On July 17, 2024, King Charles III delivered his first King’s Speech under a Labour government, setting the legislative and policy agenda under new Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. This ceremonial address marks the formal commencement of the parliamentary year and outlines the government’s plans, reflecting significant shifts in national priorities following Labour’s landslide victory in the general election. The speech is written by Number Ten for the King to read, and therefore does not reflect the monarch’s own views on the legislative programme.

The King’s Speech was delivered against a backdrop of significant political change. Labour’s landslide victory in the general election marked the end of 14 years of Conservative rule, bringing new political dynamics and expectations. Although delivered during a time of geopolitical flux in Europe and potentially, the USA, the King’s Speech needed to focus on the domestic agenda, in line with voters’ expectations. The Prime Minister needs to focus on delivering Labour’s campaign promises while navigating a complex domestic and international landscape, and a public who are expecting to see change happen – and quickly.

Economic and Employment Reforms

A cornerstone of the speech was the Employment Rights Bill, which promises a “new deal for working people.” This legislation aims to enhance workers’ rights and protections, addressing long standing issues such as job security, fair wages, and workplace conditions. This bill reflects Labour’s commitment to reversing austerity measures and improving living standards for ordinary workers. The focus on employment rights underscores Starmer’s intent to tackle economic inequality and promote social justice.

Budget Responsibility Bill

Influenced by the disastrous Liz Truss budget reforms which were not put through the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) when she was Prime Minister, this bill will introduce a ‘fiscal lock’ by requiring any major tax or spending changes to be subject to an independent assessment by the OBR. It aims to bring more accountability and expertise to major government spending decisions so as to avoid political and economic crises and give confidence to the City and businesses.

Transport Infrastructure and Energy

The government also unveiled ambitious plans for the railway sector.  This includes the creation of Great British Railways (GBR), which will serve as a new public sector body responsible for managing rail infrastructure and awarding operating contracts to train companies. This initiative aims to centralise control and create a more cohesive and efficient railway system.

The government intends to bring contracted passenger services into public ownership as current agreements expire or if operators fail to meet their commitments. This approach is designed to reduce costs and improve service reliability without needing to buy out private operators. The Government also intends to make significant investments in rail infrastructure, particularly focusing on enhancing connectivity and reliability. This is part of a broader strategy to boost economic growth and support the net-zero agenda. 

The establishment of Great British Energy represents a significant move towards energy independence and sustainability at a time of geopolitical and environmental challenges. This new public sector entity will oversee the transition to more renewable energy sources, aiming to reduce the UK’s carbon footprint and enhance energy security. 

Housing and Social Policies

Building on Labour’s commitment to reintroduce mandatory housebuilding targets of 1.5m new homes over five years, the King’s Speech included the new Planning and Infrastructure Bill. This will reform the planning process, essentially speeding it up to allow more homes and infrastructure to be built. The bill will also reform compulsory purchase order rules and support local planning authorities. This is part of what the Prime Minister has described as “taking the brakes off” the UK economy but will be challenged by those who are worried about building on England’s Green Belt.

Rental Housing 

The speech today revealed legislation aimed at giving greater protections to renters, including the abolition of no-fault evictions and reforms to the grounds for possession and leasehold reforms to increase the standard lease extension term and reduce ground rents.

National Wealth Fund

A new national wealth fund has been designed to attract billions in private sector investment to support UK growth. Supported by £7.3 billion in state funding, the fund is looking to secure roughly triple this in private investment to boost the fund even further.

Healthcare and NHS Reforms

Initiatives to reduce NHS waiting times, improve mental health services, and modernise the Mental Health Act to better serve the needs of young people are being introduced as a result of the King’s Speech. Health and the NHS will become critically important for Labour, as there will be such a huge expectation from the public (and media) to turn around an NHS that many see as crumbling. 

Measures to raise educational standards, promote children’s wellbeing, and introduce free school meals for some students have been revealed, as has legislation to progressively increase the age for purchasing cigarettes and impose limits on vape sales to children.

International Relations and Security

The speech also addressed the UK’s role on the global stage, with a strong emphasis on international relations and security. The government reaffirmed its support for Ukraine in its ongoing conflict with Russia, highlighting the UK’s commitment to international peace and security. Additionally, the speech underscored the importance of global cooperation in tackling challenges such as terrorism, cyber threats, and regional conflicts.

Climate and Environment

The Sustainable Aviation Fuel Bill supports the production of sustainable aviation fuels to aid in the transition to cleaner energy in aviation, whilst the Water Bill will strengthen the powers of the water regulator to improve water quality. This will be critical for the UK’s waterways and coastal towns which have been dumping grounds for sewage due to what many believe to be a weak regulator failing to deal with unscrupulous private companies.

Policing and Border Security

The Speech establishes a new Border Security Command and enhancing counter-terror powers to tackle organised immigration crime, whilst a Crime and Policing Bill will strengthen community policing and give police greater powers to deal with antisocial behaviour, something that the previous Labour government introduced to great success.

Devolution and Governance

An English Devolution Bill will grant new powers to metro mayors and combined authorities to support local economic growth, with the King saying “my government believes that greater devolution of decision making is at the heart of a modern dynamic economy and it is a key driver of economic growth”. The Hillsborough Law will introduce a duty of candour for public servants to rebuild trust and foster respect. The King also spoke of reforms to the House of Lords to remove the final voting rights of hereditary peers.

Conclusion

King Charles III’s speech outlined an ambitious and transformative agenda for the UK, reflecting the Labour government’s national and global priorities and vision. With a focus on economic reform, social justice, healthcare, and environmental sustainability, the speech set the stage for significant legislative and policy developments in the coming year that will reach into almost all policy areas in the UK and beyond. The new Prime Minister is using his huge majority to fill the Commons with new legislation, safe in the knowledge he will get the Bills through without any difficulty at all. Nevertheless, 40 bills is a huge amount of work and the Leader of the House of Commons and the Government Chief Whip will have their work cut out to ensure this conveyor belt of legislation is passed successfully and with the appropriate scrutiny of both Members and experts. In its rush to show the public that change is happening, the last thing they and the government needs is poorly written legislation. Starmer and team need to ensure that stakeholders are consulted to keep the quality of legislation high and to avoid problems further down the line, including in the House of Lords which will need to approve all non-finance legislation.