What legislation can we expect to be announced in the King’s Speech?
Labour is expected to unveil plans for border security, GB Energy and the national wealth fund
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Your support makes all the difference.Labour’s legislative agenda will be set out in the King’s Speech later today, and it is predicted to pack in at least 35 new bills.
Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer described the measures, to be announced on Wednesday, as the “down payment” on the change his government is seeking to deliver.
Ahead of the speech, which will be delivered by the King as part of the State Opening of Parliament, Sir Keir said “there is no time to waste”.
“From energy, to planning, to unbreakable fiscal rules, my government is serious about delivering the stability that is going to turbo-charge growth that will create wealth in every corner of the UK,” he added.
“The task of national renewal will not be easy, and this is just the down payment on our plans for the next five years, but the legislation set out at the King’s Speech will build on the momentum of our first days in office and make a difference to the lives of working people.”
Here, The Independent looks at everything we know about the legislation that could be announced on Wednesday.
Crime and policing bill
The new crime and policing bill is expected to introduce a ban on dangerous “zombie” knives and a crackdown on shoplifting.
The legislation will also aim to tackle anti-social behaviour by bringing in “respect orders” for repeat offenders and giving neighbourhood police officers extra powers.
Labour also plans to tackle violence against women by hiring domestic abuse specialists in emergency call centres.
Border security bill
Labour launched a new border security command last week, as the home secretary ordered a probe into the latest routes and tactics used by people smugglers.
The government has already come under pressure to deliver on its pledge to “smash the gangs”.
The new border security bill is set to introduce new counter-terror style powers against those who bring tens of thousands of people to the UK in small boats every year.
This comes as Sir Keir declared that the Rwanda deportation plan “was dead and buried before it started”, confirming Labour had dumped the scheme less than 24 hours after he entered Downing Street.
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, from sources such as pension funds, to boost the fund.
Legislation is expected to be introduced to include the national wealth fund, with money put towards “new industries of the future”.
VAT on private schools
Ending tax breaks on private schools has been one of Sir Keir’s key pledges, and was widely discussed in Labour’s manifesto.
The party believes it can raise some £1.6bn a year by ending the 20 per cent VAT exemption as part of its plans to recruit around 6,500 specialist state school teachers in England.
The bill has raised concerns about local authority schools being strained by a sudden influx of pupils taken out of private schools due to rising fees.
However, Chancellor Rachel Reeves previously suggested it will not come into force until at least 2025.
GB Energy
Energy secretary Ed Miliband has been keen to kickstart legislation to set up GB Energy.
Under the plans, Labour would set up a new publicly owned company, Great British Energy, with the aim of investing in homegrown energy sources and providing cheaper prices to consumers.
Labour plans to fund the company, which will be headquartered in Scotland, through a windfall tax on big oil and gas firms, with an initial £8.3 billion capitalisation over a parliament.
Renters Reform Bill
First introduced in 2023, the Renters Reform Bill was dropped after Rishi Sunak called the general election.
It is expected to be included in the King’s Speech and aims to bring in measures which protect renters’ rights in the housing market.
Since its inception, the scrapping of Section 21 ‘no fault’ eviction notices has been central to the legislation.
This is the controversial power that allows landlords to evict tenants from their properties at two months’ notice without needing to give any reason.
Labour is expected to strengthen the bill by empowering tenants to challenge “unreasonable” rent increases.
House of Lords reform
Labour made a manifesto commitment to constitutional change, and the King’s Speech is expected to include House of Lords reforms.
This includes laws to abolish the rights of the remaining hereditary peers to vote in the second chamber.
It will also introduce the compulsory retirement of peers at the age of 80.
Lower voting age
Sir Keir has previously said the government would seek to extend the right to vote to 16- and 17-year-olds.
However, over the weekend he admitted that 16- and 17-year-olds hoping to get the vote in next year’s local elections will be forced to wait.
Labour believes the change is necessary because 16-year-olds are able to get married, join the army and have to pay income tax.
The bill is also set to introduce automatic voter registration.
Increased devolved powers
Sir Keir signalled that Whitehall’s grip over big cities and regions would be loosened as he used his first week in office to meet metro mayors and representatives from the devolved nations.
The bill is expected to allow devolved powers to local communities, giving mayors and councils authority over skills, energy, planning and transport.
Strengthening fiscal controls
The government said the King’s Speech would include a bill “to enforce tough new spending rules, designed to ensure economic growth, while avoiding the chaos which left families with spiralling bills and wreaked misery on people’s lives”.
It said the new bill will strengthen the role of the Office for Budget Responsibility, in a move designed to stop a repeat of Liz Truss’s disastrous mini-budget, on which she chose not to consult the fiscal watchdog.
Worker protection reforms
Labour’s workers’ rights bill, known as the New Deal for Working People, is expected to be introduced in the King’s Speech.
The party pledged to introduce the bill within the first 100 days of government, and it will include a ban on zero-hours contracts, banning fire and rehire and ensuring rights to sick pay and parental leave from day one.
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