Caroline Lucas slams Tories over Queen’s Speech omissions

The Green Party MP’s comments follow Prince Charles’ Westminster address at the opening of parliament.

Caroline Lucas has slammed the Conservatives over the Queen’s Speech, which was delivered to the Palace of Westminster today by Prince Charles. 

‘This is a Tory Government with no purpose’, Lucas said on Twitter, nodding to Downing Street appearing to drop plans linked to housing and human rights, watering down the ban on conversion therapy by excluding the trans community, and ‘hollowing out’ levelling up policies. However, it was the lack of robust environmental content that drew the most criticism from the Green Party politician. 

Can’t believe what I’ve just heard in this #QueensSpeech

Housing: plans dropped
Human rights: stripped
Conversion therapy ban: half-baked
Levelling up: hollowed out
Climate emergency: utterly ignored

This is a Tory Government with no purpose

— Caroline Lucas (@CarolineLucas) May 10, 2022

‘Wonder how Prince Charles felt about reading out a #QueensSpeech with big fat zero in it on environment… Hugely disappointing to see Nature Bill has been scrapped. Has the Government forgotten there’s a biodiversity emergency? Pity he couldn’t have improvised a bit,’ Lucas Tweeted. 

Wonder how Prince Charles felt about reading out a #QueensSpeech with big fat zero in it on environment…Hugely disappointing to see Nature Bill has been scrapped. Has the Government forgotten there’s a biodiversity emergency? Pity he couldn’t have improvised a bit … #COP15

— Caroline Lucas (@CarolineLucas) May 10, 2022

‘Glad to see Energy Security Bill in #QueensSpeech, but it will ring hollow if it fails to provide a retrofit revolution to slash bills and energy demand. When the 1.5C limit is close to being broken, we desperately need a #fossilfueltreaty to keep fossil fuels in the ground,’ she continued. 

Glad to see Energy Security Bill in #QueensSpeech, but it will ring hollow if it fails to provide a retrofit revolution to slash bills & energy demand

When the 1.5C limit is close to being broken, we desperately need a #fossilfueltreaty to keep fossil fuels in the ground

— Caroline Lucas (@CarolineLucas) May 10, 2022

Grave environmental warnings have been coming thick and fast this year. Recently, a citizen-science study revealed that winged insect species have declined by 60% in the UK over the past decade. Meanwhile, the Met Office has unveiled a new report this week suggesting the world has a 50-50 chance of seeing average temperatures hit 1.5C above pre-industrial levels by 2026, while there is almost certainty the next four years will be the hottest on record. 

Image credit: Jamie Street