Chris Elmore, MP for Ogmore, has demanded an Emergency Budget following the delivery of a “wholly inadequate Queen’s Speech”. The Speech contained no major measures to tackle the cost-of-living crisis and the Treasury had to quickly reverse on false indications from the Prime Minister that any new action will be announced in the coming weeks.

The Queen’s Speech fails to address the Bank of England’s revised inflation figures of 10% or provide any solutions to forecasts that growth will slow to a devastating 1.5%.

Outside of the cost-of-living crisis, the Speech also had no answers to the rise in crime. Since 2019, crime is up 18% but prosecutions are down 18%. The number of arrests has dropped by 35,000. Anti-social behaviour is rife and fraud is soaring. The Victims Bill has now been promised in 4 Queen’s Speeches and 3 manifestos, but never delivered. Even now the UK Government have only pledged to draft a Bill – not actually bring it into force.

Ogmore has been promised much by the Levelling Up agenda but received nothing. The UK Government’s new Bill declared in the Speech will in effect be marking its own homework with 12 “missions” lacking new money or ideas. More powers grabbed by Westminster from Ogmore.

The UK Government is also grabbing powers away from citizens to take ethical decisions in relation to how public funds are spent. The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Bill will have unintended consequences which can stop local councils from adopting ethical positions in relation to Russia, Xinjiang in China, Myanmar or Saudi Arabia or other states with poor human rights records.

Chris Elmore, MP for Ogmore, said:

“This was a wholly inadequate Queen’s Speech for the times we live in. The Conservative Cost-of-living crisis is running riot in our energy and food bills. It’s pushing inflation to eye-watering levels and seeing economic growth stagnate. We are staring down the barrel of an economic horror show whilst UK Government ministers sit idly by.

Not only does this Speech include nothing to help families in Ogmore with their bills, it contains nothing to bring crime under control. Prosecutions have plummeted whilst crime is soaring. After the Tories slashed 21,000 police officers from our streets, they have landed us in an utter mess.

The rest of the Queen’s Speech was a power grab for ministers from communities. After 12 years this UK Tory Government is tired and found wanting. They could and should do more. Their policies are hurting and not working.”