Summary
Sir Keir Starmer has pledged "national renewal" as the government outlined its plans during the King's Speech
They include nationalising railway operators and speeding up the delivery of "high-quality infrastructure and housing" - but there's no specific mention of votes for 16-year-olds
Also in the speech was charging VAT on private school fees, and using "counter-terror style" tactics to stop cross-Channel people smuggling
The government announces a new child poverty taskforce, but Starmer faces some pressure on not scrapping the two-child benefit cap
Rishi Sunak says his party will oppose the government where necessary - but not for its own sake
Live Reporting
Edited by Emily Atkinson and Nathan Williams
Next thing to watch is which bills get picked firstpublished at 19:02 17 July
19:02 17 July
Chris Mason
Political editor
Image source, ReutersElection promises - or at least some of them - clad infancy dress and to a soundtrack of trumpets.
An election victory for Labourmade real as the King reads out their plans for government.
This is a hefty setof legislative plans - ministers keen to capitalise on the momentum of theirrecent win by cracking on and being seen to crack on.
Governing isn’t onlyabout passing new laws; ideas for new laws can get bogged down, side-tracked,amended.
And stuff happens, stuff always happens that seizes the agenda.
Butthis is a government with a majority as hefty as these legislative plans, soit’s a fair bet plenty of them will reach the statute book, will become law.
I’ll be watching next for the order in which these bills begin theirlegislative journey - that’ll be a further indication of the new government’spriorities.
And – taking a step back – the key thing here is what ministers seeas their driving mission: economic growth. Can they actually help deliver itand if so how quickly? That is the test they have set themselves and againstwhich they will be judged.
A look back at the State Opening of Parliament - in clipspublished at 18:58 17 July
18:58 17 July
It was a day of pomp and policy in Westminster for the State Opening of Parliament - we've wrapped up all the highlights in a series of short clips below:
The King's Speech kicked off with the monarch saying his government's legislative programme would be "mission-led".
The speech outlined 39 bills that minsters want to pass in the next parliamentary session - you can find more detail on this here.
Next came a debate on the government's plans in the House of Commons.
Leader of the opposition Rishi Sunak used his speech here to urge PM Keir Starmer to spend 2.5% of national income on defence by 2030 – a Conservative campaign promise.
Later, Starmer said his plan for government would "take the brakes off Britain" and put the country on the "path of national renewal".
The new prime minister also said there would be "no quick fix" and warned against the "snake oil charm of populism".
We're ending our live coverage shortly. To play us out will be closing analysis from our political editor Chris Mason.
This page was edited by Owen Amos, Marita Moloney, Nadia Ragozhina, Francesca Gillett, Nathan Williams and Emily Atkinson. The writers were Kathryn Armstrong, Thomas Mackintosh, Suneil Asar, Alex Smith, Ben Hatton, Emily McGarvey, Jessica Rawnsley and Emma Rossiter.
Detail still light on violence against womenpublished at 18:50 17 July
18:50 17 July
Sima Kotecha
Senior UK correspondentHomeSecretary Yvette Cooper has previously made clear that violence against womenand girls will be at the top of her agenda.
In its announcements today,the government has reiterated this, saying it wants to ensure the police havethe capability to respond robustly to domestic abuse, rape and other sexualoffences.
How it’s going to do this is unclear from the speech alone, but in theLabour manifesto, the party said it would introduce new specialist domesticabuse workers in 999 control rooms and put specialist rape investigation unitsin every force across England and Wales so that early opportunities forprevention and protection are not missed.
This would entail more trainedpolice officers and extra resources at a time when policing is facing numerouschallenges including retention and morale issues.
Cooper has spoken about having a central procurement body to streamline purchasing in all 43police forces to save more than £300m, conveying theneed to make savings to help fund the new government’s plans.
More digital public services also in government planspublished at 18:47 17 July
18:47 17 July
Tom Gerken
Technology reporterThe Digital Information and SmartData Bill will be introduced in Parliament - despite going unmentioned inthe King’s Speech.
