King Charles delivers first King's speech under the Labour Party
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The King's speech introduced an addition of 35 bills that aim to stabilize the UK's economy and combat the country's migrant crisis.
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King Charles delivers the King's Speech in the House of Lords, on July 17, 2024. (AFP)
King Charles III delivered the King’s speech on Wednesday, outlining the newly appointed Labour government’s pledges of economic stability and combatting irregular immigration to improve European relations deteriorated by Brexit.
"We will unlock growth and take the brakes off Britain," Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in the opening of the King's speech, a centuries-old tradition detailing the ruling government's proposed legislation for the upcoming year.
The speech, written by the government rather than the monarch, introduced over 35 bills, including initiatives to impose public spending rules and an independent assessment of future budgets to refrain from collapsing the economy.
The legislation implemented previously proposed bills, such as establishing a wealth fund to increase foreign investment in the UK and a publicly-owned task team to enhance clean energy by 2030.
Starmer promises to 'smash the gangs'
In terms of infrastructure, the Labour government announced plans to accelerate housebuilding and re-nationalize the UK’s berated railway services. In addition, the King shared a legislative proposal to bolster worker’s rights by banning zero-hour contracts and enhancing protections for renters. The bill also outlined reforms to remove members with hereditary titles from the unelected House of Lords.
Starmer promised to “smash the gangs,” referring to migrants crossing the Channel to enter the UK, implementing a new border security bill to “counter-terror powers” to combat “immigration crime.”
The Labour government also adopted a bill introduced under former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to phase out smoking and regulate football. Additionally, a bill was introduced aimed at revoking the controversial bill granting conditional immunity to individuals who committed crimes during the Troubles era of sectarian violence in Northern Ireland.
"This is a hungry party," former Labour minister Tony McNulty told AFP before the King's speech, adding that "They are chomping at the bit to show that they can get back to being what they see as the natural party of government."
UK PM Starmer to drop delay on Netanyahu ICC arrest warrant
The Labour government not only implemented new bills in the UK, but they also intend to establish reforms on an international scale.
The UK’s newly elected government is expected to drop its bid to delay the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) decision on issuing an arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his international war crimes in Gaza, The Guardian reported on July 8.
Keir Starmer, the UK’s new prime minister spoke to both the Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Netanyahu on July 7.
Starmer spoke to Abbas about Gaza’s “ongoing suffering and devastating loss of life,” and expressed his belief that Palestine has the right to sovereignty.
During his phone call with Netanyahu, Starmer urged for the prime minister to call for a ceasefire in Gaza, stressing that “it was also important to ensure the long-term conditions for a two-state solution were in place, including ensuring the Palestinian Authority had the financial means to operate effectively.”
Starmer also expressed his concern over "Israel’s" ongoing war with Hezbollah, stating it was “crucial all parties acted with caution."
