To think that most people don't understand the significance of the King's Speech

[MargoLivebetter]

As it is happening today, I wondered whether fellow posters would be watching and if they knew what it was all about? I work in the broad field of political matters, so I'm very conscious of it, but I wondered if it meant anything to anyone else.

Interested to hear if I'm being AIBU. I hope I am!

But @Alexandra2001 they will become details. You can't have legislation without a whole load of details. What goes into the legislation can be lobbied on, debated, amended, rejected - so eventually it becomes details.

YABU - I don’t work in politics but I do follow it broadly and have a general interest in current affairs. It’s the Head of State setting out (in this case) a new government’s intentions for legislation for the following year and takes place in the state opening of parliament. Pretty important to me.

@StarlightLady It would save significant money. For a start, the House of Lords is packed full of people who get paid by attendance, a lot of them attend this but not bother to show up more often, so there's a saving to be made there. Plus, the whole rigmarole of managing the cloaks and hats.
Then there's the closing of the streets around parliament, extra security, bringing in the beefeaters, soldiers, etc. Getting the crowns and maces brought over from the Tower of London and all the other ceremonial bits. And everything that goes alongside the royal family going from one place to the other.
Plus, the media involvement.
They could simply release their plans for the year, change the process to declare Parliament open and crack on with doing what they promised.

I don't tend to watch royal events. It just doesn't really interest me. So yes, I think it completely detracts from the significance because I didn't know there was any significance. I just thought it was some pointless ceremony by the royal family.

Waste of money and pomp.

Just needs to be announced in Parliament what intentions for year are and have done.

Some stuff announced will happen some stuff won't, that's why a lot people have interest in it. I'm only interested when things happen rather than announced as lots of proposed things never happen.

Of course you can have have the details on planning, land, equipment, beds etc etc but on lack of nhs staff and construction workers... now thats a lot more than detail, its fundamental.

Now you either import staff (hard as many countries are also suffering lack of skills too) down grade qualifications or offer a poorer service/build quality.

Longer term, you re train/up skill but in these two sectors, this is a 5 to 10 year aim, needs to start now but so far not seen any movement on this in the 40 bills announced.

ATM Labour are announcing wish lists.

What would we do without you @MargoLivebetter …

What are we supposed to do about it if we do realise? I’m not following the implications of your question?

I feel a bit like you do.
What is the significance for me, regular woman on the street?
I voted, I listen to our MPs and PM. I don't engage actively with politics, but I am informed.
I swallowed down the bile in the back of my throat when I learnt that James Cleverly won the seat in my constituency again.

Yes, this is me, haven’t bothered to watch it as assumed none of it is set in stone . Lots of good ideas which we may or may not see put into practice, depending largely on whether the money is there for them. Also depending on the practicalities of these ideas.

What I said it is one of the acts that has caused such apathy towards politics in recent times.

The yanks were going to invade with or without UN backing you mean. He took us into a war against the wishes of a massive amount of the UK public as well as the UN.

The Iraq war was a major factor in destabilising the whole of the middle east. Has cost countless innocent lives right across the region ongoing now.

As it happens I agree Cameron should not have involved us in Libya either.

@HoHoHoliday - Are we not confusing the case for modernising government generally with the King’s Speech here? HoL attendance for some extras for one day is insignificant in terms national expenditure.

Other items cited are not generally individually costed (hats, gowns etc), security are but part of a complete package. Road closures for security are regular occurrences anyway.

Surely all this is preferable to replicating events over the past few years across the pond?

If you voted, you should have an OBLIGATION to read what’s in the speech.

if more people had informed themselves before voting, Brexit wouldn’t have happened…..

This cheered me up no end, thank you !!

I tend to agree, but people were told so many lies about non-existent Brexit benefits.

SanctusInDistress · Today 13:28
If you voted, you should have an OBLIGATION to read what’s in the speech.

How would you enforce this obligation?

There was a thread yesterday talking about it

Really? Maybe you should "feel" obliged, not actually have an obligation to.
I'll stick to the salient points compiled by others I think.

Anyone looking at any news outlet will know about it. So loads…

And yes I expect those who voted know exactly what it is.

Well, exactly it's too late now. We've already voted. Myself and I'm sure others informed ourselves before voting. Why do we have an obligation to read this speech?

So I've watched the speech and seen the 1pm news about it but what I didn't get an idea of was when does this to do list become law?

2029 was mentioned re: nationalising the railways but when will Section 21 be banned, VAT on private education added, 16 year olds be more involved in voting etc etc?

Unless I missed it these things haven't become law right now, but there was no idea given of how long it would take.....?

No to me it's just a load of waffle. Pie in the sky. Boring.

Thanks @OhHelloMiss I missed that. Will have a look.

@BloodyHellKenAgain the speech proposes the programme of legislation (potential laws) that will come to parliament in the next year. There is a process to making laws and this is what will now happen.

Personally, I think it would be a shame to obligate people to be interested, but I would love people to be more interested in politics (although I think even that word puts people off). I often feel like we are taken by surprise when stuff happens in this country, when actually it is has gone through a long torturous process to get onto the statue books and we could have had our say too by feeding into the consultation process, or at the very least getting in touch with our MP.

OP sounds patronising and condescending.

I've never watched it and didn't know what it was about