The state opening of parliament colourfully illustrates the distinction between politics as performance and politics as delivery. The monarch advertises the government’s agenda as if passing a law is sufficient to bring about change. In reality, legislation is just a first enabling step before the real work bringing tangible improvement to people’s lives can begin. That is something the Conservatives forgot in government. They too often used bills in the Commons as tools of campaign communication, sending ideological signals instead of focusing on competent administration.
Sir Keir Starmer promises the opposite approach. The content of Wednesday’s king’s speech mostly reflects a new seriousness about practical administration. The focus is on the role that the government can play in fostering conditions for greater prosperity.
