I think it's fair to say that this Labour’s Government’s first session has been a series of disasters
Parliament is set to be ‘prorogued’ shortly, bringing the first session of this Government to an end, writes Andrew Snowden MP.
“Prorogation” is one of those Westminster terms that suddenly enters everyday conversation during big political moments. A bit like furlough during the pandemic, it is widely discussed but not always well understood.
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Put simply, prorogation is the formal end of a parliamentary session. A session is the period in which Parliament debates, scrutinises the Government and passes laws. When it ends, current business is wrapped up, unfinished legislation often falls, and attention turns to the next chapter.
That next chapter begins with the King’s Speech, scheduled for 13 May, where the Government sets out its agenda for the year ahead.
So this is a natural moment to take stock. And on almost any measure, it is fair to say that this Labour’s Government’s first session has been a series of disasters.
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We have seen u turn after u turn, alongside a series of deeply unpopular decisions. Scrapping the winter fuel allowance for pensioners, imposing new taxes on family farms, and extending VAT to education have all caused real concern for people across the country.
At the same time, the economy continues to flounder, with taxes rising to pay for more benefits, unemployment increasing, and families feeling squeezed, with no sign of a clear plan to turn things around.
But perhaps even more damaging has been the growing list of controversies surrounding those at the top of Government.
We have seen a Transport Secretary forced out over fraud, a Homelessness Minister resign after making someone homeless, an Anti-Corruption Minister facing allegations of corruption and the Housing Secretary had to resign for failing to pay the correct tax on - you guessed it - buying a house!
Meanwhile the ongoing row surrounding Peter Mandelson and his links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein continues to raise serious questions that remain unanswered by the Prime Minister.
Against that backdrop, a cynic might wonder whether prorogation, pencilled in for around the same time as the local elections at the start of May, is coming at a rather convenient moment for the Prime Minister and the Labour Party.
Drawing a line under a difficult first session, resetting the agenda, and hoping attention moves on is not a new political tactic. But prorogation does not wipe the slate clean.
The decisions that have been taken still have consequences. The questions that have been asked still need answers. And the public will ultimately pass their own judgement.
The Government will soon return with a list of new Bills in the King’s Speech, no doubt designed to keep its hard-left backbenchers happy. The question is whether they will offer the change of direction the country needs, or whether the next session could be even worse than the first.