‘Don’t blame vellum for delay’:

ONE of Britain’s last parchment and vellum makers has said the delay to the Queen’s Speech could be because the Government is using the wrong ink.

An unprecedented delay to the State Opening of Parliament, originally set for next Monday, has come about after the close election result required the Conservatives to hold talks with the DUP and means changes to the Government’s legislative programme may be needed.

Because the text must be written on so-called “goatskin” archive parchment, the ink takes days to dry, it was claimed.

But Paul Wright, of parchment makers W Cowley, said he could print the speech in 10 minutes.

He told the BBC: “If you choose ‘ink A’ it will dry in 20 seconds, choose ‘ink B’ and it will take days to dry.”