This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/21/world/europe/brexit-theresa-may-dup.html

The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 3 Version 4
Queen’s Speech to U.K. Parliament Outlines Theresa May’s Scaled-Down Agenda Queen’s Speech to U.K. Parliament Outlines Theresa May’s Scaled-Down Agenda
(about 9 hours later)
LONDON — Struggling to secure support for a minority government, Prime Minister Theresa May of Britain put forward a scaled-down legislative program on Wednesday that would prioritize the country’s withdrawal from the European Union and would jettison policies likely to struggle to pass in Parliament. LONDON — Before she lost her parliamentary majority in elections this month, Prime Minister Theresa May of Britain harbored bold ambitions to reshape her country’s politics, promising to reach out to working class voters who were left behind by globalization and struggling to get by.
Mrs. May, who has been trying to secure a deal with 10 lawmakers from the Democratic Unionist Party in Northern Ireland, needs their support after her Conservative Party lost its parliamentary majority in a general election two weeks ago. But on Wednesday, Mrs. May jettisoned much of her policy agenda, putting forward a slimmed down legislative program intended to minimize the risk of defeats in Parliament while focusing on Britain’s departure from the European Union, a process known as “Brexit.”
The government’s legislative agenda was laid out on Wednesday in the Queen’s Speech to Parliament. It had been scheduled for Monday but was postponed because of the political uncertainty. Her authority shattered by the election debacle, Mrs. May is fighting for survival. Despite days of negotiations to secure support for her minority government from 10 lawmakers from the Democratic Unionist Party in Northern Ireland, there was still no agreement on Wednesday.
The queen’s role in presenting the agenda is a significant ceremonial duty. Buckingham Palace announced Wednesday morning that the queen’s husband, Prince Philip, had been hospitalized Tuesday night “as a precautionary measure, for treatment of an infection arising from a pre-existing condition.” Prince Charles, the heir to the throne, accompanied the queen to Parliament, in place of Prince Philip. Having already postponed by two days the Queen’s Speech to Parliament, in which the monarch outlines the government’s coming legislation, Mrs. May proceeded without an accord with the D.U.P., and in the knowledge that any contentious bill risks defeat.
Mrs. May is fighting for her political life. Not only has she been blamed by many in the Conservative Party for a disastrous election campaign but she was also widely judged to have mishandled the aftermath of a devastating and deadly fire at a London high rise last week. The queen’s role in presenting the agenda is a significant ceremonial duty. Buckingham Palace announced Wednesday morning that the queen’s husband, Prince Philip, had been hospitalized Tuesday night “as a precautionary measure, for treatment of an infection arising from a pre-existing condition.” Prince Charles, the heir to the throne, accompanied the queen to Parliament in place of Prince Philip for a ceremony that was, by British standards, relatively light on pomp.
Talks with the 10 lawmakers from the D.U.P. have proved much harder than expected. But even though Mrs. May’s position remains fragile, most analysts say that she is likely to secure their support one way or another. Because the June 8 snap election provided little time for preparation, the monarch arrived by car, not carriage, and wore a hat rather than a crown (though the crown traveled in a separate vehicle to Parliament in accordance with protocol). The queen’s choice of headgear became an unexpected talking point with a number of posts on Twitter claiming it bore striking similarities to the European Union flag.
The D.U.P., which has strong Protestant roots, has a major incentive to find common ground with the prime minister: Without its help, Mrs. May’s government could fall, and power could pass to the opposition Labour Party of Jeremy Corbyn, who has a history of close ties to Irish Republicans. The speech she delivered, meanwhile, was noteworthy less for what it contained than for what it omitted or played down. Those included moves to expand the number of grammar schools, which admit pupils after tests; several promises to remove some financial privileges for affluent elderly voters; a pledge to reopen Britain’s debate on fox hunting; and a push to consider a price cap on energy costs, which appeared to have been toned down.
The crucial test will come next week, when lawmakers are to vote on the program in the Queen’s Speech. Nor was there any mention of imminent plans to host President Trump on a state visit. Though Mrs. May’s office says that the invitation still stands, there have been reports that Mr. Trump favored postponing a trip to Britain where his presence is likely to prompt protests.
