Gold nuggets in the Queen’s Speech can help to galvanise Labour

Richard Robinson‘s Speech Bubble

Shortly after I had updated my Facebook status on Tuesday night (a quite innocuous line referring to the Queen’s Speech), friends posted responses which in themselves seemed of little significance.

Yet as the Queen yesterday, aged 83 and for the 55th occasion, presided over the state opening of Parliament, something about the nature of Facebook might serve to inform both Labour and the Conservatives about the shape of the political discourse during the next six months up to the General Election.

Just as Facebook has over an extremely short period transformed the way large numbers of people connect and communicate, Labour, consistently behind in the polls, needs to reconnect with voters, and very quickly.

We know the Conservatives are undoubtedly favourites to form the next Government with the overwhelming majority of ‘experts’Â in the press. However, David Cameron does need to hone a message that is of genuine significance to the voter between now and June. Simply posting a response to the public that his party is not Labour will not necessarily guarantee victory and a mandate to govern.

Furthermore the Queen’s Speech contains several key potential ‘gold nuggets’ on fundamental policy areas covering the economy, child poverty and social care that certainly have the potential to galvanise Labour. Of greater importance though is an opportunity for Labour to paint a clear divide between themselves and the opposition, offering voters a genuine choice at the election.

The Queen’s Speech features thirteen bills including a Bribery Bill which will develop a comprehensive UK strategy for tackling foreign bribery, strengthen work with international partners, and establish a clear legal, regulatory and policy framework. Also a Digital Economy Bill will ensure a competitive digital communication infrastructure, protect intellectual property, and maintain plurality in regional news.

Not too much here to excite voters? Hold the front page! Labour hopes that further meaty and high profile public pronouncements will all serve to help restore confidence and trust in the Government and its battered image. For example, a Fiscal Responsibility Bill commits the government to halving its budget deficit within four years; a Child Poverty Bill will enshrine in law Labour’s ambitious pledge to abolish Child Poverty by 2020; a Social Care Bill will provide for the first time a new national care service with free personal care in their own homes for those with the highest need; and parents have been promised new rights to demand a high quality education for their children.

Does any of this matter though? With only 33 legislative days left in the Lords until the last date for an election, Labour’s critics have dismissed yesterday as a sham. Michael Gove complains it’s simply aspiration when it should be fact and substance. The Sun simply says it’s a waste of time.

Like the bottom two contestants in the X Factor nervously awaiting their fate, Gordon Brown must wait for the public to cast their votes.

As for my Facebook status, in ten years time I hope my post might read ‘whilst Gordon Brown didn’t win the X Factor, he shunned personality politics and restored values to the political discourse’Â.

Over to the public to decide.

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3. Bills, Draft Bills and Full Text of the Queen’s Speech
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5. Labour reaction to Cameron’s speech