By Andrew MacAskill
LONDON, May 13 (Reuters) – British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will aim to reassert his authority over his Labour Party on Wednesday as his government unveils 37 bills for the next parliamentary session, including legislation to bolster economic growth and national security.
The King’s Speech – delivered by the monarch but written by government ministers – comes after almost a quarter of Starmer’s lawmakers called on him to resign following poor local election results last week.
Below are some of the government’s key policy plans:
RELATIONS WITH EU
A European Partnership Bill aims to improve Britain’s trade and investment ties with the European Union, its biggest trading partner, by granting the government new powers to implement existing and future agreements with the bloc.
The government said the legislation would be important for putting into effect recently agreed deals with the EU on electricity, emissions trading and the food and drink sector.
REGULATORS ASKED TO FOCUS ON ECONOMIC GROWTH
A Regulating for Growth Bill will require regulators overseeing areas such as the environment and health and safety to prioritise economic growth and investment.
This will allow businesses in sectors such as artificial intelligence, defence and medical services to carry out controlled testing before launching new products.
The government said Britain’s existing regulations are “frequently complex, risk-averse and slow to adapt”.
PROTECTION FROM FOREIGN INTERFERENCE
A Tackling State Threats Bill will make it easier to designate and impose sanctions on groups that carry out activities on behalf of hostile foreign states.
This will enable the police and prosecutors to investigate and prosecute individuals who carry out sabotage and espionage on their behalf under the National Security Act.
REFORM TO STRIP PEERAGES
A Removal of Peerages Bill will make it easier to strip titles from disgraced politicians who were members of the House of Lords, parliament’s unelected upper chamber.
At present, politicians who resign or are expelled from the upper chamber can continue to use the title “Lord”.
The legislation comes after Peter Mandelson, who was arrested earlier this year on suspicion of misconduct in public office following revelations over his ties to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, is still able to use the title ‘Lord’ despite having resigned from parliament.
TOUGHER ASYLUM RULES PLANNED
The government wants to pass a new immigration bill designed to deter asylum seekers from coming to Britain.
This includes replacing the two-tiered asylum appeals system with a single appeals body designed to give asylum seekers only one opportunity to challenge rejected claims.
The legislation will also introduce new restrictions on the way in which judges can interpret Articles 3 and 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which protect against inhuman or degrading treatment and the right to a family and private life.
ENERGY SECURITY
The government wants to pass several pieces of legislation aimed at improving Britain’s energy security, including expanding the use of nuclear energy and breaking the link between electricity prices and volatile gas prices.
This includes an Energy Independence Bill designed to facilitate the transition to clean power by simplifying regulations governing the deployment of offshore wind, hydrogen and smart grid technologies.
LOWERING VOTING AGE TO 16
A Representation of the People Bill will implement a previously announced policy to lower the voting age by two years to 16 in all UK elections, a major overhaul of the country’s democratic system.
The government said the change was designed to boost participation and trust in the electoral system.
NO LEGISLATION ON WELFARE
There was no legislation aimed at tackling welfare reform, which currently costs the government more than 300 billion pounds ($405 billion) a year.
An attempt to reduce the cost of welfare spending was abandoned in July after a rebellion from Starmer’s lawmakers.
($1 = 0.7399 pounds)
(Reporting by Andrew MacAskillEditing by Gareth Jones)
