Hard to see how Rishi Sunak’s first King’s Speech won’t be his last

Published

1 year ago

November 7, 2023

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The King’s Speech is supposed to be the landmark moment in the life of parliament.

It is the occasion for a prime minister to set down his or her mission for government, and outline the laws they will pass to try to achieve their goals.

But this year, the moment will belong to King Charles III, rather than Rishi Sunak, for two reasons.

Politics live: Are ministers playing politics with their outrage over Gaza protests?

First is the sheer symbolism of the new monarch delivering the first King’s Speech in over seven decades.

An epoch-making moment, it reminds us all in the most formal of settings, laced with symbolism, that we have passed from the Elizabethan era to the new Carolean age.

Second is the reality of Mr Sunak’s predicament.

His first King’s Speech in power will be less about landing a vision and more about holding position, for this is a prime minister running out of time and with little space to push through new ideas.

Running out of time because very little can be done between now and an election when it comes to enacting new laws.

And even if Mr Sunak can get legislation onto the statute book, there isn’t time for that to make a material difference to voters before a general election.

He is also a prime minister constrained by a resistive rump in his party who he is not willing to take on.

Running out of ideas, because what we expect to see in the King’s Speech is hardly a grand plan for government.

Mr Sunak is instead going for a combination of new laws to create dividing lines with Labour ahead of the election (including annual oil and gas licensing, and strike laws), seeing through policies being worked up by predecessors (such as leasehold reform) and the odd Sunak initiative (banning tobacco sales for anyone born on or after January 2009 and longer jail sentences of violent offenders).

Talk to his team and they frame the King’s Speech as a “continuation” of what the prime minister has sought to put in place from the summer onwards – his tilt at long-term decision making as they put it, rather than a “wow moment”.

One senior insider said: “The King’s Speech isn’t a conference speech or an Autumn Statement. There isn’t a new shiny policy.

“It’s not going to be a wow moment, but it’s a continuation of travel of where we have been going and delivering, rather than focusing on polls day to day and week to week.”

Instead, Number 10 argues that the programme for government backs up the prime minister’s commitment to long-term decision-making; through growing the economy – be that energy security, regulatory frameworks for tech; strengthening society with legislation on smoking, reform on leaseholds and dealing with antisocial behaviour; more action on crime and safety and focusing on our national interest, be that around climate change, artificial Intelligence or security.

But some colleagues believe the sum of parts in this speech doesn’t add up to much and certainly not a cogent vision for a country losing patience with the Conservatives.

“There’s not much in here on cost of living,” says one senior colleague who laments that Mr Sunak didn’t do more on housing – planning and green belt reform – ahead of the general election to show voters he really is a candidate for change.

“It would have been bold, but it got shoved in the too-hard-to-do box,” said the former senior minister. “A load of colleagues – 50 even 70 – would be against it, but when you have Labour and Starmer nimby bashing, you’d have got it through with Labour votes and send a message to under 40s that we are serious about helping them.”

And there are pockets of Mr Sunak’s backbenches, MPs looking to Canadian Tory leader Pierre Poilierve as inspiration, noting that his decision to turn the Conservatives into the party of housebuilding has revived the centre right’s fortunes and brought younger voters.

But Mr Sunak does have his eye on an election in a different way, as he uses the King’s Speech to try to lay traps for Labour, to draw dividing lines between the government and the opposition over thorny issues that have the potential to ignite in voters’ minds – be it around net zero and environmental policies (think the row over ultra-low emission zones) or strikes.

On the former, the government will legislate for annual North Sea oil and gas licensing rounds to highlight the PM’s “pragmatic, proportionate and realistic” approach to net zero, in contrast to Labour, which has said it will honour existing licenses but has ruled out granting new ones.

The PM will also introduce new strike laws to protect public services over Christmas, with minimum service regulations for rail workers, ambulance staff and border security staff.

Number 10 figures believe these dividing lines showcase Mr Sunak’s values while also putting Labour on the spot about theirs.

But Labour insiders tell me they are “not worried” about the attacks.

“If they want to talk about their track record on energy bills and strikes, we’d be very happy,” says one figure close to Sir Keir Starmer.

Another senior party figure said this approach just showed how out of touch the Tory party is.

“Finding dividing lines for us? Do they seriously think that is how voters want to see the government run the country?

“Sunak’s meant to be the change? Where’s the change? Where are the answers to the big challenges facing the country on the cost of living and the NHS. It’s just more of the same. It doesn’t deal with the things voters care about.”

