Queen’s Speech "pushed back until after EU referendum"

Prime minister has reportedly delayed unveiling of legislative year ahead to allow focus on European Union vote


By Sebastian Whale

02 Mar 2016

David Cameron is reportedly set to postpone the Queen’s speech and controversial cuts to funding for opposition parties until after the EU referendum.

The Times reports that the prime minister is postponing the events in a bid to boost the campaign to remain in the European Union.

Ministers have been informed that the launch of the coming parliamentary year’s legislation, scheduled for May, has been pushed back beyond the referendum date on 23 June.


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Meanwhile proposed cuts to Short Money, announced in George Osborne’s Autumn Statement last year, are also reportedly being delayed amid threats of Labour rebellion against the proposal.

The chancellor planned to reduce the funding, which is distributed to opposition parties by the number of MPs they have and the number of votes they received, by 19%.

The Times says that Cameron will conduct a reshuffle of his top team alongside the Queen’s Speech, with promotions set for pro-Brexit ministers including Priti Patel, Andrea Leadsom and Penny Mordaunt.

But the positions of Cabinet ministers including commons leader Chris Grayling and work and pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith are said to be in doubt.

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