But though the form of the Queen’s speech ceremony on Tuesday was dictated by Covid, the substance was all about moving beyond it. That a single, prevaricating sentence was devoted to the country’s broken social care system represents a shamefully missed opportunity. After the ordeal of the past year, and ahead of hopefully better times, a mood of social solidarity still endures. The speech focused instead on the post-Brexit “levelling up” agenda that was derailed by the pandemic. The failure to introduce a bill to improve the regulation of social housing, following the cladding scandal, was an egregious omission.

Source: The Guardian May 11, 2021 18:30 UTC