Debate on the Address

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On the subject of our democracy, we look forward to debating the European reform treaty. We will propose many amendments, but one in particular is to give the British people the referendum that they were promised at the last election. The Gracious Speech talks about the importance of economic stability and we welcome the Bill on deposit insurance, but let us be clear that the problems go much further than that. We have the largest budget deficit in Europe and our competitiveness is in decline. In these times of uncertainty, we need a competitive tax system, yet the Chancellor seems hellbent on increasing tax on enterprise by 80 per cent. Since it is obvious that the Chancellor does not run the Treasury any more, when the Prime Minister stands up, I hope that he will do a U-turn on capital gains tax, as he has on so many other things this week. The real problem with the Queen's Speech is simple. It is the same as the problem with this Prime Minister. Whether it is on housing, immigration or youth unemployment, it is all short-term tricks instead of long-term problem solving. Let me take just one example: the Prime Minister's pledge to ““deep clean”” our hospitals. Here is the headline from one newspaper—it is just what he wanted:"““I'll wipe the wards clean—PM's amazing pledge on MRSA””." When we look at it more closely, it certainly is amazing. The Prime Minister said that ““deep cleaning”” would happen in ““every hospital””, but listen to what the Department of Health said:"““There are no plans to centrally monitor the deep cleaning of hospitals. Arrangements for the programme are entirely a matter for local determination””." [Interruption.] Wait. The Department of Health went on:"““Undertaking deep-clean is just one of a number of approaches trusts may take in tackling healthcare infections.””" It gets worse. The Prime Minister said that deep cleaning would happen ““over the next year””, but the Department of Health said that"““no specific date has been set for either the commencement or completion of the deep-clean programme.””" The Prime Minister said deep cleaning would be repeated ““every 18 months””, but the Department of Health said:"““The success of the first programme of deep cleaning will be fully evaluated before a decision is made about whether to repeat.””" Then it said:"““There are also no plans to assess the effectiveness of deep-cleaning.””" Therefore, all the things that the Prime Minister told us—that it would happen in every hospital, start immediately and be repeated every 18 months—turned out not to be true. What a complete shambles. People are worried about going to hospital and catching a disease that might kill them, and all they get from the Government are short-term tricks. I will tell you, Mr Speaker, what needs a deep clean: the culture of spin, deceit and half-truth that we get from the Government. The Queen's Speech does not, and the Prime Minister does not, represent any real change. The Prime Minister knows how to talk about change, but the trouble is he cannot deliver change. That is what the whole country discovered this autumn. Yes, he can do the gestures. He can wear the blue tie, speak in front of a blue background and even get Lady Thatcher round for tea. But when it comes to real, substantive change, this Prime Minister is not capable of offering anything new. On education, the Government are going backwards. Instead of taking on the establishment and standing up for rigour and standards, they are caving in and abolishing the A-level. Instead of developing the programme of city technology colleges and city academies, they are slamming on the brakes and putting local education authorities back in charge. The Prime Minister talks about a culture change in education, but all we get is more top-down, centralising targets. It is more of the same on welfare. We have millions on benefit and youth unemployment is higher than when the Government came to power, but still they will not introduce the sort of welfare reform that has worked everywhere else in the world. It was recommended by his own welfare adviser, but the Prime Minister rejected it. This Prime Minister cannot be the change that Britain needs. That is why people are beginning to wonder, what is the point of this Government? Just where is the Prime Minister's vision for Britain? We were told that he would use this year's Budget to"““flesh out the vision for his planned premiership.””" But when we got the Budget, there was a tax cut that turned out to be a tax con. Then they said that his vision would be in his party conference speech—and there was a vision in his speech; the only problem was that it was not his. He had borrowed it from an American. It was John Kerry's vision, and it did not work for him either. [Interruption.] After the disappointment of a conference speech that everyone can now see was just a laundry list of populist gimmicks, they said, ““Don't worry—[Interruption.]