was repeatedly delayed to the dismay of campaigners , and the controversial Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, which attracted major criticism for its proposals to i ncrease the home secretary’s powers and curb protests.

There will also be commitments to bills on issues mentioned at the last Queen’s Speech in 2019, but failed to materialise,  including an Elections Integrity Bill, which aims to introduce voter ID at elections, and a Renters’ Reform Bill, giving tenants more rights in England.

And there will be legislation to restore the prime minister’s power to choose the date of the general election, abolishing the five-year fixed term introduced under David Cameron’s coalition government in 2011.

Chief executive of the charity Shelter, Polly Neate, told The Independent that private renters have “lived at the mercy of a broken renting system for too long”, as she urged the government to ensure Section 21 — “no fault” evictions — are abolished.

“As we emerge from this Covid crisis, the prime minister should use the Queen’s Speech to bring the [Renters’ Reform] Bill forward, and give England’s 11 million private renters the security and rights and they deserve”.

Key questions also remain over whether Mr Johnson will deliver on his pledge to reform the broken social care system — something he vowed to do in his first speech from No 10 after winning the Tory leadership contest in 2019 — or whether it will be kicked back until the autumn. 

Speaking at the weekend Michael Gove, the Cabinet Office minister, hinted at the latter, saying a social care reform plan will be “heading for the statue books” by the end of the year. “We want to make sure that we can get cross-party support for it,” he said. It’s worth noting that opposition parties at Westminster are still awaiting an invitation from No 10 to discuss any proposals on the table.

LGBT+ campaigners are also hoping to see a commitment outlined on Tuesday delivering on the government’s promise to ban conversion therapy — a discredited practice that seeks to suppress or change an individual’s sexuality or gender identity. Despite being described as “abhorrent” by Mr Johnson and the Conservatives first vowing to eradicate the so-called practice three years ago , plans are yet to be published.

“We’re expecting the government to introduce proposals to ban so-called ‘conversion therapy’ in the Queen’s Speech,” Stonewall’s CEO Nancy Kelley told The Independent. “It’s already more than 1,000 days since the government pledged action, and any further delay leaves LGBTQ+ people at serious harm from these abhorrent practices.”

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Queen's Speech 2019 in full: Boris Johnson's plan for government at a glance

The Queen's Speech includes an absolute torrent of measures from banning all out rail strikes to putting NHS spending in law and a wide-ranging review of the UK constitution. Here's everything you need to know

• 11:46, 19 Dec 2019
• Updated 11:15, 20 Dec 2019

Britain has had its second Queen's Speech in three months as Boris Johnson lays out his plan for a Tory majority government.

The Prime Minister today claimed the "seismic election" has given way to the "most radical Queen's Speech in a generation" that will "release the country from the stranglehold of indecision".

While the last State Opening of Parliament in October was a glorified pre-manifesto that'd never pass, the Tories now have a thumping majority of 80. That means these laws will actually happen.

All 22 Bills proposed last time are effectively repeated today, plus more than a dozen new ones from the Tory manifesto.

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Some are about Brexit . Others are good measures including to make flexible working default, finally scrapping 'no-fault' evictions for renters and cutting business rates on pubs, cinemas and gig venues.

But others still will worry those who fear Johnson is using his new-found power to make sweeping ideological changes to the nation over the next one to two years.

Just days after he won the election, the Queen's Speech confirms a ban on all-out rail strikes, a radical overhaul of the constitution, and measures that critics fear could lock left-wing parties further from power.

So what is in the Queen's Speech and what does it all mean? Here's an at-a-glance guide.

New Queen's Speech Bills since the election

Huge overhaul of the uk's constitution.

Boris Johnson plans a massive overhaul of Britain's constitution just a week after winning power.

The Prime Minister announced that he would set up a new commission which could radically alter how Britain works.

He will use the excuse of restoring trust in politics - even though he was widely considering to have undermined it during his time at No 10 so far.