It aims to “improve people’s lives and lifechances” and “enable more and better digital services”, according to backgroundbriefing notes on the bill, now published online, external.
As well as digital ID cards, the government says the will enable more digital public services, for example allow people to register births and deaths in a new electronic system.
Coroners will also be able to access certain digital information, if necessary, wheninvestigating a child’s death.
And the bill will create a National UndergroundAsset Register, so the UK’s underground network of pipes and cables can bemapped digitally. It hopes this will give planners and excavators speedier andmore secure access to data needed to carry out works.
Train drivers' union to meet government next weekpublished at 18:43 17 July
18:43 17 July
Aslef, the train drivers’ union, says its general secretary MickWhelan and other union negotiators will meet the Department for Transport (DfT)next Tuesday to try to resolve its long-running pay dispute.
Whelan describes it as an "initial meeting", sayingthat with a new government they hope for "constructive talks".
"With a new secretary of state for transport in place, Ihope, and think, we can, and will, get a deal done," he says.
Before the election, there had been a sign of progress when theRail Delivery Group – the train companies' body – invited Aslef to freshdiscussions. That followed more than a year talks being at a standstill. Nostrikes are currently scheduled.
'Martyn's Law more important than ever' says victim's motherpublished at 18:34 17 July
18:34 17 July
Figen Murray - whose son Martyn Hett was one of 22 people killedin the Manchester Arena bombing in 2017 - says she is "delighted"that Martyn's Law was includedin the King's Speech.
Her campaign, which began almost six years ago, seeks to make ita law for all venues – be they big arenas, theatres, cinemas or universities – tohave security in place and train staff in knowing what to do in an attack.
Bringing such legislation will "make venues moresecure", she says, and will "definitely save lives".
"The world has become a really unsafe place," shesays, pointing to the wars in Ukraine and Gaza and the attempted assassinationof Donald Trump, adding that "Martyn's Law is more important thanever".
What's the latest?published at 18:24 17 July
18:24 17 July
Image source, House of CommonsIf you're just joining us, MPs have been debating the government's new plans in the House of Commons after Parliament officially began its new session. Here's a reminder of the key lines:
- PM Keir Starmer announced a new child poverty taskforce as part of the government's strategy to tackle a rise in child poverty rates
- However, the SNP challenged Starmer on lifting the two-child benefit - a policy which means most families can't claim means-tested benefits for a third child, with some exemptions
- Conservative leader Rishi Sunak said his party would not oppose the government "for the sake of it" but would hold it to account on its election promises
- Earlier, the King's Speech unveiled the government's promise to deliver higher economic growth "in every community", and a push to change the planning system to make it easier to build housing and infrastructure
- In the speech, 39 bills were set out which include proposals to give local leaders more powers and bring the railways into public ownership
Rayner chairs first cabinet committee on workers' rightspublished at 18:17 17 July
18:17 17 July
Harry Farley
Political correspondentImage source, PA MediaAngela Rayner, the deputy prime minister, is currently chairing the first cabinet committee on the government’s workers' rights package.
Labour's New Deal for Working People was championed by Rayner in opposition. But some business groups reportedly expressed concern at some of the proposals, while trade unions were worried the initial reforms had been watered down after lobbying from businesses.
The Employment Rights Bill, announced in the King’s Speech, will put the planned changes into law. It is being led by the business department under the Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds.
But Rayner will chair the Future of Work cabinet committee which includes Treasury, Cabinet Office, Department for Work and Pensions and Business ministers. That means she has a role overseeing the package of reforms and is in a position to resist any attempts to weaken the changes.
Listen: 5 Questions On Starmer's priorities for governmentpublished at 18:09 17 July
18:09 17 July
If you need help breaking down the policy announcements made in today's King's Speech, then our friends at the BBC's 5 Questions On podcast have you covered.
In their latest episode, correspondent Jenny Hill looks at what laws were announced, and a few proposals that didn’t appear to make the cut.
You can listen to that on BBC Sounds now.
