Johnson has said he will refuse, and the
two sides look set for a slow-burning
constitutional showdown.
The Queen’s Speech was the centerpiece of the
State Opening of Parliament, a blend of politics
and pageantry that usually takes place about
once a year. Britain saw its last state opening just
two months ago, soon after Johnson took over
as prime minister from Theresa May through
a Conservative Party leadership contest and
shortly before the early election that returned
him to power.
The pomp was toned down for the queen’s
second visit this year. There were still officials
with titles like Black Rod, scarlet-clad yeomen of
the guard and lords in ermine-trimmed robes.
But the 93-year-old monarch was driven from
Buckingham Palace to Parliament in a car, rather
than a horse-drawn carriage, and wore a pale
blue dress and matching hat rather than robes
and a diamond-studded crown.
Johnson will make his mark on the government
more decisively in the new year. He’s expected
to shake up his Cabinet and merge or even
eliminate some ministries — all under the
guiding eye of chief adviser Dominic Cummings,
a self-styled political disruptor.
Johnson will also have to wait to see how Brexit
affects the U.K. economy. A downturn could
hamper the government’s plans to spend more
on public services.
Thursday’s speech will give the British public
some idea of what drives Johnson, a politician
whose core beliefs remain a mystery, even to
his allies.