Mr Johnson's Queen's Speech promises to "examine the broader aspects of the constitution in depth and develop proposals to restore trust in our institutions and in how our democracy operates".

But the changes could prompt immediate fears that the Tory government was attempting to bolster its own power.

The new unit could redraw constituency boundaries to reduce the number of MPs from 650 to 600, a move which could favour the Conservatives.

He could also repeal the Fixed Term Parliaments Act meaning he could call an election when he wants to.

There could be a move to repeal the Human Rights Act, replacing it with a bill of rights that could potentially lower protections. And in the wake of Mr Johnson's Supreme Court loss, Britain's most senior judges could be made more accountable to Parliament - which could undermine the independence of the judiciary.

Bans on all-out rail strikes and public sector boycotts

The Tories will crack down hard on left-wing causes with bans on both all-out rail strikes and 'boycott' campaigns in the public sector.

A new law will hit unions with damages or injunctions if they do not comply with a 'Minimum Service Agreement' to keep trains running, even during a strike.

Unions have compared the plan to something from a right-wing "junta".

Meanwhile public sector organisations will be banned from boycotting goods or services from foreign countries including Israel.

Flexible working could be the default for all staff

Flexible working could become the default position for all staff under new rules planned by the government.

As part of the Queen's Speech Boris Johnson's Employment Bill would give employees more power over when they work.

Currently employees can apply for flexible working if they’ve worked continuously for the same employer for the last 26 weeks. The employer then has three months - or longer if agreed with the staff member applying - to make a decision.

But the new rules, which are subject to consultation, would make it the default - unless "employers have good reason not to".

Under the government's definition flexible working can refer to job sharing, working from home, working part time, flexitime, annualised hours, staggered hours, phased retirement and compressed hours.

NHS funding pledge written into law

An NHS Funding Bill will write the PM's £34bn-a-year cash terms (not real terms) increase in NHS funding by 2023 into law.

This is a political stunt to show to voters that Boris Johnson will keep his election pledge, but it has very little meaning beyond that.

It's up to Boris Johnson if he wants to keep his promises and if he doesn't he can just repeal the Bill anyway.

Hospital car parking charges removed - for some

The Queen confirmed plans to scrap some hospital car parking charges. But not all.

The Government will "prioritise and carefully define those groups subject to a more detailed assessment of financial impact".

But they will include blue badge holders; frequent outpatient attendees; visitors with relatives who are gravely ill or have an extended stay in hospital, or carers of such where appropriate and; staff working shifts that mean public transport cannot be used.

An end to 'no-fault' evictions - and a lifetime deposit

A Renters' Reform Bill will end no-fault evictions - something which the Tory government was accused of dither over.

Landlords will however get "more rights" to gain possession of their property through the courts to "make it quicker and easier for them to get their property back sooner".

And there will be a lifetime deposit which tenants carry around with them so they don't have to save for a new one each time they move.

A cut in business rates to help pubs, cinemas and gig venues

Pubs, cinemas and small businesses are set will see their business rates halved next year, the government has confirmed.

The Bill will aim to support Britain's struggling High Streets with a series of new measures will see smaller businesses pay less in tax.

The 50% discount - announced as part of the Queens' speech -  is targeted ar retailers, such as shops, restaurants, hairdressers, and pubs - raising the current discount of 33% off.

The government claim that nine out of 10 independent firms will qualify for the relief, which is available to retailers with a rateable value below £51,000 – giving them a saving of up to £12,500 in total.

For the first time, independent cinemas and music venues will also qualify, in a bid to safeguard local entertainment.

A current £1,500 relief for local newspapers will also be extended by another year, to help keep 150 titles going.

Tougher sentences for terrorists after London Bridge

A Counter Terrorism (Sentencing and Release) Bill will give "the worst" terrorist offenders a 14-year minimum jail term.

And the possibility of early release from custody will be removed for any offenders who receive an Extended Determinate Sentence.

The announcement was rushed into existence by Boris Johnson after the London Bridge attack - whose culprit was a convicted terrorist out on licence.

