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Sir Keir Starmer is set to announce the government’s legislative agenda for the years ahead in the King’s Speech this morning.
As part of the State Opening of Parliament, King Charles is expected to outline around 35 draft laws including a national housebuilding programme to build 1.5 million homes, a bill to enact Labour’s pledge to nationalise the railways and a workers’ rights bill.
The prime minister said the measures would “take the brakes off Britain” and “create wealth for people up and down the country” by spurring economic growth.
As part of the new set of policies, local governments could receive more powers and a law to ensure all government budgets get advance independent scrutiny.
Also expected are new measures to strengthen border security, following on from Sir Keir’s decision to scrap the Conservatives’ plan to send people arriving in the UK across the English Channel on a one-way trip to Rwanda.
Key Points
- Government sets out plans to ‘take the brakes off’ the economy in King’s Speech
- Labour vows to reform ‘fragmented’ railways and deliver better services
- UK inflation to fall below target for first time in three years, economists say
- Gething resigns as Welsh first minister after pressure from Labour ministers
- Rayner slams Trump’s running mate JD Vance after ‘Islamist UK’ comment
Pinned: King’s Speech: What is happening today?
King Charles III will officially open the new session of parliament today donning his ceremonial robes and the crown of state to deliver a speech laying out the legislative program of the new Labour government.
Key timings:
- 11.20am - The King is expected to arrive at parliament.
- 11.30am - He will head through the House of Lords and take up his throne.
What can we expect from the King’s Speech?
- After his arrival, the monarch will summon parliament and the Black Rod will go to knock on the Common’s door.
- As part of the tradition, the door will be slammed in their face to demonstrate the Parliament’s sovereignty and MPs will head to the Lords to watch the King deliver the speech.
- The King will then leave the chamber and parliament will start to debate the announced policies in a process which could until next week.
Trumpets, tiaras and tradition on display as King Charles III presides over opening of Parliament
King Charles III will officially open the new session of Parliament on Wednesday, donning his ceremonial robes and the crown of state to deliver a speech laying out the legislative program of the UK’s first left-leaning government in 14 years.
The state opening of Parliament is one of the traditional set pieces of the political year, showcasing through carefully choreographed pageantry Britain’s evolution from an absolute monarchy to a parliamentary democracy where real power is vested in the elected House of Commons.
Here’s a brief look at the history of the King’s Speech and how it unfolds.
Trumpets, tiaras and tradition on display as King Charles III presides over opening of Parliament
King Charles III will officially open the new session of Parliament on Wednesday, donning his ceremonial robes and the crown of state to deliver a speech laying out the legislative program of the U.K.’s first left-leaning government in 14 years
Salma Ouaguira17 July 2024 09:05 1721203054Get UK politics news straight to your phone – for free
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Salma Ouaguira17 July 2024 08:57 1721202518Pat McFadden admits Labour’s housebuilding bill is ‘controversial’
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden admitted Labour’s planning reforms “may be controversial in some places” but said the party is “on the side of getting things built more quickly”.
Ahead of the King’s Speech, Mr McFadden told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “We were very clear during the election campaign that we would come out of this on the side of getting things built more quickly.
“That may be controversial in some places, I’ve no doubt that it will be.
“But it’s reasonable for people to expect that, if we said that during the campaign, it’s what they see when the King’s Speech is published later today.”
The Labour MP for Wolverhampton South East added: “It’s a big decision for the country.
“If we do nothing on this, we will continue with a situation where there’s a whole generation of young people for whom the aspiration of owning their own home, or sometimes even renting one at a reasonable price, will continue to be unrealisable.”
Salma Ouaguira17 July 2024 08:48 1721202401Hunt owns inflation rates result and urges Labour not to ‘reverse’ progress
Jeremy Hunt has welcomed the latest figures released by the Office for National Statistics that inflation remains at Bank of England’s target rate.
The shadow chancellor said the figures are a result of economic policies delivered by the Conservatives while in government and urged Labour not to halt the progress.
The MP for Godalming and Ash said: “Labour have inherited inflation at the Bank of England’s target at 2 per cent, the fastest growing economy in the G7, and unemployment near record lows at 4.4 per cent.
“The Labour Government must not reverse that progress with a suite of unannounced tax rises or increased business regulation that will stifle the economy.”
Salma Ouaguira17 July 2024 08:46 1721201713Labour vows to reform ‘fragmented’ railways and deliver better services
Labour frontbencher Pat McFadden claimed the nation’s railways are “too fragmented” and don’t “work well enough”.
