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Queen's Speech: EU Vote But Human Rights Delay

A bill to guarantee a referendum on the EU will be rushed through Parliament while plans to scrap the Human Rights Act are put on the back-burner, in the first all-Conservative Queen’s Speech for 18 years.

David Cameron's Government has also put forward legislation around apprenticeships, jobs, childcare, housing and small business – in a bid to be seen as the party for "workers" while Labour embarks on a leadership contest.

Ministers are also taking advantage of being freed from a Coalition with the Liberal Democrats by putting the so-called Snoopers' Charter back on the books – which will give intelligence services much more oversight of online activity.

They are also introducing an extremism bill that will bring in banning orders for organisations and terror-ASBOs for individuals also blocked by Nick Clegg's party.

Also contained in the speech was tough action to curtail the unions' ability to order industrial action after a series of rolling strikes that have angered the Government.

Legislation will now make it illegal to strike unless there is a ballot turn-out of 50% of those eligible to vote and around 80% of those vote in favour of striking. A National Union of Teachers ballot on pay and conditions in 2012 saw only a 27% turn-out.

The move has sparked anger from the unions and Unite General Secretary Len McCluskey accused the Government of "attacking unions" instead of offering "a helping hand to insecure workers".

:: What is the Queen's Speech?

The Prime Minister has described the 26-bill agenda as a "clear programme for working people".

The centrepiece of the agenda, outlined in the speech given to MPs by the Queen in the Lords chamber is the historic legislation that will deliver an in-out referendum on Britain's membership of the European Union by the end of 2017.

However, the significant omission from the programme for the next year is legislation to scrap the Human Rights Act.

A Government source has said the Government does not want to "rush it through".

Scrapping the act in favour of a British Bill of Rights, which will make the Supreme Court the ultimate court so matters are not decided in Europe, could see Britain withdrawing from the European Convention of Human Rights.

Labour, the SNP and the Lib Dems are all opposed to scrapping the Human Rights Act and a number of prominent Conservatives, including former Attorney General Dominic Grieve, have spoken out against it.

With a majority of just 12, Mr Cameron could face a struggle to get any bill through and there have been suggestions the House of Lords, which does not have a Tory majority, would throw it out.

A Government source said: "The key thing is it will be in the Queen's Speech. The Government will commit to bring forward proposals.

Mr Grieve told Sky News: "It was quite clear to me that the framework that was published last October by the Conservative Party had not thought through the implications of what was being proposed.

"It suggested effectively producing a bill of rights which was a marked reduction on the rights in the European Convention and suggested that as a result of that we should pull out of the European Convention on Human Rights or at least demand that it only had an advisory status.

"The convention is probably the most efficient tool in promoting human rights globally so if we are seen not to be participating in it there are foreign affairs and reputational consequences that we simply can't just ignore."

Shadow justice secretary Lord Falconer said: "The Tory proposals are unravelling in record time.

"It increasingly looks like the Tories are making it up as they go along. What is clear is that if they suggest completely scrapping people's human rights protections, Labour will oppose them all the way."

Also absent from the speech were plans to repeat the ban on hunting with dogs, which had been pledged in the Conservative manifesto.

Other measures included in the speech are:

:: Benefits - freezing working age benefits and capping household benefits at £23,000 a year

:: Minimum wage - ensuring no one working 30 hours a week on the minimum wage pays income tax

:: Tax - tax lock will mean no increase in VAT, income tax or national insurance for five years

:: Housing - right to buy for 1.3m housing association tenants and 20% discounts for starter home buyers

:: Immigration - measures including seizing wages of illegal migrants and using a visa levy for firms employing foreign workers to pay for apprenticeships

:: NHS - an extra £8bn a year by 2020 for the NHS and seven-day GP access

:: Education - inadequate and coasting schools to be turned into academies

:: Northern Powerhouse - greater powers for Manchester and building a Northern Powerhouse

:: Devolution - English votes for English laws

:: High Speed Rail – landowners forced to sell land to build HS2 on

:: Scotland – Holyrood given more powers and will be responsible for raising 40% of its taxes and for 60% of spending

:: Extremism - new orders to tackle extremism including those banning extremist groups and behaviour

:: Communications Data Bill – intelligence agencies will have access to mobile phone calls, emails sent, websites visited

:: Legal highs - blanket ban

Former Liberal Democrat leader Mr Clegg is expected to respond to the measures contained in the Queen's Speech later today, warning that Britain’s liberties are under threat.

It will be the first time he has spoken in public since he resigned after his party's drubbing, largely at the hands of a brutal Conservative strategy, at the General Election.

:: Human Rights Act: what you need to know