STROUD'S political figures have reacted to the annual Queen's Speech which focused on Brexit and had omissions of some controversial plans.

The focus was on Brexit and counter-terrorism but there was no mention of some controversial policies from the Conservative manifesto such as a free vote on fox hunting, the expansion of grammar schools or the so-called "dementia tax".

Stroud Labour MP David Drew commented saying: "The government have tried to take the politics out of every issue which is why fox hunting, social care and grammar schools dumped.

"For the rest we will have to see!"

Debbie Young, the Conservative district councillor for Chalford, said: "it was less detailed than normal, but given that the first thing mentioned was Brexit and getting the best deal, it seems to me that the proposed legislation will seek to underpin the outcome of the negotiations.

"Grammar schools and fox hunting are irrelevant to the Brexit negotiations and therefore would not form part of any legislation designed to support that process."

George Butcher, the Lib Dem district councillor for Wotton-Under-Edge, said: "It is notable more for what the Conservatives left out than what they put in.

"We are happy the expansion of grammar schools and the repeal of the fox hunting ban and the dementia tax had no mention, these were highly divisive and bad ideas to follow through.

"There are some very good ideas, including having electric car charging points at petrol stations and the Draft Domestic Violence and Abuse Bill.

"Also the Draft Tenants' Fees Bill which bans landlords and agents charging letting fees as a condition of their tenancy the latter was originally a private member’s bill for the Lib Dem peer Olly Grender."

Martin Whiteside, Green leader on Stroud District Council, said: "It's deeply disappointing with no vision for tackling the urgent tasks ahead

of us from an administration running on empty - the Tories have no plans
to tackle climate change."

SDC leader Steve Lydon calls on the government to build more homes and is concerned at the lack of a Local Government Finance Bill: "The Queen’s Speech underlined the importance the Government places on housing growth.

"In the absence of a new Housing Bill, I call on the Government to help meet the shared aim of delivering more housing through the development and implementation of secondary legislation at the earliest opportunity.

"I am also concerned that there appears to be no Local Government Finance Bill.

"It is vital that the Government makes good its stated intention to move to 100 per cent retention of business rates by 2020."

Twenty seven bills and draft bills were unveiled in Theresa May's first Queen’s Speech, eight are devoted to the complex process of withdrawal from the EU.

This would likely start with a Repeal Bill to overturn the 1972 European Communities Act which took Britain into the European Economic Community and separate bills on customs, trade, immigration, fisheries, agriculture, nuclear safeguards and the international sanctions regime.

In the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire and a string of terror attacks, the Prime Minister also announced plans for a Civil Disaster Reaction Taskforce and a new commission for countering extremism, as well as a review of counter-terror strategy and the creation of an independent public advocate to act on behalf of bereaved families.

But flagship manifesto policies, which find no place in the Conservative agenda, included the scrapping of universal free school lunches, means-testing of the winter fuel payment, an energy price cap and the reform of social care funding which opponents branded a “dementia tax”.