The King’s Speech was overshadowed by the Westminster clown show Politics Put the current political chaos from your mind for a moment and imagine that Keir Starmer wasn’t under threat. Imagine a version of the Prime Minister – still unpopular and still struggling to engineer economic growth – but at least with the full backing of his cabinet and MPs. Under such circumstances, yesterday’s King’s Speech [...]
King’s Speech: Under Labour, Britain looks like a bad bet Opinion Today’s King’s Speech offered no solutions, just a failing government doubling down on its mistakes, says Mel Stride The King’s Speech will not restore confidence. It will not tame inflation. It will not bring borrowing down. And it certainly will not convince markets that under Keir Starmer’s Labour, Britain has a government with a grip [...]
Labour’s holiday tax ‘will make staycations more expensive’ Hospitality A leading trade body has attacked the government’s plans to push through a so-called holiday tax, which it says will make Brits’ staycations more expensive. Labour unveiled an Overnight Visitor Levy Bill as part of the King’s Speech, which provides the legislative framework for mayors to be handed the power to impose a tourism tax [...]
King’s Speech shows incremental change is all Starmer knows May 13, 2026 Keir Starmer says incremental change won't cut it, yet his King's Speech was nothing but tinkering and rearranging, writes Matthew Bowles.
Starmer leadership under threat ahead of awkward King’s Speech May 13, 2026 Sir Keir Starmer’s premiership hung by a thread last night as he refused to leave Downing Street despite multiple ministerial resignations and a growing number of backbenchers calling for his removal. In a chaotic day of political warfare and Labour infighting, Starmer resisted being dragged out of Number 10 as he challenged Cabinet ministers and [...]
If Labour can’t cut taxes it could at least make them simpler May 12, 2026 Britain’s tax code is now among the most complicated in the world and businesses are left grappling with arbitrary distinctions that consume time and money. The King’s speech is a chance to reset the conversation, says Alan Vallance Ahead of the King’s Speech, the government faces a stark choice. It can continue layering new rules [...]
Tories pledge to slash tax and red tape in ‘alternative King’s Speech’ May 10, 2026 The Tories have set out their vision for the UK economy, pledging to slash taxes and red tape to “back innovation, entrepreneurship and growth”. Kemi Badenoch’s party has said it would slash welfare spending, scrap business rates for high street business and repeal Labour’s workers’ rights reforms. The Conservatives have published their “alternative King’s Speech,” [...]
King’s Speech to unleash wave of City reforms April 26, 2026 A host of Canada reforms will be set in stone at next month’s King’s Speech, as the Prime Minister hopes to use the moment to turn a corner from doubts over his leadership. Impending reforms, including scrapping the payments watchdog and overhauling the financial ombudsman, are set to be legislated in the financial [...]
In defence of hereditary peers July 23, 2024 Like the Bene Gesserit in the Dune franchise, hereditary peers measure their plans in centuries, leading to a class of legislators invested in social and political continuity, in the preservation of a nation and its identity, argues Andrew Lomas De Tocqueville wrote of democracy that “it makes each man forget his forefathers… conceals him from [...]
GB Energy is more rooted in ‘big state’ ideology than climate ambition July 23, 2024 Conservatives need to hold Labour accountable for wasting taxpayers’ money and crowding out private finance through GB Energy, writes Sam Hall