King Charles III has set out the government’s planned laws for the year ahead, opening a new parliamentary session built around 37 bills while Sir Keir Starmer faces renewed questions over his leadership.
The State Opening of Parliament is designed to showcase a government’s priorities. This one also exposed its political fragility. BBC Chief Political Correspondent Henry Zeffman said uncertainty over the prime minister’s position overshadowed the day’s ceremony, and the BBC reported shortly after the speech that allies of Health Secretary Wes Streeting expected him to challenge Starmer’s leadership as soon as the following day.
A broad programme of bills
The legislative package spans the economy, housing, transport, policing, immigration, health, energy, security, digital policy and governance. A BBC guide to the speech said the monarch outlined 37 bills ministers want to pass in the next parliamentary session, including eight that had already been introduced.
On the economy, the programme includes powers to fully nationalise British Steel, subject to a public interest test, and a European Partnership Bill to fast-track legislation needed for planned agreements with the EU. Other business measures aim to speed up competition reviews, reduce compliance burdens in financial services and increase penalty interest for companies that fail to pay suppliers on time.
Housing proposals include a Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill that would ban leasehold for new flats in England and Wales and cap ground rents at £250 a year. A Social Housing Renewal Bill would exempt newly built social homes in England from Right to Buy for 35 years and add protections for social tenants who are victims of domestic abuse. Ministers also plan a Remediation Bill with powers to make construction product manufacturers contribute to removing unsafe building cladding.
Transport measures include extra powers for the passenger rights watchdog, a national database for licensed taxis and private hire vehicles, new airport slot powers and a renamed Northern Powerhouse Rail Bill setting out a proposed route from Manchester to Millington via Manchester Airport. The government also wants to extend a financing model used for nuclear projects to new road projects in England.
In crime and policing, a Police Reform Bill would create larger forces in England and Wales and a new national force to investigate the most serious crime. A Courts Modernisation Bill contains controversial plans to scale back the use of jury trials in England and Wales. On immigration, ministers plan changes that would make it easier to revoke refugee status and restrict taxpayer support to asylum seekers.
Health, energy and security measures
The NHS Modernisation Bill would abolish the arm’s-length body that runs NHS England, support patient records being viewed through the NHS App and require mayoral nominees to sit on local health boards. A draft Conversion Practices Bill would deliver a promised ban on measures intended to change someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity.
Energy and environmental plans include new efficiency requirements for rented homes, powers to target energy bill support at low-income and vulnerable households, a higher levy on excess profits made by electricity generation companies and a Clean Water Bill to merge functions of existing regulators, including Ofwat.
The security agenda includes a Tackling State Threats Bill with powers to ban state-linked groups such as Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, an Armed Forces Bill intended to make it easier to mobilise former service personnel, and a National Security Bill that would criminalise sharing material that glorifies, trivialises or normalises serious violence. Digital measures include a voluntary digital ID scheme for public services and cyber-security rules bringing data centres into the reporting regime.
What was missing
Some expected or closely watched measures were absent. Legislation to hand sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius has been shelved after opposition from US President Donald Trump, according to the BBC’s summary. A welfare reform bill did not appear, although the King said ministers would respond to a review led by Social Security Minister Stephen Timms in the autumn.
A private member’s bill to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales also ran out of time in the previous parliamentary session amid opposition in the House of Lords. The government has not allocated time for a new bill, though supporters may try to bring the issue back.
The immediate question for the government is whether it can turn the legislative programme into political momentum. The bills set out an extensive agenda, but the next stage will be shaped not only by the details of the proposals but by whether Starmer can keep authority over his party as Westminster turns from ceremony to confrontation.
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