Queen's Speech: What's at stake for Boris Johnson

The Queen has traditionally travelled by carriage to open Parliament - but not this year

After a bruising set of local election results and with questions about the prime minister's leadership lingering, the Queen's Speech is meant to be a relaunch moment for Boris Johnson's government.

He will try to convince Conservative MPs - and the country - that he can deliver on his promises, and with the next general election expected within two years it's one of the last chances to set out a legislative plan to do so.

The cost of living is said to be at the "forefront" of the prime minister's mind - he has promised measures to drive economic growth and ease the burden on families and businesses.

There's likely to be announcements about maximising so-called Brexit opportunities; amending or removing EU law that was carried over after Brexit and cutting back on regulation in the hope of energising the economy.

That will please some Conservative MPs, not least those who've been concerned about the level of state intervention since the pandemic.

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One backbencher said: "It's about time. It's been frustrating that we've not looked at Brexit gains in that way. We've been necessarily big state and big spend for the past two years, but it's becoming increasingly uncomfortable. "

But some fear the Queen's Speech will fall far short on direct measures to tackle the rising cost of living, in particular energy bills.

One senior Tory MP said: "I don't get many get constituents emailing me on Brexit opportunities, but I do get businesses emailing me worried about going bust and individuals emailing about not being able to feed their families.

"The government needs to do something substantial. It's not sustainable not to."

With Labour set to claim the government lacks ideas and action on the cost of living, Boris Johnson's challenge will be persuading his party and voters that in this Queen's Speech, he does have some answers.

The prime minister promoted British food at a Downing Street event on Monday

Levelling-up is expected to feature heavily; the pledge to address regional inequalities that Levelling-Up Secretary Michael Gove said was even more important with the cost of living crisis set to deepen inequality.

Expect plans to tackle empty high street shops and vacant second homes, the possibility of more protection for tenants and a schools bill that's intended to raise standards.

For some Conservative MPs the emphasis must be on action as much as ambition.

One said: "We've talked a lot about how much we're investing in disadvantaged areas and levelling-up, but for a lot of people that's quite abstract until they see spades in the ground or physical changes.

"A lot of it is about skills and longer term stuff, but it's a balance between that and people being able to see outcomes, because otherwise they're not going to believe us."

The other challenge for Boris Johnson is holding together the coalition of support that swept him to power in 2019; delivering for voters who turned from Labour in the Midlands and north of England, without alienating the traditional Tory voters in parts of the south.

There are nerves in the Conservative Party about the progress the Liberal Democrats made in the recent local elections.

It all adds up to there being a lot riding on this Queen's Speech.

With confidence in Boris Johnson dented after the partygate saga and some MPs still contemplating his long-term future, the prime minister needs to convince his party and the country he has a plan - and then prove he can deliver.