Labour is set to share its agenda for the next phase of this government immediately after next year’s crunch elections, it has been revealed.
The King’s Speech will reportedly take place on 12 or 13 May next year, just days after local elections are held across Britain on 7 May.
These will cover the Scottish parliament, Welsh Senedd, several mayoralties and thousands of council seats in England.
Current polling would suggest Labour will struggle to yield strong results from the night, as the party trails Reform UK in most polls. Voting intention for the Nigel Farage-led party is currently 27 per cent according to latest polling from YouGov – a ten-point lead on Labour’s 18 per cent.
Many Labour MPs are reportedly bracing for the worst, and anticipating a challenge to Sir Keir’s leadership in response to ailing national support.
It has been suggested that the choice to stage the King’s Speech immediately after the local elections has been made in a bid to stave off such a challenge, with the event meant to mark a new chapter of the government’s work.
A government source told the BBC: "It will be much harder for somebody to challenge the PM and say we need to go in a different direction when the King is about to come to parliament to announce what we're doing for the next year."
However, the speech has taken place in May several times in recent years – most recently in 2022, 2021 and 2016 – perhaps discrediting this idea.
What is the King’s Speech?
The King’s Speech is part of the state opening of Parliament, the ceremony which marks the start of the parliamentary session. These usually last for a year, but can last longer (the current session begun after the general election in July 2024.)
While the King has prerogative power to set the duration of each session, it is the government that actually exercises it – and so effectively decides when each King’s Speech will take place.
May’s event will mark the third speech made by King Charles III. It is written by the government but delivered by the monarch from a throne in the House of Lords.
It lays out the government’s agenda for the upcoming session, focusing on specific pieces of legislation that the government intends to pass.
For instance, last years’ speech mentioned several plans which have passed (or are in the works), such as the Renters’ Rights Bill, Tobacco and Vapes Bill, Employment Rights Bill, and bringing train operators into public ownership.
Cabinet ministers begin ‘bidding’ for legislation they want to be included in the King’s Speech around early October. It is understood that the prime minister has already decided which bills will be included in May.
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