23 June, 2017
In a United Kingdom roiled by surprising election results, terrorist attacks and the fallout from a deadly tower blaze, the Queen's Speech offered a concrete road map of the next two years under diminished Conservative leadership. Instead, the Conservatives lost seats and May still hasn't secured a deal with another party to insure Parliament will back the government's agenda.
The traditionally ceremonial address, usually dominated by pageantry, was a crucial testing ground for May's ability to run the country during its most challenging period for generations.
The Scottish Government's Brexit minister Michael Russell said there was "absolutely no question" of any powers in devolved areas being held at Westminster after Brexit, and insisted that MSPs must be given a vote on all Brexit legislation affecting Scotland.
May's attempt to lead a minority government comes on the heels of a fire at Grenfell Tower that killed at least 79 people, one of the country's worst disasters for a generation.
The opposition leader, who refused to bow to the queen, said at the beginning of the parliamentary session that the government has "apparently run out of ideas altogether".
"First, we need to get Brexit right".
Notwithstanding the uncertain future she faces, May has made a decision to press ahead with the previous schedule for the European Union talks.
She was accompanied by son and heir Prince Charles, rather than husband Duke of Edinburgh, after he was admitted to hospital as a "precautionary measure" last night.
The speech is a list of laws that the British government plans to bring forward in the coming year.
"Not every problem can be solved by an act of parliament", she said.
Mrs May said Britain had been through "an unsettling time which has tested the spirit of our country" and its response must be "compassion, unity, resolve".
The legislative programme spelt out a Brexit-dominated set of policies and indicated May was keen to secure broad support for leaving the European Union - a change in tone from the strident approach she set out before the June 8 election.
Mr Carmichael, a Cabinet colleague of Mrs May in the coalition government, said she would stick to her position "like a limpet to a rock". MPs will be asked to support the speech in a vote next week - and opposition parties are likely to table a series of amendments.
"Firms will expect all politicians to put pragmatism before politics, starting with Brexit", she said.
Britain voted to leave the European Union in a referendum past year but there is growing opposition to the government's "hard Brexit" approach of cutting immigration at the expense of trade ties.
"There must be a much closer partnership with industry if we're to avoid economic chaos when we leave the EU", EEF Chief Executive Terry Scuoler said.
The laws include the "Great Repeal Bill" to overhaul existing European Union legislation and separate bills on customs, trade, immigration, fisheries and agriculture.
And that road map includes a whole lot of Brexit.