Surfers want 'decisive' action for cleaner waterspublished at 17:54 17 July
17:54 17 July
Jordan Kenny
Politics reporter, BBC NewsbeatWe first spoke to Hayden during BBC Newsbeat’s Race Acrossthe UK during the election campaign, in Newquay. At the time, he told us he wanted thenew government to "tackle the sewage problem".
The government today said it plans to bring in measureswhich will strengthen regulation of the water industry - for more details on this, check out our previous post.
Reacting to the news, Hayden, 23, tells us he now wants tosee "decisive" action so it’s "actually addressed properly".
"I’ve had so friends who’ve become ill in the water aroundCornwall and Devon," he says.
Hayden, who runs a surf school, says clean water "isimportant for all of us".
"It's a big part of our lives down here. And I want it addressedproperly and swiftly."
Government plans crackdown on water polluting companiespublished at 17:49 17 July
17:49 17 July
Malcolm Prior
Environment correspondentImage source, Getty ImagesAswell of public anger over the state of rivers, lakes and seas has seen thegovernment announce measures to tackle polluting water companies.
It says the Water (Special Measures) Bill announced in the King's Speech will ensure water company bosses face personal criminal liability forbreaking laws on water quality.
The bill also givesnew powers for the regulator Ofwat to ban the payment of bonuses ifenvironmental standards are not met.
Water companies will also berequired by law to install real-time monitors at every sewage outlet - althoughthe last government had already announced last year thatall of England's storm overflows are now electronically monitored.
Whether suchmonitoring helps prevent sewage pollution itself remains to be seen - last month a BBC investigation found every major English water company had reporteddata that showed they were discharging raw sewage from storm overflows evenwhen the weather was dry.
Part of Jenrick's speech sounds like leadership pitchpublished at 17:42 17 July
17:42 17 July
Iain Watson
Political correspondentBack to the Commons briefly now, where the debate on the King's Speech is ongoing.
We have heard from Priti Patel and Robert Jenrick thisafternoon – two politicians who may be contemplating a bid for theConservative leadership.
We should get the timetable for that contests tomorrow.
Part of Robert Jenrick’s speech does sound like a pitch - focusing on where he thinks the Conservative government got this wrong,
From failing to deliver on securing the borders to loweringtaxation.
But he also suggested that the new Labour government won’trise to many global challenges, including migration, and warns against the rise of the farright.
A potentially massive win for e-bike safety campaignerspublished at 17:29 17 July
17:29 17 July
Tom Gerken
Technology reporterImage source, Getty ImagesOne of the bills which went unmentioned is the ProductSafety and Metrology Bill, which will include a section on the fire riskassociated with e-bikes and their batteries.
According to the London Fire Brigade, e-bikes and e-scootersare the fastest growing fire risk, with a 78% increase in e-bike fires in 2023compared to 2022 in the capital. Three people died in the fires and about 60 people were hurt.
It is potentially a massive win for campaigners, who havebeen calling for regulation for years.
“We are thrilled to hear of plans by the government tofinally address the prevalent risk of e-bike battery fires,” says Wayne Mackay from charity Electrical Safety First.
“This bill has the opportunity to ensure those who havealready lost their lives to these devastating fires did not do so in vain."
What's the government planning for pensions?published at 17:22 17 July
17:22 17 July
Kevin Peachey
Cost of living correspondentLet’s be honest, pension policy will never be a blockbuster,crowd pleasing subject for any new government.
But plans in the Pension Schemes Bill are interesting fortheir detail. They hint at the government’s tactics and highlight what’s missing.
Ministers want millions of people’s workplace and privatepension savings to be invested in UK plc to boost economic growth.
It also aims to continue the work of the previous governmentin allowing people to bring their small pension savings pots – or lost pots -together into one. Some may question whether simplification risks leavingsavers worse off.
And there’s a warning to the worst performing pensionschemes to improve.
But there’s no mention of increasing the level, or loweringthe starting age, of automatic pension saving among workers.
Real frustration that there's not much on social carepublished at 17:08 17 July
17:08 17 July
Alison Holt
Social affairs editorImage source, Getty ImagesThere was nothing explicit in the King’s Speech about thepressing matter of reforming the care system that supports older and disabledpeople in England.