Even if Mrs. May were to prevail, as expected, she would still struggle to pass contentious legislation. That being the case, the legislative program on Wednesday suggested that she had dropped several measures that were once centerpieces of her political agenda. Mrs. May promised to work “in the national interest” and with “humility and resolve,” but her trimmed policy agenda highlighted the extraordinary speed with which her fortunes have declined. Not only has she been blamed by many in the Conservative Party for a disastrous election campaign she need not have fought, she was also widely judged to have mishandled the aftermath of a devastating and deadly fire at a London high rise last week.
That explains why there was no reference in the speech to proposals for more grammar schools, which use tests to determine admissions, and why it made no mention of plans to require older people to pay more of the costs for long-term care at home — a proposal described by critics as a “dementia tax.” Mrs. May’s next crucial test will be winning a vote next week on the Queen’s Speech.
The Queen’s Speech also made no reference to a state visit to Britain for President Trump, suggesting that it would not take place soon. Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the opposition Labour Party, promised to use “every opportunity to vote down government policies that failed to win public support.”
In many respects, the address highlighted the extraordinary speed with which Mrs. May’s fortunes have declined. At the start of the election campaign, she was well ahead in opinion polls and was expected to secure a victory large enough to reshape British politics. But much of that support has evaporated in recent weeks. “This is a government without a majority, without a mandate, without a serious legislative program, led by a prime minister who has lost her political authority, and is struggling to stitch together a deal to stay in office,” Mr. Corbyn told lawmakers.
The speech reflected Mrs. May’s desire to make Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union, known as Brexit, her top priority, with several bills intended to provide the legislative framework for the move. While Mrs. May’s medium-term position remains fragile, she is likely to secure some sort of support from the D.U.P. A party with strong Protestant roots, the D.U.P. worries that without its help, Mrs. May’s government could fall and one way or another, power could pass to the Labour Party and its left-wing leader, who has a history of close ties to Irish republicans.
It remained unclear whether the D.U.P. would support the government on crucial confidence motions, or would enter a broader arrangement to guarantee the passage of other important bills, including those on finance.
Even if Mrs. May prevailed and won approval for the Queen’s Speech, as expected, she would still struggle to pass every piece of contentious legislation, hence her decision to drop some measures that were once at the heart of her political thinking.
Though there were plans announced on Wednesday to review antiterrorism strategy and data privacy laws, and to tackle domestic violence, Mrs. May focused mainly on Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union, outlining eight bills intended to provide the legislative framework for the move.
That approach presents its own perils, however, because the general election failed to deliver an endorsement of the clean break with the bloc that she wanted — one that prioritizes control of immigration over economic interests.That approach presents its own perils, however, because the general election failed to deliver an endorsement of the clean break with the bloc that she wanted — one that prioritizes control of immigration over economic interests.
Although the Labour Party accepted the outcome of the referendum on withdrawing from the European Union, it wants to keep closer economic ties to the bloc and it could try to obstruct crucial parts of the government’s Brexit-related plans. Although the Labour Party accepted the outcome of the referendum on withdrawing from the European Union, it wants to keep closer economic ties to the bloc and it could try to obstruct crucial parts of the government’s exit-related plans.
Yet if Mrs. May softens her stance on withdrawing from the bloc to accommodate pro-Europeans worried about the British economy — including some members of her own cabinet — she risks a rebellion from leading supporters of the withdrawal.Yet if Mrs. May softens her stance on withdrawing from the bloc to accommodate pro-Europeans worried about the British economy — including some members of her own cabinet — she risks a rebellion from leading supporters of the withdrawal.
That would include possible successors like Boris Johnson, the foreign secretary, and David Davis, the cabinet minister responsible for negotiating Britain’s exit from the European Union.That would include possible successors like Boris Johnson, the foreign secretary, and David Davis, the cabinet minister responsible for negotiating Britain’s exit from the European Union.
How long Mrs. May can survive is unclear. George Osborne, the former chancellor of the Exchequer who was fired by Mrs. May last year and is now a newspaper editor, has described her as a “dead woman walking.”
Few analysts believe that Mrs. May will be allowed to lead the Conservatives into another election, but there seems little appetite for an immediate contest to replace her.
In recent decades some weakened governments in Britain have continued longer than expected, after prime ministers appeared to lose authority. That situation befell another Conservative leader, John Major, in 1992, after Britain crashed out of the European Union’s exchange rate mechanism — yet he survived until 1997.
When he finally did seek re-election, however, Mr. Major led his Conservative Party to a landslide defeat.