LONDON:
Britain’s new prime minister Keir Starmer will unveil his first package of proposed laws on Wednesday, outlining how he will honor his pledge to rebuild the country after years of weak economic growth and political turmoil.
In a grand ceremony to mark the opening of the new parliament, King Charles will read out the laws the government wants the House of Commons to approve first after Starmer’s centre-left Labor Party won a commanding majority in this month’s national election.
The package of more than 35 bills will focus on growing the economy, including reforms to make it easier to build houses and speed up the delivery of major infrastructure projects, improve transport and create more jobs.
“Now is the time to take the brakes off Britain,” Starmer said in a statement. “I am determined to create wealth for people up and down the country. It is the only way for our country to move forward.”
The King’s Speech, which is written by the government, will be read by the monarch in parliament from 10:30 GMT in a ceremony full of pomp and pageantry.
Starmer won one of the largest parliamentary majorities in modern British history on July 4, making him the most powerful national leader since former prime minister Tony Blair, but he faces a number of daunting challenges, including improving public services that are struggling on thin margins for more expenses.
The speech, and a raft of information released by the government with it, is expected to stick closely to Labor’s campaign promises while giving a clearer picture of Starmer’s immediate priorities.
Housing, infrastructure
According to Downing Street, the government will announce legislation on Thursday to “speed up and streamline the planning process” to help tackle Britain’s acute homelessness and long delays causing many infrastructure projects.
The government will also draw up plans to gradually re-nationalise the passenger rail network and set affordable fares to get people back on the trains.
The plan would exclude private companies from operating passenger trains, putting each operator under state control when their contracts to operate trains expire.
This decision will mainly reverse the privatization of the railways carried out in the 1990s by the then Conservative government.
The government will announce legislation to devolve more powers to local communities after Starmer used his first week in office to meet mayors of major cities and representatives from the UK’s devolved states.
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