Yesterday, Stephen spoke in the debate on the King’s Speech delivered on Tuesday 7 November. Stephen criticised the Government for failing to bring forward promised reforms on pensions, welfare, and worker’s rights. He also criticised Suella Braverman, the Home Secretary, for calling homelessness a “lifestyle choice” and protests organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign “hate marches”.
The King’s Speech, delivered on Tuesday 7 November, set out the Government’s plans for the new Parliamentary session. Following the speech, there are ten days of debate on the Government’s plans. MPs debated the topic “breaking down barriers to opportunity” yesterday, Wednesday 8 October.
Stephen spoke in yesterday’s debate. He criticised the Government for omitting any mention of several promised bills from the King’s Speech, saying he was “struck by omissions from the King’s Speech.”
The King’s Speech did not include an Employment Bill to clarify the status of so-called gig economy workers, despite it being promised in a review six years ago, nor did it include a Pensions Bill to introduce reforms promised by the Chancellor in his Mansion House Speech in July.
Stephen also challenged divisive comments made by the Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, about homeless people and pro-Palestine protests. Suella Braverman recently described homelessness as a "lifestyle choice” and called the protests “hate marches”.
“It is hard to understand how somebody holding such a crucial role in the government of this country can have no grasp of the harsh realities facing far too many people during the current crisis,” Stephen said of the Home Secretary’s comments on homelessness.
Challenging the Home Secretary’s comments about pro-Palestine marches, Stephen pointed out that the constituents he has spoken to “have no truck at all with the appalling massacre and hostage-taking by Hamas” and are “motivated by distress and compassion”. He concluded,“[The Home Secretary] has no right to impugn their motives so unfairly.”