Mr Johnson was condemned by the father of one of the victims, Jack Merritt, for politicising the attack.

A crackdown on foreign spies amid Russia fears

Intelligence chiefs are to be given sweeping powers to disrupt and target foreign spies living and working in the UK.

The Espionage Bill, drawn up in the wake of the Russian Novichok attack in Salisbury, will aim to clamp down on hostile states’ activities.

The catch-all law will close down legal loopholes to ensure it is always illegal to carry out the covert operation in the UK - in a bid to thwart potential rival powers such as Russia or China.

Work began on the law after Theresa May promised to tackle Russia’s shadowy GRU military intelligence service after the Salisbury nerve attack.

But there were reportedly concerns from some parts of the security community that they lacked the legal framework to pursue individuals involved in activity that was clearly being done in an attempt to aid a foreign power, or disrupt people the UK.

The bill is supposed to give authorities wide-reaching powers similar to the US’s Foreign Agents Registration Act, which forces any agent of a foreign power to disclose themselves and their activities.

A crackdown on Grenfell-style building owners

A Building Safety Bill and Fire Safety Bill will strengthen "enforcement and sanctions" against Grenfell-style building owners who do not comply with a new safety regime.

But it stops short of saying there will be criminal sanctions as ministers suggested previously.

Compensation for Thomas Cook customers - but a watering down?

There will also be a Bill to ensure those who suffered "life-changing injuries" for which Thomas Cook would have been liable still get compensation after the firm collapsed.

But there's no sign of a law that had been announced in October, which would have attempted to stop a repeat of the Thomas Cook debacle by giving the Civil Aviation Authority oversight over airlines in distress.

Royal Commissions and major reviews

On justice, a Royal Commission "to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the criminal justice system" will be established.

On security, a review of the Official Secrets Act is promised to decide if it needs overhauling in the wake of the Salisbury chemical weapons attack as well as considering whether there is a case for updating treason laws.

And an integrated security, defence and foreign policy review will take place to "reassess the nation's place in the world".

A Bill on online harms

Ministers will "prepare legislation" to improve internet safety for children and vulnerable people. But there's no full Bill announced yet.

There will however be interim codes of practice and a "media literacy strategy" to stay safe online.

An end to vexatious claims against troops

On defence, proposals will be brought forward to tackle "vexatious claims that undermine our armed forces".

Things that aren't in the Queen's Speech that should be

His pledges on workers' rights after brexit.

Boris Johnson appears to have dropped pledges he made in the autumn to safeguard workers' rights after Brexit.

Ministers pledged in October to include certain vows in the EU (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill (above). Signals from No10 suggest they've been dropped.

This week, Tory Michael Gove insisted it'd all be fine because there was a separate Bill in the speech to deal with workers' rights.

Well, there is. But it doesn't actually fulfil Boris Johnson's promises on workers' rights.

Back in October, the government said ministers would make a statement explaining where any new laws could affect rights - and be forced to report regularly on plans to mirror new EU laws.

Yet today's briefing just says the new Bill will "protect and enhance workers' rights as the UK leaves the EU."

A proper solution to social care

The Tories have kicked the can down the road on social care yet again with no firm plans for the ailing sector contained in the Queen's Speech.

Despite saying he had a solution on the steps of No10, the Queen's Speech instead pledges a cross-party approach to be taken forward urgently. The one red line is that people won't be forced to sell their homes to pay for care.

Theresa May  was accused of kicking the can down the road after she repeatedly delayed plans for a ‘green paper’ on social care first planned for summer 2017.

Her blighted social care plans in the 2017 general election campaign were dubbed a “dementia tax” and blamed for the Tories losing their majority in the 2017 general election.

Things from the last Queen's Speech that made a comeback 

Voter id crackdown to 'rig elections'.

Boris Johnson was accused of using the Queen's Speech as a “blatant” attempt to rig the result of the next election.

