The newly elected Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, has outlined his plan to put Britain on the “path of national renewal”. Speaking after the King’s Speech, which presented 39 bills that the government aims to pass, Starmer warned against the dangers of populism and noted that there would be “no quick fix”. At the heart of his plan to increase the country’s economic growth is a series of proposals to alter the planning system, aimed at making building houses and infrastructure easier and faster.
The proposals also include reviving some proposed pieces of legislation which were introduced by the previous government, including Rishi Sunak’s gradual smoking ban and the establishment of a football regulator. However, Labour MPs and the SNP have been calling for the scrapping of the two-child benefit cap, which was not mentioned in the King’s Speech.
Starmer’s proposals also include giving local leaders more powers, nationalising the railways, and increasing workers’ rights. Plans to give 16 and 17-year-olds the vote in general elections were not mentioned, nor was scrapping the two-child benefit cap.
Starmer’s approach to economic growth differs from the three options presented by think tank the Institute for Fiscal Studies: raising taxes, cutting public services, or borrowing more. Instead, he hopes to avoid these options by focusing on boosting growth itself, which has been stagnant for several years.
The government’s Planning and Infrastructure Bill, which aims to accelerate the building of homes and infrastructure, is a central part of the proposals. The capacity of local planning departments will be boosted, and the process for consenting to infrastructure projects simplified under the bill. The government maintains that in the future, local communities will be able to influence only how, not if, new houses are built.
Six of the bills outlined in the King’s Speech will be introduced into Parliament this week, although several notable omissions have been criticised by opposition MPs. Green Party MP Ellie Chowns has called for bolder action on building standards and introducing rent controls. SNP MP Stephen Gethins criticised the ruling Labour government for not reversing Brexit and ending the two-child benefit limit
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