UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson came under fire on Monday for not using the Queen’s Speech to promise more action to combat rising living costs, saying the government cannot “completely shield” people from it.
Instead the prime minister laid out plans for a “high-wage, high-skill” economy, saying the government was working to “build the foundations for decades of prosperity”.
However, Mr Johnson’s failure to outline short-term measures to lessen the financial burden on people’s day-to-day lives was criticised by charities, campaigners and opposition politicians.
The prime minister hinted at future help, using the “fiscal firepower” of the government.
“We will continue to use all our ingenuity and compassion for as long as it takes,” he told MPs.
“The chancellor and I will be saying more about this in the days to come.”
But any extra intervention to help with the current strain on household budgets will not be arriving in the next few days, a Downing Street source told the PA news agency.
The Treasury, asked about the prime minister’s comments, pointed to the chancellor, saying on Monday that there would be “better clarity on what energy prices will be in the autumn”.
Speaking in the Commons, Mr Johnson went on to say there are limits to how much public money he was prepared to commit to addressing a global economic crisis.
With the war in Ukraine raging, the government’s programme included a series of measures to give the security services extra powers to tackle foreign spies and efforts to influence British democracy.
The package also contains measures aimed at taking advantage of the freedoms offered by Brexit — but there was no legislation to enact the government’s threat to tear up the deal on Northern Ireland’s trading arrangements, although officials said that remained an option.
But with rising energy bills, inflation forecast to hit 10 per cent and benefits and wages failing to keep up with the increase in prices, the cost of living is set to dominate domestic politics in the coming months.
The government highlighted the £22 billion ($27bn) package of help with energy bills, tax cuts and other measures already announced, but its focus is on generating economic growth to help address the issues rather than increasing state support, with public finances already battered by the billions borrowed to address the pandemic.
“After two years of Covid-19, I know that the last thing people need are further challenges,” Mr Johnson said.
“I know people are struggling with their bills and that they are anxious about the future.
“While we must keep our public finances on a sustainable footing — and we cannot completely shield people from the fallout from global events — where we can help, we will.”
Mr Johnson said the “aftershocks of Covid-19 and the biggest war in Europe since 1945” are causing disruption around the world, with all major economies facing cost-of-living pressures.
“It is right that we continue doing whatever we can to ease the burdens people are grappling with now, supporting the hardest-hit with £22bn of help to address the cost of living and cutting hundreds of pounds off household bills.
“But we must also remember that for every pound of taxpayers’ money we spend on reducing bills now, it is a pound we are not investing in bringing down bills and prices over the longer term.”
He said the government’s “top priorities” are growing the economy, making streets safe and supporting the NHS to clear the backlogs built up during the pandemic.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer called the response to the situation “pathetic”, telling Mr Johnson: “This government’s failure to grow the economy over a decade, combined with its inertia in the face of spiralling bills, means that we are staring down the barrel of something we haven’t seen in decades — a stagflation crisis.”
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said the Queen’s Speech “does nothing to help the millions of families and pensioners facing soaring bills and eye-watering inflation”.
“This speech was a far cry from what struggling families needed to hear today”, offering “no short-term comfort for parents struggling to feed their kids in the face of rocketing prices”, said Child Poverty Action Group chief executive Alison Garnham.
Dan Paskins, director of UK impact at Save the Children added that “the Queen’s Speech was a major opportunity to support those most affected by rising costs and the government didn’t take it”.
And Confederation of British Industry’s Matthew Fell said “firms looking for the government to address the cost-of-living crisis by growing the economy will be encouraged by the ambition in the Queen’s Speech”.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
THREE
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Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
The Limehouse Golem
Director: Juan Carlos Medina
Cast: Olivia Cooke, Bill Nighy, Douglas Booth
Three stars
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
The biog
Hobby: Playing piano and drawing patterns
Best book: Awaken the Giant Within by Tony Robbins
Food of choice: Sushi
Favourite colour: Orange
My Cat Yugoslavia by Pajtim Statovci
Pushkin Press
ACC 2019: The winners in full
Best Actress Maha Alemi, Sofia
Best Actor Mohamed Dhrif, Weldi
Best Screenplay Meryem Benm’Barek, Sofia
Best Documentary Of Fathers and Sons by Talal Derki
Best Film Yomeddine by Abu Bakr Shawky
Best Director Nadine Labaki, Capernaum
more from Janine di Giovanni
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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Afcon 2019
SEMI-FINALS
Senegal v Tunisia, 8pm
Algeria v Nigeria, 11pm
Matches are live on BeIN Sports
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
WRESTLING HIGHLIGHTS
UAE WARRIORS RESULTS
Featherweight
Azouz Anwar (EGY) beat Marcelo Pontes (BRA)
TKO round 2
Catchweight 90kg
Moustafa Rashid Nada (KSA) beat Imad Al Howayeck (LEB)
Split points decision
Welterweight
Gimbat Ismailov (RUS) beat Mohammed Al Khatib (JOR)
TKO round 1
Flyweight (women)
Lucie Bertaud (FRA) beat Kelig Pinson (BEL)
Unanimous points decision
Lightweight
Alexandru Chitoran (ROU) beat Regelo Enumerables Jr (PHI)
TKO round 1
Catchweight 100kg
Marc Vleiger (NED) beat Mohamed Ali (EGY)
Rear neck choke round 1
Featherweight
James Bishop (NZ) beat Mark Valerio (PHI)
TKO round 2
Welterweight
Abdelghani Saber (EGY) beat Gerson Carvalho (BRA)
TKO round 1
Middleweight
Bakhtiyar Abbasov (AZE) beat Igor Litoshik (BLR)
Unanimous points decision
Bantamweight
Fabio Mello (BRA) beat Mark Alcoba (PHI)
Unanimous points decision
Welterweight
Ahmed Labban (LEB) v Magomedsultan Magomedsultanov (RUS)
TKO round 1
Bantamweight
Trent Girdham (AUS) beat Jayson Margallo (PHI)
TKO round 3
Lightweight
Usman Nurmagomedov (RUS) beat Roman Golovinov (UKR)
TKO round 1
Middleweight
Tarek Suleiman (SYR) beat Steve Kennedy (AUS)
Submission round 2
Lightweight
Dan Moret (USA) v Anton Kuivanen (FIN)
TKO round 2
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UK's plans to cut net migration
Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.
Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.
But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.
Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.
Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.
The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
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What is Genes in Space?
Genes in Space is an annual competition first launched by the UAE Space Agency, The National and Boeing in 2015.
It challenges school pupils to design experiments to be conducted in space and it aims to encourage future talent for the UAE’s fledgling space industry. It is the first of its kind in the UAE and, as well as encouraging talent, it also aims to raise interest and awareness among the general population about space exploration.
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The bio
Studied up to grade 12 in Vatanappally, a village in India’s southern Thrissur district
Was a middle distance state athletics champion in school
Enjoys driving to Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah with family
His dream is to continue working as a social worker and help people
Has seven diaries in which he has jotted down notes about his work and money he earned
Keeps the diaries in his car to remember his journey in the Emirates
