Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Saturday, Aug 23, 2025

Brexit plans centre stage in Queen's Speech

Brexit plans centre stage in Queen's Speech

Ministers say a deal with the EU is a "priority" as they prepare to outline their future plans.

Measures to help the UK prosper after Brexit are to be set out in the Queen's Speech, the government has said.

Plans to end the free movement of EU citizens into the UK and provide faster access to medicines will be unveiled.

Ministers say a Brexit deal is a "priority" and they hope one can be passed through Parliament "at pace".

But the UK and EU are still involved in talks ahead of a key summit - with a Downing Street source saying they were "a long way from a final deal".

The UK is due to leave the EU at 23:00 GMT on 31 October and the European leaders' summit next Thursday and Friday is being seen as the last chance to agree any deal before that deadline.

Leader of the House Jacob Rees-Mogg appealed to Eurosceptic MPs to back Prime Minister Boris Johnson's proposed Brexit deal by writing in the Sunday Telegraph that "compromise will inevitably be needed".

Downing Street says the prime minister will update his cabinet on the progress of the talks in Brussels later on Sunday, starting the "preparations for a final, critical EU council where it is hoped a deal can be reached".


'Optimistic and ambitious'


The first Queen's Speech of Mr Johnson's premiership, delivered during the State Opening of Parliament on Monday, will see the government highlight its priorities.

Mr Johnson said: "Getting Brexit done by 31 October is absolutely crucial, and we are continuing to work on an exit deal so we can move on to negotiating a future relationship based on free trade and friendly co-operation with our European friends.

"But the people of this country don't just want us to sort out Brexit... this optimistic and ambitious Queen's Speech sets us on a course to make all that happen, and more besides."

The government says the Queen's Speech will outline 22 bills including some that will introduce measures to allow the UK to "seize the opportunities that Brexit presents". Other proposals include:

An Immigration and Social Co-ordination Bill to end freedom of movement and bring in a points-based immigration system from 2021
Scrapping the rail franchise system - the contracting out of services introduced when the rail system was privatised in the 1990s
Plans for an NHS investigations body intended to improve patient safety and a pledge to update the Mental Health Act
An environment bill that will set legally binding targets to reduce plastics and cut air pollution
There are also proposals to tackle serious and violent crime, improve building standards, and increase investment in infrastructure and science.

But Labour has criticised the decision to hold a Queen's Speech before any general election as a "stunt" and "a pre-election party political broadcast" for the Tories.

The government does not have a Commons majority but Conservative Party chairman James Cleverly is urging opposition MPs not to reject the Queen's Speech - saying they should "put differences over Brexit aside and give Parliament the power to get our country moving forward".

Meanwhile, about a dozen British officials, including the UK's EU adviser David Frost, are taking part in what has been described as "intense technical discussions" at the EU Commission in Brussels this weekend in an attempt to secure a new Brexit deal.

A Downing Street source said: "We've always wanted a deal. It is good to see progress, but we will wait to see if this is a genuine breakthrough.

"We are a long way from a final deal and the weekend and next week remain critical to leaving with a deal on October 31. We remain prepared to leave without a deal on October 31."

BBC political correspondent Nick Eardley said although the government had been enthused by progress in recent days, the message from the Number 10 source was to not get "carried away".

On Saturday, Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer also reiterated that Labour would take action through the courts if Mr Johnson does try to push through a no-deal Brexit. He said the PM must comply with the so-called Benn Act passed by MPs in September, which requires him to seek a further delay.


Timeline: What's happening ahead of Brexit deadline?


Monday 14 October - The Commons is due to return, and the government will use the Queen's Speech to set out its legislative agenda. The speech will then be debated by MPs throughout the week.

Thursday 17 October - Crucial two-day summit of EU leaders begins in Brussels. This is the last such meeting currently scheduled before the Brexit deadline.

Saturday 19 October - Special sitting of Parliament and the date by which the PM must ask the EU for another delay to Brexit under the Benn Act, if no Brexit deal has been approved by Parliament and they have not agreed to the UK leaving with no-deal.

Thursday 31 October - Date by which the UK is due to leave the EU, with or without a withdrawal agreement.

Mr Johnson this month came out with revised proposals on a Brexit deal to avoid concerns about hard border on the island of Ireland that were initially criticised by EU leaders.

But following talks between Mr Johnson and the Irish prime minister Leo Varadkar on Thursday, Downing Street said the pair could "see a pathway to a possible deal"..

Neither the UK or EU are offering any detail on the apparent common ground that has been found on a solution to the Irish border.

However, support from the Democratic Unionist Party MPs could be crucial in getting a deal through Parliament and its deputy leader Nigel Dodds has said Northern Ireland must stay in a "full UK customs union" after Brexit.

"One thing is sure - Northern Ireland must remain fully part of the UK customs union and Boris Johnson knows it very well," he told the Italian newspaper La Repubblica.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Cristiano Ronaldo Makes Surprise Stop at New Hong Kong Museum
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
High-Stakes Trump-Putin Summit on Ukraine Underway in Alaska
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Nine people have been hospitalized and dozens of salmonella cases have been reported after an outbreak of infections linked to certain brands of pistachios and pistachio-containing products, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
Tariffs, AI, and the Shifting U.S. Macro Landscape: Navigating a New Economic Regime
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
×