Meeting Britain's rising aspirations

Last Modified: 06 Nov 2007
By: Cathy Newman

Gordon Brown sets out to meet the country's "rising aspirations' in a Queen's speech that features housing, climate change and fighting terrorism.

It was Gordon Brown's first Queen's speech as prime minister - and the shortest since Labour came to power.

During a heated Commons exchange this afternoon David Cameron said he welcomed many of the bills "because we proposed them in the first place." Others were "short-term tricks instead of long-term problem solving."

Queen's Speech

The Queen's speech contained 28 bills and draft bills, including -

extending time of terror suspect detention
fresh attempt to extend the time terror suspects can be detained before being charged to more than 28 days
allowing post-charge questioning and provisions to allow questioning after charges have been brought
raising education leaving age to 18
building three million new homes by 2020
introducing legally-binding environmental framework
introduction of a legally binding framework to reduce carbon dioxide emissions