Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

King Charles unveils Labour government's plans in his speech

Wearing the Imperial State Crown, his Admiral of the Fleet uniform, and the crimson Robe of State, King Charles delivered Labour’s proposals in the House of Lords.

King Charles unveils Labour government's plans in his speech

King Charles outlined Labour's first government programme in 15 years on Wednesday, focusing on economic stability, tougher action on irregular immigration, and improving post-Brexit relations with Europe.

"We will unlock growth and take the brakes off Britain," prime minister Keir Starmer stated in his remarks before the King's Speech, a traditional event that details the laws the government plans to introduce over the next year.


Despite its name, the address is written by the government, not the monarch. This was Labour's first such speech since they were last in power in 2010.

Wearing the Imperial State Crown, his Admiral of the Fleet uniform, and the crimson Robe of State, King Charles delivered Labour's proposals from a golden throne in the House of Lords, following a carriage procession from Buckingham Palace.

The speech included over 35 bills, such as measures to enforce public spending rules and an independent assessment of future budgets to prevent a repeat of former prime minister Liz Truss's 2022 mini-budget that negatively impacted the economy.

king parliament getty King Charles sits alongside Queen Camilla, as he reads the speech from the The Sovereign's Throne in the House of Lords chamber. (Photo: Getty Images)

Labour announced plans including the launch of a wealth fund to attract investment to the UK and a publicly owned body to boost clean energy by 2030. Other proposals included accelerating housebuilding and taking Britain's rail services back into public ownership.

There was also a plan for a new border security command with enhanced "counter-terror powers" to combat "immigration crime," as part of Starmer's pledge to tackle migrant crossings from northern France.

Labour returned to government after a landslide victory against Rishi Sunak's Conservatives earlier this month. The hard-right Reform UK party led by Eurosceptic Nigel Farage secured five seats.

"The snake oil charm of populism may sound seductive, but it drives us into the dead end of further division and greater disappointment," Starmer said, promising a government of "service".

The King's Speech included a bill to strengthen workers' rights and plans to reform the House of Lords by removing the right of hereditary titleholders to sit there. Sunak's proposal to phase out smoking and plans for a football regulator were also included.

Labour pledged to repeal a controversial act that granted conditional immunity to those who committed crimes during the Troubles in Northern Ireland.

"This is a hungry party," former Labour minister Tony McNulty said before the speech. "They are eager to show they can return to being the natural party of government."

The agenda did not mention lowering the voting age to 16 or ending the two-child limit for welfare payments, which many Labour MPs support.

The day's ceremonies began with royal bodyguards searching the Palace of Westminster's basement for explosives, a tradition from the failed 1605 plot to blow up parliament. The king then travelled from Buckingham Palace to the Houses of Parliament, escorted by mounted cavalry.

Starmer-Sunak Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak talk as they walk through the Member's Lobby of the Houses of Parliament to the House of Lords to hear the King's speech. (Photo: Getty Images)

A small group of anti-monarchy protesters chanted "Not my king" outside parliament, and the Metropolitan Police arrested 10 members of the activist group Youth Demand on suspicion of conspiracy to cause public nuisance.

An MP was ceremonially held "hostage" in the palace to ensure the King's safe return. A parliamentary official known as Black Rod had the door of the House of Commons slammed in her face, symbolising parliament's independence from the monarchy. MPs then followed Black Rod to the upper chamber, where King Charles delivered the speech.

In line with the convention that the monarch is above politics, he remained expressionless throughout.

Sunak, who plans to step down as Tory leader once a successor is found, acknowledged that Labour had "tapped into the public's desire for change" and "must now deliver change".

(With inputs from AFP)

More For You

Albanese-BAPS-Mandir

Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese attended the celebrations, highlighting the festival’s message.

Australian prime minister attends Holi celebrations at BAPS Mandir in Sydney

THOUSANDS gathered at the newly opened BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Hindu Mandir in Kemps Creek, Sydney, on 15 March to celebrate the Fuldol Festival, part of the Holi festival.

The event drew attendees from across Australia and overseas, including the US, UK, New Zealand, and Japan.

Keep ReadingShow less
Thames Water sewage discharges up by 50% in 2024 amid debt crisis

Thames Water's ageing infrastructure is at the heart of the surge in raw sewage discharges

Getty Images

Thames Water sewage discharges up by 50% in 2024 amid debt crisis

Thames Water, the UK’s largest privatised water company, saw a 50% increase in raw sewage discharges into rivers across England in 2024, according to newly released data. The company, which is currently facing significant financial difficulties with a debt of £19bn, released raw sewage into rivers for nearly 300,000 hours over the past year, a substantial rise from the 196,414 hours recorded in 2023.

The alarming data was obtained through an environmental information request by Peter Hammond, a retired professor of computational biology from University College London, and shared with The Guardian. The figures highlight the growing environmental and infrastructural challenges facing Thames Water, which is teetering on the brink of collapse despite a recent £3bn bailout approved by the court of appeal.

Keep ReadingShow less
Katharine Birbalsingh

Katharine Birbalsingh stated that discussions on education were being influenced by identity politics rather than academic concerns.

Hamid Patel’s Ofsted role defended by Katharine Birbalsingh

KATHARINE BIRBALSINGH, popularly known as ‘Britain’s strictest headteacher’, has defended Hamid Patel’s appointment as the interim chairman of Ofsted.

Patel, who previously led Tauheedul Islam Girls’ High School in Blackburn, will serve in the role until a successor for Dame Christine Ryan is chosen.

Keep ReadingShow less
uk home office

The Home Office has not tracked how many skilled workers left the UK after their visas expired. (Photo: iStock)

100-fold increase in skilled worker visa holders claiming asylum in UK

THOUSANDS of migrants who arrived in the UK on skilled worker visas have claimed asylum in an attempt to stay in the country, according to a report by the National Audit Office (NAO).

The spending watchdog revealed that asylum claims from skilled worker visa holders increased from 53 in 2022 to 5,300 in the first ten months of 2024.

Keep ReadingShow less
Liz Kendall

Work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall will present the proposed changes in parliament, despite criticism from some Labour MPs.

Government to unveil welfare cuts amid financial strain

THE GOVERNMENT will outline changes to disability welfare payments on Tuesday as it looks to address financial challenges caused by slow economic growth.

Labour says the reforms are necessary to close a £22 billion fiscal gap it claims was inherited from the Conservatives after last year’s election.

Keep ReadingShow less