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Brown to set out future programme Brown to set out future programme
(about 3 hours later)
Gordon Brown is set to outline his proposals for the year ahead, as he tries to move on from the 10p tax row. Prime Minister Gordon Brown is set to outline his plans for the next year.
Mr Brown's draft legislative programme is expected to include plans to give people more of a say over public services such as health and education. His draft version of November's Queen's Speech is likely to include proposals to give people more say over public services such as health and education.
Plans for more flexible working rights for mothers and more help for first-time buyers are also expected. Plans for more flexible working rights for mothers and more help for first-time buyers are also anticipated.
It follows the chancellor's statement on plans to compensate those who lost out when the 10p tax rate was scrapped. Mr Brown's announcement at 1230 BST comes ahead of next week's by-election - and with his fortunes at a low ebb after poor local election results.
On Tuesday, Alistair Darling put up the personal tax allowance by £600 - meaning anyone earning up to £40,835 will gain £120 this year. 'Complete farce'
'Political survival' It also follows Chancellor Alistair Darling's £2.7bn tax cut announced on Tuesday to compensate those who lost out when the 10p tax rate was scrapped.
Shadow chancellor George Osborne said the measure was "a short-term fix that's causing enormous long-term damage". The Conservatives called the move "an exercise in political survival" by the government, while the Liberal Democrats said tax policy had "descended into a complete farce".
"I don't think Gordon Brown did what he did yesterday because he genuinely wanted to help the low paid, or he genuinely thought he'd made a mistake," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. POSSIBLE MEASURES Public say on GP hoursParents' councils to help run schoolsCitizenship ceremonies for young peopleMore accountable chief constablesReform of banking regulationsHelp for first-time buyers class="" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/6999499.stm">Guide to Parliament
"He was fighting for his political survival within the Labour Party. The fact that the prime minister is reduced to that after less than a year in office, shows what a state the government is in." But Mr Darling told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the change would help "individuals but... also support the economy as a whole".
The Liberal Democrats said it was "tax policy on the hoof". The prime minister's plans for the next parliamentary session, essentially a preview of the Queen's Speech, could include giving people more of a say over issues such as extending GPs' opening hours.
Mr Brown's plans for the next Parliamentary session - essentially, a preview of the Queen's Speech - could include giving people more of a say over issues such as extending GPs' opening hours, and allowing parents to play a greater role in the running of schools. Allowing families to play a greater role in the running of schools, via "parents' councils", is another expected measure.
The list of possible initiatives was greeted with an under whelmed response: "boring," "uninspiring" and "awful" were some of the terms used The BBC's Iain Watson tests reaction to the proposals class="" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/7399249.stm">What will be in draft Speech? Policing is also likely to be a key area of reform. Policing
Chief constables could be made accountable to a directly-elected representative. It is possible that a citizenship bill, including citizenship ceremonies for young people, could be proposed.
Policing is also likely to be a key area of reform. Chief constables could be made accountable to a directly elected representative.
That official could then influence police priorities by, for example, requesting more resources to tackle gun crime.That official could then influence police priorities by, for example, requesting more resources to tackle gun crime.
The Conservatives are likely to say the idea is a reworded version of their plan for US-style sheriffs, put forward in their 2005 general election manifesto.The Conservatives are likely to say the idea is a reworded version of their plan for US-style sheriffs, put forward in their 2005 general election manifesto.
Other possible announcements include, plans to reform the banking regulation system and help for first-time home buyers through shared equity schemes. Other possible announcements include plans to reform the banking regulation system and help for first-time home buyers through shared equity schemes.
The list of possible initiatives was greeted with an under whelmed response: "boring," "uninspiring" and "awful" were some of the terms used The BBC's Iain Watson tests reaction to the proposals What will be in draft Speech?
The prime minister's speech comes after a difficult two weeks which have seen Labour's worst local election performance in 40 years, as well as criticism of Mr Brown's own behaviour in memoirs by John Prescott and Cherie Blair.The prime minister's speech comes after a difficult two weeks which have seen Labour's worst local election performance in 40 years, as well as criticism of Mr Brown's own behaviour in memoirs by John Prescott and Cherie Blair.
'Complete farce' It is the second draft Queen's Speech. Mr Brown introduced the idea when he became prime minister last year.
The abolition of the 10p tax rate, announced in the 2007 Budget, is thought to have played a key role in the election results. Critics say it diminishes the role of the monarch and the relevance of the State Opening of Parliament in November.
This was quite simply another Budget - an emergency Budget... The emergency was not financial but political The BBC's Nick Robinson class="" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/nickrobinson/">Read Nick Robinson's blog The compensation package Mr Darling announced on Tuesday will benefit 22m people on low and middle incomes, at a cost to the Treasury of £2.7bn, which will be funded through borrowing. But the government says it is appropriate to announce proposed measures earlier to allow consultation over the summer, resulting in a more concrete Queen's Speech.
The Conservatives accused the government of "panicking" ahead of the Crewe and Nantwich by-election on 22 May.
And the Liberal Democrats said the government's tax policy had "descended into a complete farce".
But Labour backbencher Frank Field, who led a backbench revolt against the 10p tax rate abolition, welcomed the chancellor's announcement and said it should "put an end to this issue".