The Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government put forth its economic and political reforms agenda in Queen Elizabeth II’s speech at the state opening of Parliament on Tuesday. The Queen’s speech, which had proposals for 24 new bills and draft bills, highlighted the coalition government’s main priority as reducing the spiralling deficit which has now grown to £156 billion. “The first priority is to reduce the deficit and restore economic growth. Action will be taken to accelerate the reduction of the structural budget deficit,” the Queen said in her speech at the state opening of Parliament, an annual affair usually held in November which is also held immediately after general election.
The Tory-LibDem government is the first coalition government under Queen Elizabeth II’s reign and on Tuesday the Queen presided over the state opening of Parliament for 56th time. The priority of the coalition government will be “the principles of freedom, fairness and responsibility,” she said. In her eight-minute 17-second speech to the joint sitting of peers and members of the House of Commons in the House of Lords, the Queen highlighted the coalition government’s decision to “limit the number of non-European Union economic migrants entering the United Kingdom,” making it clear that the Cameron government would soon impose an annual cap on non-EU immigrants. In a special mention of ties with India, the Queen said, “My government looks forward to an enhanced partnership with India.”
No other country apart from India was included in the speech on the basis of the prospective relationship. Afghanistan and Pakistan found a mention on the basis of trouble in the war-torn nation, Iran due to concerns about nuclear proliferation and West Asia due to situation in Israel and Palestine.
The most contentious decision is the coalition government’s go ahead to privatisation of Royal Mail, which has already elicited strong negative reactions from the unions.