The King’s Speech in Parliament has set out the Governments agenda for the coming year. See link below if you wish to read it. It appears to be mainly harmless but here are a few comments on it:
It says Bills will be brought forward to strengthen audit and corporate governance which is all to the good but we need to see the details of what is anticipated therein.
There will be a new Planning and Infrastructure Bill to reform planning and get Britain building as we desperately need more housing. But will they be able to overcome the nimbys? That remains to be seen.
More powers will be devolved to metro mayors and combined authorities, I hope this does not mean more powers for the Mayor of London who already has too many and acts like a dictator.
A Bill will enable the creation of Great British Energy to promote clean energy and lower energy bills. What hope of that when energy costs are a function of worldwide factors?
There will be a new Border Security Command to tackle organised immigration crime in the hope of reducing illegal immigration. But much of the excessive immigration is actually “legal” at present.
As forecast, the Government intends to remove the exemption from VAT for private school fees.
The remaining railways not already nationalised will be so when current contracts expire by the establishment of Great British Railways. Will the service be improved and prices cut as a result? I doubt it.
No fault evictions will be ended, presumably even when tenants have signed contracts allowing for termination. This is a very dangerous infringement of landlord’s property rights and the details of this legislation will be worth examining in detail. In extremis, it could kill off the private rented sector altogether and reduce housing provision.
The Government is committed to improving the National Health Service, but it does not say how.
Equal pay based on race equality will be subject to public consultation but this will be a nightmare for companies to implement. There are so many different races and shades of colour that legislating for this will be exceedingly difficult.
Like much in the King’s Speech, intentions may be good but practicality is another matter altogether.
Hereditary peers will be finally removed from the House of Lords which is surely well overdue.
There is much, much more than I can comment on. Whether Parliament can get through one of the longest manifestos ever devised remains to be seen. But one omission is the commitment on assisted dying where the Prime Minister said he would allow time for a private members bill, and a free vote, in a conversation on LBC this month.
But at least some idiot ideas such as reducing the voting age to 16 have been dropped.
In summary this is a mainly harmless legislative agenda. But it won’t do much to improve the economy as is wanted and expected.
King’s Speech: https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/the-kings-speech-2024
Roger Lawson (Twitter: https://twitter.com/RogerWLawson )
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