What the Queen's Speech Told Us About Our Weak Tory Government

The Queen's Speech is a ceremony designed to give the petty, compromised manoeuvres of Parliament a transcendental gloss. Other countries have their (equally silly) traditions structured around foundational revolutions and written constitutions, which inscribe "the people" into the heart of politics. Britain has an ancient couple, festooned in colonial loot, reminding elected representatives that they answer to them, not the masses outside.

Yet the ceremonial weight of yesterday's opening of Parliament – which, lacking a horse-drawn carriage and the household cavalry, was more muted than usual – wasn't enough to glitter the speech's content. Even Conservatives and mainstream columnists couldn't avoid calling it "thin" in terms of policy: an unremarkable set of an intentions by a government that is just about managing.

The most politically meaningful bills were those relating to Brexit. But given that negotiations to leave the European Union are ongoing – and not going well – they lacked substance, simply creating the legislative framework for free trade with countries outside the EU, new customs agreements and the controversial Great Repeal Bill, which will convert European acquis into British law.

When the Queen gave her first Queen's Speech in 1952, she could count swathes of Africa, the Caribbean and Asia as "her peoples"; 70 years later she has been reduced to hawking "new trading relationships across the globe" on behalf of a minority government. Brexit as a symptom of post-imperial decline suddenly made sense hearing the delusional plans coming from the Crown itself.

The bills that aren't related to Brexit were such that most in the Commons would find common ground over them: internet protection, maintaining Britain's militarism with huge spending contributions to NATO, legislation to protect the victims of domestic abuse and violence. A notable omission was President Trump's State Visit – the King and Queen of Spain's visit was mentioned – which doesn't bode well for one of Theresa May's original Brexit tactics: pivoting towards the United States for a new free trade deal.

In essence, it was the pared down, unambitious Queen's Speech of a government that doesn't believe it will be here for long. Although reading "body language" is one of the lowest forms of political analysis, it was hard not to see in Jeremy Corbyn's buoyant demeanour someone who believes he will exercise considerable authority over the coming months. He'll be able take the credit for having kneecapped a Conservative government in its prime: the manifesto pledges of grammar schools, fox-hunting and ending the triple pension lock were nowhere to be seen.

@Yohannk