The Spectator

Portrait of the week: The Queen’s Speech, Sinn Fein surge and an £184m lottery win

issue 14 May 2022

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The Prince of Wales delivered the Queen’s Speech at the State Opening of Parliament sitting on a throne next to the crown put on a table by Lord Cholmondeley. Prince Charles acted with the Duke of Cambridge as counsellors of state under the Regency Act 1937, since the Queen cannot walk easily; the other two counsellors, the Duke of York and Duke of Sussex, are not seen as fit to act in the role. The Speech mentioned 38 laws to level up, regenerate, bring safety online, secure ‘Brexit freedoms’ in the amending of legislation, regulate railways and ferries, promote heat pumps, prohibit protestors glueing themselves to buildings, deter puppy smuggling and enforce school registers, but nothing to stop the import of fur or foie gras. One person won a £184 million lottery prize.

Sinn Fein, with 27 seats out of 90, was left the largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembly, ahead of the Democratic Unionist party, with 25.

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