Britain’s King Charles with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. File
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Britain’s new Prime Minister Keir Starmer will set out his first package of proposed laws on July 17, fleshing out how he will honour his election-winning 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 which the government wants the House of Commons to approve first after Keir Starmer’s centre-left Labour 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 homes and speed up the delivery of major infrastructure projects, improving transport, and creating more jobs.

“Now is the time to take the brakes off Britain,” Mr. Starmer said in a statement. “I am determined to create wealth for people up and down the country. It is the only way our country can progress.”

The King’s Speech, which is written by the government, will be read out by the monarch in Parliament from 10.30 GMT in a ceremony full of pomp and pageantry.

Mr. 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 struggling public services with little room for more spending.

The speech, and a raft of information published by the government alongside it, is expected to stick closely to the promises Labour made during the election campaign, while giving a clearer picture of Mr. Starmer’s immediate priorities.

Plans to renationalise passenger rail network

According to Downing Street, the government will announce on Thursday legislation to “speed up and streamline the planning process” to help address Britain’s acute housing shortage and the long delays that dog many infrastructure projects.

The government will also set out plans to gradually renationalise the passenger rail network and set affordable fares to draw people back on to trains. The plan would shut private companies out of running passenger trains by folding each operator into state control when their contracts to run trains expire.

This decision would mostly reverse the privatisation of the railways conducted in the 1990s by the then-Conservative government.

The government will announce legislation to devolve more powers to local communities after Mr. Starmer used his first week in power to meet mayors of major cities and representatives from the devolved nations of the United Kingdom.

A Palestinian flag flaps in the air by a message reading “Stop bombs” projected on the “Big Ben” during a Pro-Palestinian demonstration in Parliament Square in London on February 21, 2024, on the sidelines of the Opposition Day motion in the House of Commons calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
| Photo Credit: AFP

U.K. lawmakers called on February 21 for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war — but only after dozens walked out of the House of Commons in protest at how the vote was handled.

Members had been debating three separate resolutions related to the war. All were largely symbolic and not binding on the government.

But Parliament descended into chaos as legislators from the governing Conservatives and an Opposition party accused Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle of upending parliamentary procedure.

The mayhem broke out during debate on a motion from the Opposition Scottish National Party, or SNP, urging an immediate ceasefire, the release of all Israeli hostages held by Hamas and “an end to the collective punishment of the Palestinian people”.

The main opposition Labour Party, which is divided over how strongly to criticise Israel, submitted a tweaked version of the motion calling for an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire”, without the mention of collective punishment.

The governing Conservatives put forward their own amendment, which backed an “immediate humanitarian pause”, followed by “moves towards a permanent sustainable” ceasefire. The government says a ceasefire can only happen if Hamas frees all Israeli hostages and relinquishes control of Gaza.

When Mr. Hoyle allowed votes on all three, Conservative lawmakers were furious, saying it went against House of Commons conventions. Some accused Mr. Hoyle — who was elected as a Labour MP before taking up the neutral post of Speaker — of favouring the opposition.

The political mayhem is a sign of how the conflict has divided Britain’s politicians and public, sending tensions soaring.

“His decision has raised temperatures in this House on an issue where feelings are already running high,” said Penny Mordaunt, Conservative leader of the House of Commons.

The SNP, meanwhile, accused Labour of hijacking their motion, and said Mr. Hoyle had enabled them to do it.

Many Conservatives and SNP members walked out, and in their absence the Labour version of the ceasefire call passed on a voice vote — by calls of “Aye” — without a full formal vote.

Afterwards, Mr. Hoyle apologised for the chaos.

“I regret how it’s ended up,” Mr. Hoyle said. “I wanted all to ensure they could express their views and all sides of the House could vote.”