King Charles III has presented the new government’s legislative agenda in a speech to Parliament, highlighting the key priorities of Keir Starmer's Labour Party.
Following parliamentary tradition, the monarch read the list of proposed bills in what is known as the King's Speech. Accompanied by Queen Camilla, King Charles detailed the plans during the State Opening of Parliament.
Labour's government has announced over 40 new pieces of legislation for its first year, compared to 21 in Rishi Sunak's final speech. Here are the key priorities:
Renationalising the Railways:
The government aims to overhaul Britain's rail network. One bill will end private franchises, and another will establish Great British Railways (GBR) to manage the network, reform ticketing, and improve services.
Employment Rights:
The Employment Rights Bill promises the "biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation," ending zero-hour contracts, banning unfair firing practices, and ensuring day-one rights for all workers.
Renters' Protections:
Reforms will ban no-fault evictions, enforce timely repairs by landlords, and push for the construction of 1.5 million new homes. There will also be changes to leasehold rules to protect homeowners.
Border Security:
Labour plans to address the small boats crisis by dismantling smuggling gangs and setting up a new Border Security Command, uniting various security and enforcement agencies.
Great British Energy:
Aiming to become a "clean energy superpower," Labour will establish Great British Energy, a public company focused on renewable energy investment and achieving energy independence.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasized that these plans mark the end of performance-driven politics and a move towards substantial change, though acknowledging that transformation will take time.
