King Charles III, wearing the Imperial State Crown and the Robe of State, reads the King's Speech from the Sovereign's Throne alongside Queen Camilla, wearing the George IV Diadem, in the Chamber of the House of Lords at the Houses of Parliament on July 17, 2024 in London, England.
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LONDON — Britain's new Labour government unveiled a series of legislative proposals on Wednesday, including nationalizing rail operators and creating a state-owned clean energy company.
In a speech delivered by King Charles III on behalf of the government, the government said it was “committed to a clean energy transition that will, over time, reduce bills for consumers”. It added that it would set up Great British Energy, based in Scotland, to accelerate investment in renewable energy such as offshore wind.
The speech listed a wide range of proposals, many of which have already been announced. Labour said it would reform planning rules to speed up infrastructure projects and housing, strengthen the powers of the UK Water Authority, give the police more powers to tackle anti-social behaviour and scrap an existing tax exemption on private school fees to fund new teachers.
The speech once again focused on the promise of economic growth, which was described right at the beginning as a “fundamental mission” to help the country overcome the cost of living crisis.
Charles said the government would “seek to enact the appropriate legislation to impose requirements on those working to develop the most powerful artificial intelligence models,” referring to the general-purpose AI systems being developed by companies such as Microsoft-backed OpenAI.
Members of the House of Lords wait in their ceremonial red robes for the start of the State Opening of Parliament in the House of Lords on July 17, 2024 in London, England.
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Following a long-standing tradition, the monarch presents the political agenda of the new government following a pompous ceremony to mark the opening of Parliament. Early in the morning, the King and Queen Camilla drove from Buckingham Palace to Westminster in a horse-drawn carriage.
The speech is written by the government and delivered by the monarch, the British head of state who in modern times exercises only symbolic political power. The speech is a declaration of intent and is not legally binding.
The left-leaning Labour Party won an overwhelming majority in Parliament earlier this month, taking control from the right-leaning Conservative Party for the first time in 14 years.
The government also said it remained committed to the proposed gradual increase in the legal smoking age and a tougher crackdown on the sale of e-cigarettes.
Members of the Household Cavalry arrive at Buckingham Palace ahead of the State Opening of Parliament on July 17, 2024 in London, England.
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Other policies mentioned in Wednesday's speech include a bill to facilitate the production of sustainable aviation fuel, measures to reduce waiting times in the National Health Service, a ban on “exploitative labour practices” and strengthening auditing and corporate governance.
The speech described devolution – the transfer of independent powers to the individual nations of the United Kingdom – as “the heart of a modern, dynamic economy”.
London's Metropolitan Police announced on Wednesday morning that they had arrested ten people suspected of trying to disrupt the event.
— CNBC's Ryan Browne contributed to this story.
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