Even as Westminster chews over the content of the speech, while taking in the spectacle, I suspect the country has tuned out.

Because in the political backdrop to Tuesday’s pageantry, the problems are piling up for the prime minister.

It is the grisly details of the COVID inquiry revealing a government that was woefully unprepared and ill-equipped to tackle the pandemic at a moment of national crisis.

There are serious questions being raised as to whether the Conservative Party failed to act on rape allegations surrounding an MP and instead paid for an alleged victim to receive treatment in a private hospital.

The prime minister said on Monday that the allegations were “very serious” as he urged anyone with evidence of criminal acts to talk to the police.

There is the Daily Mail’s serialisation of former cabinet minister Nadine Dorries’s book on the downfall of Boris Johnson again throwing into sharp relief party infighting, while disquiet grows among some MPs about the home secretary’s provocative language, be it around protest marches or the homeless.

All of it has turned the public off, say some Conservative MPs, who fear that, whatever Mr Sunak does now, he won’t be able to get voters to tune back in.

This is his first King’s Speech – and it’s hard at the moment to see how it won’t end up his last.

UK

Zelenskyy says he is ‘truly thankful’ to US after Trump row – as he arrives in UK for summit

Published

32 mins ago

March 1, 2025

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Zelenskyy says he is 'truly thankful' to US after Trump row - as he arrives in UK for summit

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said the Ukrainian people “are truly thankful” for US support, hours after talks with Donald Trump descended into a row at the White House.

During a disastrous meeting with Mr Trump, the Ukrainian president was asked by vice president JD Vance, “have you said thank you once?”

In a lengthy social media post, Mr Zelenskyy said: “I always begin with words of gratitude from our nation to the American nation”.

The Ukrainian president insisted the US-Ukraine relationship “is more than just two leaders” but it was “crucial” for his country to have Mr Trump’s support.

He added: “American people helped save our people. Humans and human rights come first. We’re truly thankful. We want only strong relations with America, and I really hope we will have them.”

Ukraine latest: Zelenskyy says Ukraine should be ‘not forgotten’

Mr Zelenskyy will meet Sir Keir Starmer in Downing Street on Saturday afternoon after his plane landed at Stansted Airport.

It comes ahead of a major summit hosted by the UK prime minister on Sunday, where more than a dozen European and EU leaders including Mr Zelenskyy will meet to discuss the Ukraine war and security.

The Ukrainian president had travelled to Washington DC to attempt to secure a ceasefire agreement after three years of war with Russia and a possible mineral deal with the US.

The meeting descended into a shouting match in front of cameras and journalists.

Mr Vance told Mr Zelenskyy: “I think it’s disrespectful for you to come to the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media.

“You should be thanking the President [Trump] for trying to bring an end to this conflict.”

‘You’re gambling with World War Three’

The Ukrainian president tried to object but Mr Trump spoke over him and told him: “You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people.

“You’re gambling with World War Three, and what you’re doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country that’s backed you far more than a lot of people say they should have.”

Mr Zelenskyy defended himself and his country, openly challenging Mr Trump on his softer approach to Vladimir Putin and urging him to make “no compromises with a killer”.

European leaders express support for Zelenskyy

After the row, Mr Trump told his Ukrainian counterpart to leave the White House, according to a US official, leaving the minerals deal in limbo.

European leaders expressed their support for Mr Zelenskyy ahead of the UK summit on Sunday.

France’s Emmanuel Macron, Germany’s Olaf Scholz, and Poland’s Donald Tusk all shared social media posts expressing their support.

UK

BRIT Awards 2025: Who is performing, who’s nominated and how to watch

Published

32 mins ago

March 1, 2025

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BRIT Awards 2025: Who is performing, who's nominated and how to watch

Tonight’s BRIT Awards are shaping up to be a big night for female British artists, including Charli XCX and Dua Lipa.

The ceremony, which is taking place at London’s O2 Arena, will see artists who are currently dominating the charts come together to celebrate the best in popular music.

Leading nominations with five nods is Charli XCX, whose sixth album Brat was a viral hit last year.

Dua Lipa closely follows with four nominations – along with 2024 rising star winners The Last Dinner Party, and 2023 Mercury Prize winners Ezra Collective.

Here is everything you can expect from the biggest night in British music.

What will happen?

Comedian Jack Whitehall is returning to host this year’s ceremony.

It will be his first time at the helm in four years, but fifth in total, after taking on the role for four consecutive years from 2018 to 2021.

