<p>British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday set out his government's priorities at a parliamentary ceremony full of pomp and pageantry attended by the queen, with Brexit top of the agenda.</p>.<p>But with time running out for an amicable divorce deal before EU leaders meet later this week, few of the proposals look likely to be enacted, with predictions of a snap election.</p>.<p>Queen Elizabeth II announced in a speech to lawmakers a list of 26 new bills ranging from implementing a yet-to-be finalised EU divorce agreement to criminal sentencing and the environment.</p>.<p>"My government's priority has always been to secure the United Kingdom's departure from the European Union on October 31," the 93-year-old monarch said from a gilded throne, delivering words written by government officials.</p>.<p>"My government intends to work towards a new partnership with the European Union, based on free trade and friendly cooperation."</p>.<p>The raft of policies outlined included plans for an EU Withdrawal Agreement Bill to enshrine in British law a deal that Johnson is still racing to agree with Brussels, before the scheduled end-of-month departure date.</p>.<p>The Conservative leader has repeatedly said Brexit must happen this month, more than three years after Britons voted narrowly in a 2016 referendum to leave the bloc after nearly five decades of membership.</p>.<p>But if he fails to get the deal by an EU summit on Thursday and Friday, he risks having to ask Brussels to delay under a law intended to prevent a potentially damaging "no deal" exit.</p>.<p>The Queen's Speech to formally reopen the new parliamentary session was the first since June 2017 and was delivered in the upper chamber before ermine and red-robed peers, and their counterparts from the lower chamber, the House of Commons.</p>.<p>The monarch was taken to parliament at the Palace of Westminster from her Buckingham Palace residence in a horse-drawn carriage, escorted by the Household Cavalry, with other members of the armed forces lining the route.</p>.<p>She was accompanied by her eldest son, the heir-to-the-throne Prince Charles.</p>.<p>The speech -- the queen's 65th since she began her reign -- comes after Johnson tried to suspend parliament for five weeks in September, a move subsequently struck down by the Supreme Court for trying to stop lawmakers debating Brexit.</p>.<p>The government's programme included plans for new regimes for fisheries, agriculture and trade after Brexit, and laws to protect Britain's financial and legal services sectors.</p>.<p>It also set out legislation to end freedom of movement for EU citizens after Brexit, and outlined a new points-based immigration system that will come into effect in 2021.</p>.<p>Addressing the estimated 3.4 million Europeans currently living in Britain, the monarch said the government was committed that they "have the right to remain".</p>.<p>She also announced bills to protect animal welfare, fight plastic pollution, support the state-run National Health Service, address domestic violence and introduce tougher sentences for criminals.</p>.<p>But few are likely to come into effect, as Johnson has no majority in the House of Commons with which to push them through.</p>.<p>The political deadlock means that, once the October 31 deadline is passed -- with or without a deal or a delay -- most commentators expect an election within months.</p>.<p>The winning government would then have to set out their legislative agenda again -- with a new queen's speech.</p>
<p>British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday set out his government's priorities at a parliamentary ceremony full of pomp and pageantry attended by the queen, with Brexit top of the agenda.</p>.<p>But with time running out for an amicable divorce deal before EU leaders meet later this week, few of the proposals look likely to be enacted, with predictions of a snap election.</p>.<p>Queen Elizabeth II announced in a speech to lawmakers a list of 26 new bills ranging from implementing a yet-to-be finalised EU divorce agreement to criminal sentencing and the environment.</p>.<p>"My government's priority has always been to secure the United Kingdom's departure from the European Union on October 31," the 93-year-old monarch said from a gilded throne, delivering words written by government officials.</p>.<p>"My government intends to work towards a new partnership with the European Union, based on free trade and friendly cooperation."</p>.<p>The raft of policies outlined included plans for an EU Withdrawal Agreement Bill to enshrine in British law a deal that Johnson is still racing to agree with Brussels, before the scheduled end-of-month departure date.</p>.<p>The Conservative leader has repeatedly said Brexit must happen this month, more than three years after Britons voted narrowly in a 2016 referendum to leave the bloc after nearly five decades of membership.</p>.<p>But if he fails to get the deal by an EU summit on Thursday and Friday, he risks having to ask Brussels to delay under a law intended to prevent a potentially damaging "no deal" exit.</p>.<p>The Queen's Speech to formally reopen the new parliamentary session was the first since June 2017 and was delivered in the upper chamber before ermine and red-robed peers, and their counterparts from the lower chamber, the House of Commons.</p>.<p>The monarch was taken to parliament at the Palace of Westminster from her Buckingham Palace residence in a horse-drawn carriage, escorted by the Household Cavalry, with other members of the armed forces lining the route.</p>.<p>She was accompanied by her eldest son, the heir-to-the-throne Prince Charles.</p>.<p>The speech -- the queen's 65th since she began her reign -- comes after Johnson tried to suspend parliament for five weeks in September, a move subsequently struck down by the Supreme Court for trying to stop lawmakers debating Brexit.</p>.<p>The government's programme included plans for new regimes for fisheries, agriculture and trade after Brexit, and laws to protect Britain's financial and legal services sectors.</p>.<p>It also set out legislation to end freedom of movement for EU citizens after Brexit, and outlined a new points-based immigration system that will come into effect in 2021.</p>.<p>Addressing the estimated 3.4 million Europeans currently living in Britain, the monarch said the government was committed that they "have the right to remain".</p>.<p>She also announced bills to protect animal welfare, fight plastic pollution, support the state-run National Health Service, address domestic violence and introduce tougher sentences for criminals.</p>.<p>But few are likely to come into effect, as Johnson has no majority in the House of Commons with which to push them through.</p>.<p>The political deadlock means that, once the October 31 deadline is passed -- with or without a deal or a delay -- most commentators expect an election within months.</p>.<p>The winning government would then have to set out their legislative agenda again -- with a new queen's speech.</p>