Live coverage: State Opening of Parliament

PA

All eyes will be on Westminster today for the traditional State Opening of Parliament.

The first Queen’s Speech of Boris Johnson’s premiership will confirm a package of 26 bills, including a crackdown on violent and foreign criminals, measures to invest in the NHS and plans to strengthen environmental protections.

Meanwhile, ministers are preparing to rush through a bill to ratify any Brexit deal Mr Johnson is able to agree this week in Brussels in time for Britain to leave on the EU on October 31.

Here’s the latest:

10.45am

Longest and shortest Queen’s Speeches delivered by Elizabeth II
Longest and shortest Queen’s Speeches delivered by Elizabeth II

10.20am

Peers gather in the House of Lords ahead of the State Opening of Parliament
Peers gather in the House of Lords ahead of the State Opening of Parliament
Carrie Symonds, the partner of Prime Minister Boris Johnson, takes her seat ahead of the speech
Carrie Symonds, the partner of Prime Minister Boris Johnson, takes her seat ahead of the speech
Ms Symonds was joined by the PM's father Stanley Johnson
Ms Symonds was joined by the PM's father Stanley Johnson
Soldiers from Nijmegen Company, Grenadier Guards, line the processional route on The Mall
Soldiers from Nijmegen Company, Grenadier Guards, line the processional route on The Mall

10am

Length of Queen’s Speech
Length of Queen’s Speech

9.45am

As final preparations got under way, Yeomen of the Guard carried out a ceremonial search at the Houses of Parliament, while police patrolled the route from Buckingham Palace.

State Opening of Parliament 2019
State Opening of Parliament 2019
State Opening of Parliament 2019
State Opening of Parliament 2019
State Opening of Parliament
State Opening of Parliament

9.30am

Along with the focus on criminal justice, measures in the Queen’s Speech will include:

– Environment Bill setting legally binding targets to reduce plastics, restore biodiversity, improve water quality and cut air pollution.

– Immigration and Social Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill to end freedom of movement and introduce a points-based immigration system from 2021.

– Railway reform with a white paper setting out proposals to overhaul the current system of franchising and creating a new commercial model.

– Action on building standards in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire with the establishment of a new regulator with powers to impose criminal sanctions for breaches of building regulations.

– NHS Health Investigations Bill will create a new independent body with legal powers to ensure patient safety.

– Mental health reform to reduce the number of detentions under the Mental Health Act by ensuring more people get the treatment they need.

9.15am

First things first – Boris Johnson received a flu jab at Downing Street before heading to Parliament

First things first - Boris Johnson received a flu jab at Downing Street before heading to Parliament
First things first - Boris Johnson received a flu jab at Downing Street before heading to Parliament

9.10am

Ahead of the speech, Chancellor Sajid Javid announced he is planning to hold a Budget just six days after the UK’s scheduled Brexit date.

📣NEW: The Chancellor @sajidjavid has just announced the 2019 Budget will be on 6th November.⭐Read more👉 https://t.co/r7ICLTvL4Q#Budget19#Budget2019pic.twitter.com/1wNvHm8BlM

— HM Treasury (@hmtreasury) October 14, 2019

9am

The first Queen’s Speech of Boris Johnson’s premiership will unveil a crackdown on violent and foreign criminals.

The package of 26 bills will include legislation to keep serious criminals in prison for longer, impose tougher sentences on foreign offenders who return to the UK and provide better protection for victims of domestic abuse.

They will sit alongside measures intended to invest in the NHS, strengthen environmental protections and raise living standards through increasing the national living wage to £10.50 an hour.

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