There will be real frustration, but probably not surprise, from those who need care services or work in the sector.
Labour’s electionmanifesto had kept expectations low.
However, the speech did promise tointroduce a fair pay agreement for care workers. It would be part of an Employment Rights Bill which would ban exploitative zero-hours contracts andstrengthen sick pay rights.
The government also points to the increase inpeople being recruited from abroad to fill staff shortages in health and socialcare.
It says the Skills England Bill will create a formal link betweenmigration data and skills policy to ensure that there is enough training inEngland to meet most of the needs of the labour market.
Six bills to be brought to Parliament this weekpublished at 16:59 17 July
16:59 17 July
Leila Nathoo
Political correspondentDowning Street says at least six of the bills outlined in the King's Speech today will be introduced in Parliament this week.
The prime minister's official spokesperson says a number of others will be brought forward before Parliament rises for recess at the end of the month.
They add that the bills set out today in today's speech represent an "initial legislative programme".
It "by no means the limits of our ambitions", they say, and "doesn't preclude further reforms".
Two measures will stand out to parentspublished at 16:51 17 July
16:51 17 July
Hazel Shearing
Education correspondentImage source, PA MediaLabour has said again and againthat its education plans are all about breaking down barriers to opportunity –and two measures in the Children’s Wellbeing Bill will stand out for any parentgrappling with the cost of living.
There’s the pledge to introduce free breakfast clubs inall primary schools in England.
The government says this will help children reach their potential inschool – but it’s also aimed at getting them there in the first place.
Then there’s a proposed cap on thenumber of branded items schools can have as part of uniform policies.
They’realready required to keep these more pricey items to a minimum, but there arestill concerns about high costs.
Head teachers' unions say mostschools recognise the pressure that parents are under to pay for uniforms.
Thestatements they sent out this morning suggest they’re more concerned with thebreakfast club roll-out and, crucially, the funding.
One million children would benefit from scrapping benefit cap - campaignerpublished at 16:44 17 July
16:44 17 July
We've been hearing from child poverty injustice campaigners, who say lifting the two-child benefit cap is "terribly important" to lift families out of poverty.
Sophie Howes, from Child Poverty Action group, says if it was scrapped, 300,000 children would be lifted out of poverty overnight.
Another 700,000 children would be living in less deep poverty, she adds, making an "immediate difference" to the lives of over one million children.
Ed Davies, from the Centre for Social Justice, highlights five long term things needed to tackle child poverty: more on employment, education, family stability, debt and addiction.
For context: The two-child cap prevents parents from claiming universal credit or child tax credit for a third child, with a few exemptions.
Two-child benefit limit is elephant in the roompublished at 16:37 17 July
16:37 17 July
Michael Buchanan
Social affairs correspondentShortlybefore the King's Speech, Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall held ameeting to "start work immediately on a new, ambitious child poverty strategy".
The elephantin the room for many at the gathering however was the government’s refusal tolift the two child limit.
As expected, there was no mention of the policyin the King’s Speech, and afterwards many charities responded withdisappointment.
"Scrapping the two-child limit on benefits has to happenin the government’s first Budget,” said the Child Poverty Action Group. Thepolicy, they said, “is driving up child poverty more than any otherpolicy".
Many Labour MPs want the policy scrapped, but a cabinet ministertold the BBC earlier it was “open to debate” whether it was causing harm.
Anti-povertycampaigners also bemoaned the government’s failure to announce any measures toreform the social security system, which they argue is currentlyinadequate. Low income families, said the Joseph Rowntree Foundation,“don’t have the luxury to wait for the economy to grow".
Our correspondents analyse Labour's key policiespublished at 16:35 17 July
16:35 17 July
Emily Atkinson
Live page editorWith the key speeches wrapped up, we're turning away from thedebate now to take a closer look at the government's plans for the year ahead.
To get the ball rolling, we're handing back to our correspondents,who have been continuing to dig into the detail of the King's Speech.
If you missed some of their earlier analysis on the key announcements, you can scroll back through our earlier posts.