The Queen's Speech confirms measures will be implemented to force voters to show photo ID before being allowed to vote.

Hundreds of people were denied their right to vote in last year’s local elections after ministers forced through a pilot scheme, despite warnings it could disenfranchise older voters and people from minority groups.

The trial, which was held in eight council areas, resulted in 819 people being turned away.

That was despite official figures showing there were just eight allegations of people lying about who they are at a polling station - known as "personation" - in 2018.

That was down from 28 in 2017, 45 in 2016, 26 in 2015 and 21 in 2014, the Electoral Commission figures show.

Domestic abuse reforms finally return - again

The Tories will bring back the Domestic Abuse Bill - which fell as a result of Mr Johnson's unlawful suspension of Parliament.

This law was introduced under Theresa May but still wasn't implemented, to the fury of campaigners.

It will stop abusers from being able to cross-examine their victims in the family courts. Victims will be assumed eligible for special measures in criminal courts, like giving evidence via video link.

It will create a statutory definition of domestic abuse to include physical violence, emotional abuse, economic abuse and coercive control.

And a Domestic Abuse Commissioner will monitor the response of councils and the justice system.

Divorce reforms finally return - again

Plans for 'quickie' divorces will also come forward again thanks to a Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill after being stalled under the Tories.

Reforms will remove the need to prove bad "conduct" or a "period of separation".

Instead couples will be able to just tell a court their marriage has irretrievably broken down. And an obstructive partner will no longer be able to contest a divorce from happening.

In those measures' place will be a 20-week waiting period between the start of proceedings and the final order for a divorce.

Bills to put the Brexit deal into law

The EU (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill will implement Boris Johnson's Brexit deal with the EU by January 31.

It includes the transition period, running to December 2020, where we continue to follow EU rules and send money to the EU. But there will be a legal block on it being extended, even if we don't have a trade deal in time. This risks the UK plunging into no-deal.

There are also concerns that it forces customs checks on goods going from Britain to Northern Ireland, and doesn't include previously-pledged safeguards for workers' rights (see above).

The Fisheries Bill will have powers to control access to UK waters with licences for foreign vessels - which will no longer have the automatic right to access our seas.

New powers will impose restrictions on UK fishermen - either quotas or number of days at sea - to replace the current Common Fisheries Policy.

Grants would also be available to fishermen to "conserve, enhance and restore the marine and aquatic environment". And EU law could be amended to allow the UK to respond to new advice on fish stocks.

The Agriculture Bill will set up a seven-year transition period that "gradually reduces" payments to farmers that came under the EU's Common Agricultural Policy.

The current subsidy system - which rewards the amount of land owned - will be replaced and focus on action farmers take to farm sustainably and help the environment. 

The Trade Bill allows the legal "carry-over" of trade deals that the UK currently enjoys as an EU member.

However, this carrying over is still not automatic and the UK would need to negotiate the transition with individual countries around the world.

The Bill also establishes a "new independent UK body" to protect British firms against unfair trade practices - like dumping of imports such as Chinese steel.

Crackdown on free movement

The Immigration and Social Security Co-Ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill will end free movement after Brexit - including forcing checks on EU citizens who come to Britain from January 2021.

It will pave the way for an Australia-style points-based system, which Ukip has previously backed. It would score potential migrants based on their education, skills and expected salary level.

EU citizens' rights to benefits will be reduced to those of non-EU citizens from 2021. There will be a fast-track NHS visa scheme. And the annual quota for seasonal agricultural workers will rise from 2,500 to 10,000.

Changes to investment funds

This Financial Services Bill will "simplify the process which allows overseas investment funds to be sold in the UK".

The government has trumpeted this as a cutting of red tape, while upholding the UK's "world-leading" standards. But it could prompt fears from some about letting financial markets run free.

The Bill also allows for long-term market access to the UK for financial services firms based in Gibraltar.

Clarifying laws on disputes over international borders

This Private International Law (Implementation of Agreements) Bill is designed to "clarify" the law on disputes over kids that stretch across national borders.

