Is that all there is from Brown?

Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Vince Cable today accused Gordon Brown of producing a legislative programme with no new ideas despite delaying a General Election so that he could outline his vision for Government.

Vince Cable said:

"The anticipation was acute - but the anti-climax is deafening. The legislative programme is firmly rooted in the Blair era. There is very little new. No ideas, no vision. Is this what we have been waiting for?

"Perhaps, lurking in this Queen's Speech is a genuinely Big Idea: a Conservative-Labour Grand Coalition of policies and ideas.

"The one time editor of the Red Paper has penned a Queen's speech in the bluest ink. Across wide swathes of policy his approach is indistinguishable from the Tories. On the important issues of the day it is the Liberal Democrats who offer a distinctive voice.

"The real issue and concern for the public is over the cumulative impact of repeated deepening and widening of the EU. No one under the age of 50 has had a proper say on our membership. We will seek to amend the Bill to provide for a referendum on our membership of the EU.

"We can have as much legislative scrutiny as we like, but unless the public are persuaded that EU membership is in their interests British politics will continue to be poisoned by this issue. We want the Prime Minister to join us in making the case for Europe."