Last Queen's Speech Before Election

Fifteen new bills were outlined in today's Queen's Speech to Parliament, with accusations the constitutional ceremony was exploited by the government to bolster its election fight.

Emphasis was placed on implementing tighter regulations in the City and cutting public debt.

Several social reforms were also mooted, centring on paid at-home care for needy pensioners in England.

However, with less than 70 sitting days left in the Commons before the next general election, Opposition politicians have claimed few, if any, of the bills will be passed in that time.

Lord Mandelson, who is effectively the deputy prime minister, was joined by other senior Cabinet figures at an unprecedented pre-Speech news conference this morning.

Commentators said the press event at Labour HQ exhibited a distinct an election-style.

Lib Dem Leader Nick Clegg had earlier called for the Monarch's address to be cancelled, and for the time to be employed into "cleaning up politics".

Speaking in the House of Lords today, the Queens said: "My government's overriding priority is to ensure sustained growth to deliver a fair and prosperous economy for families and businesses, as the British economy recovers from the global economic downturn."

The Monarch said her government would promote growth and employment through "training programmes, restructuring the financial sector, strengthening the national infrastructure and providing responsible investment".

A Financial Services and Business Bill was proposed to tackle "reckless" behaviour by bankers, in additional to a Fiscal Responsibility Bill, designed to halve the current budget deficit.

Further details of these plans are expected to be outlined by the Chancellor in next month's Pre-Budget Report.

Responding to social issues, the Queen said her government would push forward a Children, Schools and Families Bill, which will set school standards and provide extra help for pupils who fall behind.

On justice matters, the government has proposed extending police DNA databases, holding samples from more sex offenders.

Around 400,000 elderly people in England could be eligible for care in their homes under the Social Care Bill which was also announced today.

Lib Dem Treasury spokesman Vince Cable said the entire speech a "lacked reality".

He branded further banking regulations "unnecessary", claiming they merely enshrined in law things the government "should be doing anyway".

"It is simply a gimmick, but it is actually discrediting the process of legislation," Mr Cable told the BBC.

(PR/BMcC)