It involves three treaties - the 1996, 2005 and 2007 Hague Conventions. They include making it harder for parents who leave the country to evade paying child maintenance; and allowing co-operation between governments on family cases.

New body to investigate NHS safety incidents

A new Health Service Safety Investigations Body will have powers to conduct investigations into NHS incidents that have implications for patient safety, according to a Health Service Safety Investigations Bill.

People will be banned from leaking or publishing information held by this body, to ensure witnesses and whistleblowers are more candid.

There will also be a duty on the Health Secretary to ensure enough medical examiners are appointed in England.

And advice, guidance and training will be provided to local bodies to improve medical probes.

Longer sentences for violent criminals and sex offenders

Violent criminals and sex offenders will face longer sentences in the Sentencing Bill.

The point where prisoners are usually released will be moved from halfway through a sentence to two-thirds - for adults serving at least four years for serious violent and sexual offenders.

The focus appears to be a U-turn on previous Tory bids to focus on rehabilitation, which would have removed the need for the shortest sentences in favour of community work.

The Bill will also extend the range of reasons a judge can use to slap a "whole life" prison term on a convicted murderer.

Big rise in sentences for foreign criminals

Foreign National Offenders legislation would "drastically" increase the sentences for foreign criminals who return to the UK in breach of a deportation order.

The exact increase however isn't actually spelt out in the Queen's Speech. And since October it's been downgraded from a full-blown Bill to just "legislation" - which could mean it's wrapped up in something else.

Ministers claim the move will help disrupt the activities of international crime gangs. Home Secretary Priti Patel said: "We have been a soft touch on foreign criminals for too long."

'Helen's Law' to end pain of murder victims' families

A Prisoners (Disclosure of Information About Victims) Bill will make it easier to deny parole to murderers, or those guilty of manslaughter, who refuse to say where their victims are buried.

The same law will apply to people who take indecent photographs of children while refusing to say who those children were.

The law will be known as "Helen's Law" after 22-year-old Helen McCourt who was murdered in 1988 - leading to a long campaign by her mother Marie.

Her murderer was convicted but has refused to say where he hid her body.

Despite claims by ministers, the law won't actually force Parole Boards to keep these murderers and paedophiles locked up. Instead it will put a "legal obligation" on them to "take into account" the issue when considering release.

Preventing serious violence

A Serious Violence Bill will put a new legal duty on agencies like councils, schools, social services and health providers to work together and share data to "prevent serious violence".

This will include introducing an "explicit priority" in law on serious violence for Community Safety Partnerships.

It comes after a surge in knife attacks. But critics are likely to complain it is shifting the burden onto cuts-hit local authorities.

Protection for police over car chases

Police will face a new test to grade their driving due to a Police Protections Bill - which can then be taken into account if they end up being investigated over a crash.

This is in a bid to stop police facing prosecution unfairly for people they injure or kill when taking part in a car chase.

The Bill will also force the Home Office to report annually on progress on the Police Covenant. And Special Constables (volunteers) will be able to to get the same support as members of the Police Federation.

Arresting fugitives

An Extradition (Provisional Arrest) Bill is designed to make it easier for police to arrest internationally wanted fugitives - without the need to apply for a UK arrest warrant.

The idea is to cut out a waiting period of six to eight hours which fugitives can use to evade justice.

Those being arrested must be subject of an Interpol Red notice.

Initially it will only apply to those issued by a limited number of countries with trusted justice systems, the other members of the Five Eyes intelligence group, the US, Australia, Canada and New Zealand, and two non-EU European states, Switzerland and Liechtenstein.

However the Government will be able to add other countries by minor laws, possibly with minimal scrutiny in Parliament. 

Restaurants forced to hand tips to workers

Restaurants will be forced to hand over tips to staff under an Employment Bill - more than three years after the Tories first promised to crack down on abuses.

The new law in the Queen's Speech will force employers to pass on all gratuities in full and to share fairly any pooled tips.

