LONDON — The opening of a new U.K. parliamentary session is steeped in decades of pageantry and tradition. But few have taken place in these circumstances.
On Wednesday morning, King Charles III will enter parliament to deliver a speech setting out Keir Starmer’s legislative agenda for the second parliamentary session of his premiership.
Over 35 bills will be listed, according to the government. But after last week’s disastrous local and devolved elections for Starmer’s Labour Party, the question on Westminster’s mind is how much of it will actually be delivered — and by whom.
“The British people expect the Government to get on with the job of changing our country for the better,” a defiant Starmer said on Tuesday.
He said the laws will “deliver on the promise of change for the British people” that ushered Labour into power less than two years ago — and cautioned colleagues weighing up a challenge to his leadership that they face a choice over whether to “press ahead with a plan to build a stronger, fairer country or turn back to the chaos and instability of the past.”
The government said the package of bills will focus on “strengthening the U.K.’s foundations through measures to bolster economic, energy, national security” in a world that is “more volatile and dangerous than at any point in recent history.”
The speech is expected to include a number of bills designed to tackle the cost of living, boost economic growth, modernize the British state and restore ties with the European Union.
Legislation will be introduced to allow the government to pursue “dynamic alignment” with EU laws as part of the PM’s commitment to improve trade and investment ties with the bloc.
An “Energy Independence Bill” will also be introduced. The government said the bill will allow it to “tackle the affordability crisis and speed up the delivery of clean energy technologies and vital grid infrastructure.”
It will also introduce “reforms to regulation to drive growth and innovation, and changes to give businesses the confidence to invest and grow,” it said.
That’s expected to include a bill to reduce red tape in the financial services sector, including by folding the payments regulator into the City watchdog, and a separate bill to set regulators firmer growth expectations and allow ministers to create sandboxes for novel AI applications.
Other bills aligned to the government’s Industrial Strategy include legislation to formally create the National Wealth Fund, reform procurement and nationalize British Steel.
“Landmark public service reforms in the NHS, police and special education needs will also strengthen our country,” the government said.
Following a series of consultations and white papers over the last year, the government will introduce legislation to bring forward a controversial new digital identity system, overhaul the U.K.’s police forces and modernize the NHS through better use of data sharing.
No. 10 said its agenda will “meet the evolving threats facing the U.K. head on, strengthening our defences and keeping pace with modern technologies from cyber-attacks to new powers to counter state threats so we can better disrupt the sharing of extreme content online.”
It will include legislation to “deliver a firm but fair immigration system that restores control and earns public trust.”
Seven bills have been carried over from the previous parliamentary session after running out of time. They include reforms to the jury system, updates to the U.K.’s cybersecurity regime, and the government’s electoral reform law, which will extend the vote to over-16s.
Charles will read out the speech from a throne in the House of Lords, and will be followed by several days of debate in both houses of parliament.