"These figures must be a wakeup call for the Conservatives, in Britain, 4.6 Million people endured persistent hardship and poverty. For all the Conservatives talk, these figures show they just don't care and sadly, I think poverty is going to get worse.

"The divisive Brexit the government is pushing is putting jobs at risk and this means more and more people will be driven to the edge.

Ed Davey said:

"The government announcement on EU citizens leaves so much in doubt. From the description it seems as if this is ID cards by the backdoor.

"David Davis resigned his seat and caused a by-election because he was disgusted by the assault on civil liberties by the then Labour government. What will he do this time round?

"Far from being 'fair and serious', this proposal offers very little and shows the government is continuing in its callousness. Theresa May should be utterly ashamed this is the best they can come up with, a year on.

It offers little in the way of reassurance to EU citizens who have made Britain their home and continues to use them as bargaining chips.

Points on Legislation mentioned in the Queens Speech June 2017

• TheRepeal Bill will turn European Law into UK law and repeal the European Communities Act 1972. It will give the Tory government sweeping powers to change British law without votes in Parliament MPs; supposedly to allow for speedy technical editing out of references to EU institutions.

• GLD comments: It is feared that the volume of Statutory Instruments will be so great that effective scrutiny will be impossible, thus potentially allowing the removal of measures to fight climate change and other environmental protection.

• The Fisheries Bill

  GLD comment:- It is essential that the legislation protects fish stocks.

• The Agriculture Bill will set up a "system to support UK farmers and protect our natural environment".

  GLD comment:- It is essential that the legislation does properly protect the environment. It must also protect the consumer and agricultural workers. It should encourage (relative) localism.

• The Automated and Electric Vehicles Bill will try to boost Britain's electric cars - already 100,000 of them - by paving the way for compulsory charge points at motorway services. It will also set up a common set of standards to ensure charging points are consistent across the country.

  GLD comments: Brexit will not close down ferries or the Chanel Tunnel. Electricity charging points need to be to European standards. While hydrogen vehicles are not yet as common as battery-electric vehicles, the bill should also commit to a European standard for hydrogen vehicle connectors.

• The Nuclear Safeguards Bill will hand over responsibility for nuclear safety to an expanded Office for Nuclear Regulation. It will also support international efforts not to expand nuclear weapon stockpiles

  GLD comment:- If our standards will have to remain high to protect the operation of nuclear facilities. This doctrinaire move will be much more expensive remaining in

• The Smart Meter Bill will commit to offer smart energy meters to every home and firm by 2020.

• GLD comment:- The Smart Metering scheme has been a farce, with unnecessarily complex infrastructure and a lack of proper standards. Government should explore existing market solutions rather than continue to pour consumers money into a failing infrastructure development.

  It is essential that Smart Meters conform to stable and well-scoped standards which will allow them to send control signals to all electrical appliances designed for world-wide distribution. This may require new British Standards to support the UK unique energy supplier driven system.

• A promise on the Paris Agreement.

  The Queen said "My government will continue to support international action against climate change, including the implementation of the Paris Agreement.".

  GLD Comment:- With so many climate change deniers in the Conservatives and the DUP, it will take the combined efforts of those Tories who are environmentally responsible and members of the opposition parties to ensure that our part of that international action remains on track.

The Liberal Democrats have criticised Theresa May as "cold and heartless," following the shock revelation she blocked attempts to guarantee the right to stay for EU nationals immediately after the referendum.

In a scathing editorial in the Evening Standard today, George Osborne revealed that "in the days immediately after the referendum, David Cameron wanted to reassure EU citizens they would be allowed to stay. All his Cabinet agreed with that unilateral offer, except his Home Secretary, Mrs May, who insisted on blocking it."

It comes as the Liberal Democrats have set out a list of four demands that must be addressed in the government's paper on the rights of EU nationals on Monday, including ending the "bureaucratic nightmare" faced by EU citizens applying for permanent residency.

A recent report revealed that at the Home Office's current workrate, it will take around 11 years to process the millions of expected residency requests from EU nationals.

Liberal Democrat Brexit Spokesperson Tom Brake said:

The Liberal Democrats have tabled an amendment to the Queen's Speech calling for Britain to stay the single market and customs union.

The party is now calling on both Labour and Conservative MPs to support the amendment and inflict a historic defeat on the government, forcing Theresa May to soften her extreme approach to Brexit.

The Trade Bill announced in the Queen's speech is simply a job creation scheme for Liam Fox, the Liberal Democrats have said.

Tom Brake, Liberal Democrat Brexit spokesperson, said: "In reality this is an Anti-Trade Bill, as it means leaving the single market and customs union, despite clear opposition from the Chancellor and the Bank of England.

Ministers are to consult on reforming the system of social care funding in England after Conservative plans were slammed as a Dementia Tax during the election.

Commenting, Shadow Health Secretary Norman Lamb said: "Social care is in a state of total crisis. A million older people are missing out on care they need and services face a funding black hole of billions in this year alone.

The Liberal Democrats have vowed to oppose any attempts to weaken workplace rights, health and safety standards and environmental protections as part of the government's Repeal Bill.

The party is also calling for proper oversight and transparency over the Repeal Bill, after the government's White Paper hinted at a power grab by ministers through the use of so-called Henry VIII powers.

Donald Trump's state visit to the UK appears to have been shelved for at least two years after it was not included in the Queen's speech.

Liberal Democrat Chief Whip Alistair Carmichael commented: "It took Theresa May just seven days to offer Donald Trump a state visit, it's taken her 145 days to officially postpone it.