The Race to the Next General Election Starts NowMay 11, 2021

The race to the next General Election has started with the Prime Minister using today’s Queen’s Speech to set out his government’s post-pandemic legislative agenda and turn the screw on Labour leader Keir Starmer who is under fire following last week’s election results.

With the end of lockdown now in sight, attention has returned to Parliament as the Government unveiled its next legislative programme, pledging to legislate on flagship reforms to the NHS, an overhaul of the planning system and a crackdown on crime.

However, the most significant news from today’s Queen’s Speech was that the Government plans to scrap the Fixed-Term Parliament Act of the Cameron-Clegg Coalition years.

The Act denies any Prime Minister full control over the timing of an election for a decade. Today’s announcement is a sign that the Prime Minister could look to inflict further electoral misery on the Labour Party, with the prospect of the next General Election taking place before December 2024.

It is easy to see why this course of action might appeal to Johnson. Keir Starmer’s leadership has come under increased pressure having shown none of the progress he’s promised, culminating with Labour losing hundreds of council seats in Super Thursday elections as the fabled ‘Red Wall’ crumbled further. Any chance to press yet another reset button saw Starmer’s leadership credibility further diminished as he blinked first in the reshuffle stand-off with deputy Angela Rayner.

And there is a further test to come with another Red Wall seat up for grabs in a by-election following Tracey Brabin’s election as West Yorkshire’s first mayor, which has forced her to step down from her seat in Batley and Spen.

Today’s Queen’s Speech, therefore presented an opportunity for the Government to reset its agenda following the pandemic, addressing many of the themes it outlined in its 2019 General Election Manifesto.

The scope of much of the programme was robust, covering asylum reforms, electoral rules, and post-Brexit state aid. Elsewhere, government-funded training for all adults without the equivalent of A-levels was announced to appeal to new Conservative voters in the North and Midlands.

Coupled with recent success at the local elections, turbo-charging its pledge to 'level up' jobs and investment, the Tory narrative heading into the next election is taking shape.

Make no mistake – the next race for No 10 has begun.

THE HOUSE VIEW

By Steve Hawkes

JUBILANT Tories badged today’s Queen’s Speech as a relaunch of the 2019 Tory Manifesto.

Which is a gentle reminder that Boris Johnson has broken almost every promise that was contained within it.

It’s yet another one of those ‘issues’ the party – for now – is happy to forget as the PM keeps on winning.

No social care white paper? Ah don’t worry, we won Tees Valley.

Last week’s stunning ‘Super Thursday’ confirmed that all the momentum is well and truly in the blue corner.

Labour is now terrified about the upcoming Batley and Spen by-election. And it keeps misfiring.

Angela Rayner spoke of the need to reconnect with working class voters … but did it in an interview with the lofty Guardian.

And it’s with some dismay Labour insiders point to polling that shows Keir Starmer trails the PM on who voters believe can best bring people together, represents change, cares about them and, wait for it, is more likely to tell the truth.

But this is the nub. It’s worth thinking about who Labour has lost to. Boris Johnson has now won London, Brexit, the 2019 Election and the 2021 locals and that’s the key. Boris Johnson is becoming such a dominant figure, it’s almost as if Labour is facing Boris Johnson’s Tories, not the Conservative Party. Would Rishi Sunak’s Tories be as popular?

It’s no small task, but Labour needs to acknowledge Boris’ popularity with their voters and then work out how best to defeat HIM. They do that, then they could have a chance in 2023 or 2024.