There are 16 categories for awards this year, including the big one – album of the year.

In the running for this is Charli XCX – BRAT, The Cure – Songs Of A Lost World, Dua Lipa – Radical Optimism, Ezra Collective – Dance, No One’s Watching and The Last Dinner Party – Prelude to Ecstasy.

Other awards up for grabs include: Artist of the year, group of the year, best new artist, song of the year, international artist of the year, international group of the year, international song of the year, alternative rock act, hip-hop/grime/rap act, dance act, pop act and R&B act.

Last year’s ceremony saw singer-songwriter Raye dominating, with a record number of six wins including a clean sweep of the big three; best artist, best song and best album.

This year, the trophy that winners will pick up on the night has been designed by artist Gabriel Moses.

Who is nominated?

Before the awards have even begun, Charli XCX has been announced as the winner of this year’s songwriter of the year award.

Also recognised is her longtime collaborator AG Cook, winning BRITs producer of the year, reflecting the combined impact he and Charli XCX have had on music over the last 12 months.

The singer – whose real name is Charlotte Aitchison – could still pick up another five awards tonight including: pop act, dance act, song of the year, artist of the year and album of the year.

Behind Charli XCX, this year also sees The Beatles pick up a nomination for the song Now And Then.

The song, which was finished by Sir Paul McCartney and Sir Ringo Starr with the help of audio restoration and released in November, is the band’s first nomination since 1977.

The Cure are also back with three nominations – following the release of their 14th album, Songs Of A Lost World, in 2024.

International artists such as Beyonce, Billie Eilish, Taylor Swift, Benson Boone, Chappell Roan and Kendrick Lamar have also all got nods, as well as homegrown talent such as Central Cee, Fred again.., Sam Fender and former Little Mix star JADE.

Sabrina Carpenter will become the first international artist to receive the global success award after breaking records in the UK charts.

The pop star held the top spot on the Official UK Charts for a combined 21 weeks in 2024, the first artist to do so in 71 years.

Her mega-hits Taste, Please Please Please and Espresso held the top three spots simultaneously, making her the first female artist to do so.

Already named as this year’s rising star is British singer-songwriter Myles Smith, whose single Stargazing became one of the UK’s biggest hits of 2024.

You can read the full list of nominations ahead of tonight, right here.

Who is performing?

Taking to the stage at this year’s ceremony is a mix of UK and US artists including Sam Fender, JADE, Teddy Swims and Myles Smith.

Off the back of winning the award for global success, Sabrina Carpenter, will also treat audiences to a performance.

It comes after Carpenter’s slapstick comedy mashup performance at the Grammy’s was dubbed “iconic” by fans.

It is the first year American artists Shaboozey, known for A Bar Song (Tipsy) and Teddy Swims, known for Lose Control, will also perform at the awards.

“I’m beyond grateful and humbled to not only be nominated for a BRIT Award but to take the stage,” Shaboozey said.

“This past year has been huge for me with my records getting love from all over the world and now I can celebrate with my friends and fans in London.”

Meanwhile, JADE, whose real name is Jade Thirlwall, said she “manifested” performing at the BRITs every day since the release of her debut solo single Angel Of My Dreams last year.

The singer already has three BRIT Awards to her name, winning best British single for Shout Out To My Ex, video of the year for Woman Like Me and best British group with Little Mix, but is nominated this year as a solo artist in the song of the year and pop act categories.

Also performing on the night are Lola Young – who is nominated for best pop act – and The Last Dinner Party, who won the BRITs rising star award last year.

How to watch

Live coverage of the BRITs will start on ITV and ITVX from 8.15pm tonight.

You can also follow along with all the latest from the red carpet and ceremony on Sky News and our dedicated live blog.

For those outside the UK, the show is available to watch internationally on the BRITs YouTube channel.

UK

Three teenage girls charged with manslaughter after 75-year-old dies in London

Published

45 mins ago

March 1, 2025

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Three teenage girls charged with manslaughter after 75-year-old dies in London

Three teenage girls have been charged with manslaughter after a 75-year-old man died in north London.

The Metropolitan Police said the man, named as Fredi Reviro, was attacked on Seven Sisters Road in Islington around 11.35pm on Thursday.

He died in hospital the next day.

A special post-mortem examination will be held.

The girls – aged 14, 16, and 17 – will appear at Highbury Magistrates’ Court on Monday, the force said.

They cannot be named because of their age.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.

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