The Tories first promised to tackle the injustice under then-business secretary Sajid Javid who ordered a two-month consultation ending on June 27, 2016.

But Theresa May then failed to bring in the change during her time in office.

Today the Employment (Allocation of Tips) Bill also introduces a Code of Practice for restaurants, bars and cafes to make the system transparent.

Ten years ago, the Mirror launched our Fair Tips campaign with Unite the Union after a Pizza Express manager was sacked for revealing that the company kept 8% of tips paid by bank cards as an “administration fee”.

New rules on accessing your money

On pensions there were new rules planned around everything from saving to viewing to accessing your money in a Pension Schemes Bill.

First was saving – with plans announced for new “collective” workplace pensions schemes. These would see staff and firms pay into a single, shared, pot rather than individual pots for each person. The idea is that it could be more efficient and offer better value.

Second there were plans to force firms to take part in the new “pensions dashboard” project - this is set to be a single location where you can see all your retirement savings at once. But unless everyone gets involved it won't work. So plans to force firms to take part are a needed first step.

Finally there were new rules planned about where, when and to who you can transfer your pension to. These are needed as there have been cases where scammers have convinced people to move their money, and honest firms have been powerless to stop it.

On a more technical front, there were also bigger penalties and criminal offences planned for firms that break pensions rules and better protection for people saving when companies go bust.

Bills will aim to roll out "gigabit capable broadband across the UK to achieve nationwide coverage as soon as possible".

The government claims it will allow faster speeds that can download an HD film in fewer than 45 seconds.

All new build buildings will need the infrastructure to support gigabit connections. And they will have to be installed in most new-build homes.

New powers to tackle drones

Police will be given new powers to tackle the "unlawful use" of drones in an Air Traffic Management and Unmanned Aircraft Bill.

This include forcing a person to land a drone and "enhanced stop and search powers" if an offence involving an unmanned aircraft has taken place.

The laws will also apply to model planes and model helicopters.

It comes after the number of drone or model aircraft collisions skyrocketed from 6 in 2014 to 125 in 2018 - including a spate of shutdowns of Gatwick Airport in a mystery that still hasn't been resolved.

New charges on single-use plastics in environment overhaul

The government has responded to pressure to ramp up environmental protection with an Environment Bill. It comes as critics warn that the UK's regulations will be weaker than the EU's once Brexit happens.

The new moves included introducing charges for single use plastics following on from the carrier bag charge.

Councils will be given powers to clamp down on sources of air pollution.

While communities will have more of a say on the protection of natural habitats through the Local Nature Recovery Strategies.

The Queen's Speech confirms the creation of a new Office for Environmental Protection first announced last December.

It will have the power to take the government to court to enforce environmental law after Brexit.

Climate change has been pushed up the agenda in recent months with protests organised by groups including Extinction Rebellion and the international school strikes begun by Sweedish teen Greta Thunberg.

Boris Johnson's girlfriend Carrie Symonds, who is a senior adviser for US environmental campaign group Oceana, has urged politicians to act saying they have a "gigantic responsibility" to care for the environment.

Tougher sentences for animal abusers

The maximum sentence for animal cruelty offences will be massively ramped up from six months to five years - confirming plans already announced under the Tories.

There will also be a "clear statement in domestic law that animals are sentient beings", following a controversy some years ago.

And there will be a duty on government to have "all due regard to the welfare of sentient animals" when forming and running new policies. However, the status has been stripped back from a previous full Bill.

Other Bills

There were previously other Bills not mentioned by the Queen herself in addition to the 22. They include allowing the building of part of HS2 - despite the risk the rail line will be scrapped altogether in a government review.

It also involves a Bill to make it easier for NHS hospitals to manufacture and trial medicines and medical devices.

Other technical Bills will allow further payments under the Windrush compensation scheme to Brits who arrived from the Caribbean before the 1970s - and technical changes to legal sentencing in the criminal courts.

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