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has promised that Labour will deliver his pledge to nationalise railways and simplify the ticket system.
Mr McFadden told Sky News: “We do have clear views on that and we think over time it is time to bring the railways back into public ownership, to integrate the service more, to have simpler ticketing and we said that before the election and my colleague Lou Haigh is leading plans on that.
“At the moment it is too fragmented, it doesn’t work well enough and it is often not the best value for money.”
If the plans go ahead, Sir Keir Starmer would create a new public body to inherit rail contracts once they expire and take control of the services.
Asked how long the process would take, he said: “I think we will get on with some of this quite quickly but it depends how long the franchise lasts, so it is as the franchises come to [an end].”
However, Mr McFadden ruled out nationalising water companies promising to “make their leadership a bit more responsible”.
Who is the hostage being taken by the palace?
The State Opening of Parliament involves a lot of pomp and centenary ceremonies - including a tradition dating back to the 17th century of taking a person hostage.
A chosen MP will ceremonially be taken hostage in Buckingham Palace while the monarch attends Parliament. This is designed to ensure the King’s safe return from Parliament.
Traditionally a Government whip known as the vice-chamberlain of the household performs this task and this position is currently held by Labour’s Samantha Dixon.
Tories slam Labour’s ‘shameless’ housebuilding plan
Shadow House of Commons leader Chris Philp told Times Radio that the government’s plans to find what it calls “grey belt” land to build on is “grey belt”
The Conservative MP said: “Obviously we accept and agree that more houses need to be built, but they need to be built in the right places.
“For example, in my view, they should be built on brownfield sites in city centres, those kinds of places first looking at maybe new towns, but what we should not be doing is ripping up the green belt.”
He said housing should be built on brownfield sites and by building high in town and city centres – for example in Canary Wharf or the Greenwich Peninsula in London.
He said: “They are talking about huge chunks of the green belt, not the odd car park. You can’t just suddenly claim that a whole load of green belt is now called the grey belt and it’s okay to build on it. I mean, that’s just obviously a piece of nonsensical and shameless spin.”
Salma Ouaguira17 July 2024 08:14 1721199892Pat McFadden quizzed over new housing bill amid MPs rebellion
There will always be some developments that people do not like despite the Labour Party’s focus on building, Pat McFadden has said.
As the Government is expected to unveil major planning reforms to build houses and infrastructure in the King’s Speech today, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster told Times Radio: “People are going to have their view on individual development, they’re entitled to have their view.
“But local authorities will be asked to identify land for housing, or for development, and they’ve got a choice about whether it’s here or whether it’s there. But overall, we have to get stuff built.
“So you can have lots of fun in the next couple of years saying, here’s a Labour MP who doesn’t want this particular development. I know that will happen.”
As part of the housebuilding bill Sir Keir Starmer promised to overhaul the planning system to reintroduce mandatory housing targets, but some MPs opposed plans to build on the green belt.
Asked about whether it was hypocritical to preach house building as a national government and then have MPs argue against it in their local areas, he said: “I’m not predicting that everything we do is going to be opposed by MPs. But what I’m saying is in the real world, there’ll be some developments that some people don’t like, that’s always going to be the case.”
Salma Ouaguira17 July 2024 08:04 1721197800New fears Brexit has ‘drained life out of UK economy’ following IMF report
Opponents of Brexit have warned that the latest figures from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), confirm that leaving the EU “has drained the life out of the British economy”.
The claims come as Sir Keir Starmer’s new Labour government begin a reset of the UK’s relationship with the EU following their victory in the general election.
The prime minister is set to host European leaders at the European Political Council at Blenhiem Palace on Thursday just days after his new Europe affairs minister Nick Thomas-Symonds went to Brussels to starts talks on a new Brexit deal.
But the urgency of the problem appears to have been highlighted in the latest IMF projections.
According to the IMF the UK only grew 0.1 per cent in 2023 and will only grow by 0.7 per cent by the end of this year. While growth is set to double next year, according to the IMF, it will still only grow by 1.5 per cent.
Our political editor David Maddox has the full story:
New fears Brexit has ‘drained life out of UK economy’ following IMF report
The International Monetary Fund (IMF)’s July report warns ‘the global economy is in a sticky spot’ with the UK lagging behind most other major economies
Salma Ouaguira17 July 2024 07:30 Newer1 / 5OlderDisclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.
