KING CHARLES III DELIVERS SPEECH – Speech focuses on immigration, Digital ID, Welfare Bill omitted
The King’s Speech went ahead as planned today after a last minute phone call between Buckingham Palace and No.10 officials, who clearly stated that the Prime Minister has enough support in the House of Commons to deliver his agenda.
The major items were the European Partnership Bill: which aims to improve UK-EU trade ties and set up a framework for future agreements with the EU bloc; The Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill: which reforms the asylum process and aims to crack down on organised immigration crime.
The Renters’ Rights Bill: which Bans “no-fault” Section 21 evictions and improves tenant rights; The Removal of Peerages Bill: which simplifies the process to strip peerages from disgraced members of the House of Lords and a Bill to lower the voting age to 16.
A voluntary digital ID scheme was outlined in the King’s Speech. This follows the government’s decision to drop plans for a mandatory digital ID to prove the right to work, responding to significant public and political backlash.
What is significant about the full 36 bills is that Welfare Reform was left out, despite the burgeoning Health Bill. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) total budget for the 2025/26 financial year sits at £214.10 billion. This is in stark contrast with the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) budget for the 2025/26 financial year is £62.2 billion, which was also among the 36 Bills mentioned.
