Queen’s Speech is delayed as Theresa May gathers new team to hammer out Tory-DUP deal after scrapping grammar school plans and pension shake-up
THERESA May chaired a crisis meeting of her new Cabinet this morning after it was revealed the Queen's Speech is set to be delayed while a Tory-DUP deal is hammered out.
Downing Street refused to confirm the State Opening of Parliament would go ahead as planned on June 19 – also potentially ripping up the monarch's Royal Ascot plans.
If it is pushed back from Monday to later next week Her Majesty will have to pull out of her favourite race meeting of the year - which she hosts for four days from Tuesday to Friday.
Each morning during the event The Queen and accompanying Members of the Royal Family take part in the the Royal Procession, arriving at the track in horse-drawn carriages.
The Queen's Speech takes place at the start of every Parliamentary year, and sees the monarch read out the Government's legislative plan for the coming 12 months.
But the PM fears wrangles with the DUP to get the support of their ten MPs she needs to pass laws may take all week.
In which case she might not be ready to table a Queen's Speech by Monday, delaying the State Opening of Parliament.
A No.10 spokesman said: "There will be an update from the Leader of the House shortly."
First Secretary of State Damian Green confirmed this afternoon there could be a delay, and said he was "optimistic" that a deal could be reached.
He said: "Until we have that, we can't agree the final details of the Queen's Speech. We know those talks are going well. We want to produce a
substantial Queen's Speech."
The news comes as Mrs May prepares to scrap large chunks of her manifesto - amid fears she may not be able to get the legislation through the House of Commons.
Plans to reform grammar schools and a new vote on foxhunting could now be out the door. Changes to social care and a pensions shake up may also be scrapped - as the DUP are opposed to them.
Mrs May's top team met in No.10 today amid rumours of a split over Brexit, with talk of ministers conspiring with MPs from other parties to water down plans for a so-called "hard" EU exit.
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The office of Andrea Leadsom, who has only been in the role for a few hours after being moved in yesterday's reshuffle, made no immediate announcement about the Queen's speech in response to press queries.
In response a Labour spokesperson said: “No.10’s failure to confirm the date of the Queen’s Speech shows that this Government is in chaos, as it struggles to agree a backroom deal with a party with abhorrent views on LGBT and women’s rights.”
The PM has come under increasing pressure since her disastrous election result on Thursday, with a crunch meeting with Tory MPs taking place in Parliament this evening.
The weekend saw rumours Boris Johnson could launch a coup against Mrs May – but he quashed those in an article for The Sun this morning.
He insisted there shouldn’t be another general election and called for an end to Tory plotting, telling mutinous MPs to “get a grip”.
Mrs May received another boost this morning after David Davis also threw his weight behind her and slammed talk of a leadership challenge as "self-indulgent".
The Brexit secretary came out all guns blazing for his boss today as she seeks to secure her position despite losing her commons majority last week.
He told ITV's Good Morning Britain that she will definitely be there "for my career at least" and he was "100 per cent an unswerving supporter".
"I am not interested," he said, when quizzed on whether he would run for leader again. "It's a complete waste of people's time, it is unbelievably self-indulgent to go into this sort of stuff."
He praised the PM in a separate interview with Radio 4's Today programme as being "decisive" and "brave" but who also "consults... takes her time".
Mrs May is under increasing pressure as she seeks to team up with the DUP with former Chancellor George Osborne calling her a "dead woman walking".