Thread by @Helen_Barnard

OK, here's a very initial take on the #QueensSpeech:
1. Was never a vehicle for immediate cost of living interventions. If government wants to help before the Autumn Budget they can, but Queen's Speech is about legislation which takes time to pass and take effect. 1/n

2. So today could have been:
- Announce help earlier? Nope.
- Legislate on crisis drivers & increase resilience?
Verdict:
3. Housing =standout: 'full fat' Renters' Reform Bill, improves rights & security in private rented sector + quite punchy Social Housing Regulation Bill. 2/6

Nothing much to boost housing supply, but significant movement on quality and security.
4. Economic growth and employment: Lots of talk, not much action. Biggest gap = no employment bill. Promised for years. Boosting job security + flexibility would have made big difference. 3/6

5. Levelling Up. Sprinkling of good things: county devo deals, LA powers to help revive high streets, annual report. Nothing very transformative or ambitious. Stuff like al fresco dining & renaming streets feels a bit 'fiddling while Rome burns'. 4/6

6. Energy Security. Net Zero reaffirmed as the goal. Some reasonable medium term stuff on heat pumps, carbon capture, hydrogen. Nothing on faster delivering measures like energy efficiency & on-shore wind. (Or fracking for enthusiasts). 5/6

7. Overall: Lots of ambition & rhetoric. A few good policies. Nothing really on cost of living (but was never likely to be). Doesn't feel like a reboot moment, more a holding position till they see how bad things get in the Autumn. 6/6