Liberal Democrats in local government have responded to yesterday’s Queen’s Speech emphasising the lack of any concrete proposals that will make a real difference to people’s lives. Instead, the speech has been described as “a fantasy Queen’s Speech from a government that has run out of road in a Parliament that has lost the people’s trust.”
Liberal Democrat Leader in the Local Government Association, Cllr Richard Kemp said:
“The Child Poverty Bill and the Equality Bill as outlined in the Queens Speech today are high on rhetoric and low on deliverability – in short they are mere gestures.
“I have already given evidence to the Committee scrutinising the Child Poverty Bill which is a hangover from the last Parliament. Giving us a duty without the means to deliver that duty is an empty gesture.
“The same applies to the Equality Bill. I know of no council, irrespective of political control, that is not aware of the gaps between rich and poor and between a variety of communities. The Government needs to get real about what can and cannot be done by councils without further legislation to transfer cash and powers back to us.”
For more details on Nick Clegg’s response to the Queen’s Speech, go to the Liberal Democrat website
ALDC members can also download a detailed response from the LGA here