King's Speech 2023

Matthew Grainger, Director – Strategy & Communications, Teneo UK

The first King’s Speech for 72 years, and King Charles first, fired the starting gun on the 12 month run in to the next General Election, likely to be held in Autumn 2024. At 1,223 words, it was the longest monarch’s speech at a State Opening of Parliament since 2005. At the same, it also included the fewest policies since 2014, making it the thinnest Government agenda in around two decades, lending credibility to the Labour Party’s claim that after 13 years in power this Government has simply run out of ideas.

The Prime Minister will be hoping that this is not the first, and only, time he gets to outline his legislative programme, but the odds are not looking great. Across the 21 Bills outlined by His Majesty, there is little to excite the Tory troops, with many of them unlikely to make it into law before the next election anyway. Ironically, the Government’s proposed legislative agenda is actually more substantive than was expected and had been briefed.

The contents of the speech can be broadly grouped into three distinct categories – the economy, crime, and culture war issues - ?each forming a key part of the Conservative’s election strategy, underpinned by a desire to create dividing lines between them and Labour.

The green-fingered monarch was forced to read out a controversial increase in North Sea drilling as one of the flagship economic measures – a policy that is likely to alienate as many voters as it wins given the importance many attach to issues regarding Net Zero and climate change. The Trade (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership) Bill sounds exciting on paper, but is more a legal necessity as the legislation will allow the Government to bring into force some of the provisions contained within the trade agreement that it has already signed up to. Of those announced, the Automated Vehicles Bill is the only one that has the potential to make a real difference to growth.

A smoking and vaping ban for children, whole life sentences for certain categories of murder and a clamp down on anti-social behaviour tee up the looming election battles around crime, but all of these measures had been well trailed in advance.

Populist policies focused on confirming the new football regulator, and an attempt to exploit Labour divisions over Israel/Palestine in the form of the Economic Activities of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill speak to the culture war elements of the Conservatives electoral approach, though MPs were quick to lament the “thin gruel” being served up as the Tories run out of time to improve their fortunes.

The fact the Government has chosen to waste some of its remaining parliamentary time on the Pedicabs (London) Bill, in at the behest of Deputy Chair Nickie Aiken MP, and hardly a national, or even London, priority, perfectly sums up where this current Government is at. As George Osborne recently commented on his podcast, serious debates and policy development focused on public service reform - health, education, welfare – are conspicuous by their absence, lending more credence to the notion of a Government and country treading water until the next election.

Calls for a raft of consumer friendly policies that activists can sell on doorsteps will only grow louder after today. All eyes will now turn to the Autumn Statement on 22 November, with the drum beat for tax cuts growing by the day.

Matthew Grainger is a Director with Teneo UK and works with CEO's and their leadership teams on policy, political and regulatory issues?that impact on their business.