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| Queen's speech to take place next Wednesday | Queen's speech to take place next Wednesday |
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| Theresa May is pressing ahead with holding a Queen’s speech next Wednesday to set out her plans for government, while negotiations continue with the Democratic Unionist party about the nature of their support for a minority Conservative government. | |
| A senior Conservative source said there was “broad agreement [with the DUP] on the principles of the Queens speech”, but no formal “confidence and supply” deal had yet been done, which would tie the DUP into backing the government on key pieces of legislation. | A senior Conservative source said there was “broad agreement [with the DUP] on the principles of the Queens speech”, but no formal “confidence and supply” deal had yet been done, which would tie the DUP into backing the government on key pieces of legislation. |
| The source singled out four areas of agreement: “Strengthening the union; combating terrorism; delivering Brexit; and delivering prosperity across the whole country.” | The source singled out four areas of agreement: “Strengthening the union; combating terrorism; delivering Brexit; and delivering prosperity across the whole country.” |
| But many aspects of the Conservative manifesto, including plans for scrapping free school lunches, expanding grammar schools, and means-testing the winter fuel allowance for pensioners, appear unlikely to be included. | |
| A confidence and supply deal between the DUP and the Conservatives is unlikely to be completed until early next week - or perhaps not until after the Queens speech. | A confidence and supply deal between the DUP and the Conservatives is unlikely to be completed until early next week - or perhaps not until after the Queens speech. |
| Talks hinge on a series of issues, including the size of any likely public spending boost for Northern Ireland – and will need to be agreed at a joint meeting with the prime minister and the DUP’s Arlene Foster. | Talks hinge on a series of issues, including the size of any likely public spending boost for Northern Ireland – and will need to be agreed at a joint meeting with the prime minister and the DUP’s Arlene Foster. |
| There is a “steady dialogue” between the two parties, being led by the chief whip, Gavin Williamson, the source said. But he held out the possibility that May might seek to govern without any ongoing deal. | There is a “steady dialogue” between the two parties, being led by the chief whip, Gavin Williamson, the source said. But he held out the possibility that May might seek to govern without any ongoing deal. |
| Andrea Leadsom, the former environment secretary who was made leader of the Commons in May’s minor reshuffle following last week’s election, issued a statement confirming Wednesday as the rescheduled date for the state opening. | Andrea Leadsom, the former environment secretary who was made leader of the Commons in May’s minor reshuffle following last week’s election, issued a statement confirming Wednesday as the rescheduled date for the state opening. |
| Leadsom said: “The government has agreed with Buckingham Palace that the state opening of parliament will take place on 21 June 2017.” | Leadsom said: “The government has agreed with Buckingham Palace that the state opening of parliament will take place on 21 June 2017.” |
| The Queen’s speech itself, where the government sets out its legislative plans, is likely to be a relatively slim agenda, given the uncertainty over how much of the Conservative manifesto ministers will be able to get through parliament. | The Queen’s speech itself, where the government sets out its legislative plans, is likely to be a relatively slim agenda, given the uncertainty over how much of the Conservative manifesto ministers will be able to get through parliament. |
| May is due to host the leaders of all Northern Ireland’s parties at Downing Street to talk about the potential implications of any deal with the DUP over power-sharing at Stormont. | May is due to host the leaders of all Northern Ireland’s parties at Downing Street to talk about the potential implications of any deal with the DUP over power-sharing at Stormont. |
| She was meeting separately with representatives of Sinn Féin, the Ulster Unionists, the SDLP and the Alliance party, as well as the DUP, in the wake of warnings from Sir John Major and others that a deal with the DUP could risk the government’s role as an impartial arbiter in the Northern Ireland peace process. | She was meeting separately with representatives of Sinn Féin, the Ulster Unionists, the SDLP and the Alliance party, as well as the DUP, in the wake of warnings from Sir John Major and others that a deal with the DUP could risk the government’s role as an impartial arbiter in the Northern Ireland peace process. |
| Sinn Féin, the SDLP and the cross-community Alliance have said that the Northern Ireland secretary, James Brokenshire, cannot chair the ongoing process to restore power-sharing at Stormont due to the perceived conflict of interest. | Sinn Féin, the SDLP and the cross-community Alliance have said that the Northern Ireland secretary, James Brokenshire, cannot chair the ongoing process to restore power-sharing at Stormont due to the perceived conflict of interest. |
| The original date for the Queen’s speech – Monday 19 June – was also supposed to be the day Brexit negotiations began in Brussels. | The original date for the Queen’s speech – Monday 19 June – was also supposed to be the day Brexit negotiations began in Brussels. |
| Those talks are expected to go ahead next week: though the tight election result has raised questions about whether the government could still pursue a so-called hard Brexit, given the makeup of the new House of Commons. | Those talks are expected to go ahead next week: though the tight election result has raised questions about whether the government could still pursue a so-called hard Brexit, given the makeup of the new House of Commons. |
| The chancellor, Philip Hammond, is expected to set out the government’s stance on Brexit at Thursday’s Mansion House speech in the City, amid concerns in the Treasury that the impact of Brexit is starting to show through in economic data. | The chancellor, Philip Hammond, is expected to set out the government’s stance on Brexit at Thursday’s Mansion House speech in the City, amid concerns in the Treasury that the impact of Brexit is starting to show through in economic data. |