Today is Queen’s speech day. It is the day to discuss where we want to take our country and what should be the priorities for public policy.
To those who want this site to write about Brexit every day I have just two things to say. The first is I do not change my views on the advantages of Brexit or on the need to get out on 31 October, so I do not need to keep reaffirming them.
I have set out my advice to the government on how best to do it on many occasions. The second is I see no point in responding to every rumour, leak and piece of misinformation about the talks and the possible outcomes. Meanwhile there are crucial issues that matter that we do as a country need to debate and tackle.
My main priority for the government is to confirm the action it will be taking to stimulate our economy and to distance ourselves from the German recession and the advanced slowdown on the continent. I want to see additional good measures to promote growth, following a couple of years of fiscal and monetary squeeze from the UK authorities.
I wish to see a defined programme of good investment, public and private, in transport, broadband, water and energy. We need more capacity in each of these areas. I want to hear of the tax cuts we can now afford so net take home pay is higher and businesses and entrepreneurs keep more of their profits to allow reinvestment.
I see from briefings that we can expect legislation and or administrative changes to alter the way we own and run our railways. I will write more about this as we await conclusions from the latest review of our system.
The government does need to review its tax and regulatory policy towards cars given the worldwide impact EU and various countries’ policies are now having on motor manufacturing. It also needs to talk about the way the move of the EU to zero tariffs on Japanese cars over the next few years may impact the balance of Japanese manufacturing as between Japan and the EU as a whole.
I am glad the government has confirmed the higher sums for state schools for next year, which will be welcome in low funded areas like Wokingham and West Berkshire. The new money going into the NHS needs to be wisely spent, with Ministers telling us what improvements we will be buying with the cash.
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