Live Debate: Commons Chamber

Commons Chamber

Wednesday 13th May 2026

(began 4 weeks ago)

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14:30

Speaker's Statement Mr Speaker

statement at the beginning of each session about the duties and responsibility of hon. Members. I begin by reminding members of their duty to observe the Code of Conduct and the behaviour code agreed by the House, and to behave with civility and fairness in all their dealings. Unacceptable behaviour that doesn't meet the standard of these codes will be dealt with seriously, independently and with effective sanctions. The House asserts its privilege of freedom of speech. That privilege is enjoyed by members of Parliament only in their work in proceedings of this House.

As private individuals, we are equal under the law with those who we represent. This privilege is there to ensure that our constituents can be represented without fear or favour. It is an obligation upon all of us to exercise that privilege responsibly. The speaker does not have the power to police the accuracy of members contributions. Unfortunately, it is incumbent on all members to be accurate in what they say in this House and to correct any mistakes as soon as possible.

All members, including Ministers, should take the responsibility in this House seriously. I remind Ministers that the government's own ministerial code make clear that important policy announcements should be made in the first instance in this House, when it. When sitting and some when it. When sitting and some people seem to have short memories. Both front and back benches must also adhere to the courtesies of this house. That includes informing other members in advance of visits to their constituencies, except purely private purposes.

I remind all members that it's important that they are able to raise matters with me, seek guidance from the clerks freely, and for that reason, any such conversations and correspondence should be treated as confidential. I want all members and everyone in the parliamentary community to be able to go about their work safely online, here in Westminster and in their constituencies. We have a duty to be vigilant and to assist those whose job it is to keep us safe. Finally, I want to say something about how we treat each other and the language we use in the chamber.

What we say and how we say things in this house matters. It is and has an impact on colleagues, on those who follow our proceedings and the wider political discourse across the country. Members should be heard courteously, whatever their views. But in this place we are all hon. Members and I expect robust political debate. I will not accept undignified language or improper criticism of individual members. Our constituents expect us to focus on the very serious issues that they care about, rather than making cheap attacks on each other.

If a member falls short of the standards expected of us all, there are ways of dealing with that, but not by accusations made as sideswipes during questions or debates. If we fail to treat each other with respect in debate, that diminishes our work and risk raising the temperature of discussions outside this place, particularly on social media, which already too often descend into abuse against members and others. I expect members from all sides to treat each other with respect before moving to the first business of the new session.

I'd like to express my very best wishes to all hon. Members, and to all those who work for the House and work for members. The continuing support they provide to us. I've got to say they are the unsung heroes. So thank you all for work with members and Woking this house. I now call upon the Clerk of the House.

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Outlawries bill. That was very good. I have to I

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That was very good. I have to I have to equate the house that this House has this day attended his House has this day attended his Majesty in the House of peers, and that his Majesty was pleased to make the most gracious speech from make the most gracious speech from the throne to both houses of Parliament, of which I have, for greater accuracy, obtained a copy. I shall direct that the terms of the speech be printed in the votes and proceedings.

Copies are available within the vote office before I call the mover and the seconder. I want to announce the proposed pattern of the debate during the remaining days of the Loyal Address today. Debate on the address tomorrow, working again. Monday the 18th of May. Tuesday the 19th of May. Energy security. Wednesday the 20th of May. Defence readiness. I know of the privilege to call Naz Shah to move. And then I will call Chris Vince to second the address.

Naz Shah.

14:36

Naz Shah MP (Bradford West, Labour)

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I beg to move that a Humble >> I beg to move that a Humble Address be presented to His Majesty as follows. Most gracious sovereign, we, your Majesty's most beautiful and loyal subjects of the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Parliament assembled. Beg leave to offer our humble thanks to your Majesty for the gracious speech which your Majesty has addressed to both Houses of Parliament. It would be remiss of me not to say a few words about the outstanding state visit by His Majesty to the United States.

Today we saw eloquent oratory, remarkable wit, and genuine statesmanship from His Majesty, presenting President Trump with the original brass bell inscribed with his name before he was even born. From the Second World War submarine HMS Trump, suggesting that if they needed to give us a ring was a masterstroke in diplomacy. His Majesty returned very humbly, of course, having secured the lifting of trade barriers on Scotch whisky. Yes, given the performance, I was rather worried His Majesty might come back with the 13 colonies as well.

It is. It is a huge honour for me and my constituents of Bradford West to move the loyal address. This is the second time my constituency of Bradford West has been honoured in this way. In 1959, the then member for Bradford West, Arthur Tiley, seconded the loyal address. When the Chief Whip called me about today, my first reaction, like many across this House when the chief called, is oh oh. But then that oh oh soon turned into, oh, my days.

No way. With the biggest smile ever. I remember clearly listening to the speeches my. By my hon. Friend the Member for Bootle, as well as Vauxhall and Camberwell Green. The last time this occasion happened, and thinking now, that is an honour. Had I known God was listening, I'd have asked to win the EuroMillions Ministers. In fact, Mr. Speaker, had I known not always voting with the government also works, I might have. I am indeed humbled and honoured primarily for being trusted by the people of Bradford West, for placing their faith in me and sending me to this place.

Amen. Given this opportunity to be the first ever Muslim to propose the loyal address in this chamber. And of course, seeing the meltdown of the far right online. Even an act of domination. So in light of this, in light of this, I must assure them this is not a takeover. I must state it is, as per convention a joke, but it seems. But if seeing a black. If seeing black and brown people on TV makes you feel sick, my speech is going to make you vomit.

On a more serious note, Mr. Speaker, over the last few months, I have had the opportunity to tell my own story, a story of my life and the challenges I faced growing up. I often pinch myself whilst in this chamber, questioning, how could a girl who lived the life I lived be given such an honour to represent her city in the mother of all parliaments? Yes, Mr. Speaker, it is because, despite the challenges we may face as a nation and the differences in approaches we present across this House, I know without a doubt that as someone who comes from the ethnic, religious and socioeconomic background that I came from, whose entire life crashed before her, I would never have been given such an honour in any other country than this one.

Yes, my own country. Our country? Yes. For me there is no nation greater than ours. Yes, we are the greatest nation on earth. And I am a true patriot. Yes. Raised in abject poverty, living in a single room because we couldn't afford to heat the whole house and suffering tuberculosis as a result. I understand firsthand what this means. Therefore, I welcome the continued commitment from the government to prioritise addressing the cost of living crisis. In doing so, we cannot ignore the instability across the world around us, the plight of the Palestinians, the war in Ukraine, the instability of the.

In the Strait of Hormuz, and the growing global threat for which we must also be ready for living in a globalised world means an ever growing connection between the local, the national, and the international. What happens out there reaches every home and doorstep across every constituency. The defence of our country is rightfully also amongst these top agenda items. As a proud graduate of the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme, which, by the way, I recommend to all members to take part and support.

I have nothing but admiration and thanks for those who have served and continue to serve to protect our tomorrow. Mr. speaker, I also have the honour to serve as the Prime Minister's Trade envoy for Indonesia and the Asean, a region of more than 660 million people and a hugely important geopolitical and trade corridor. I welcome the continued commitment to strengthening our place across the world. Without international trade and growth in our economy, we cannot deliver the jobs, investment and support we need across our country.

I will continue to play my part in securing trade and investment for the UK and championing British business abroad, with colleagues from across this House. Closer to home, I had the honour to serve on the Bill, the Assisted Dying Bill Committee, something beyond party lines where I had the opportunity to work with colleagues from across the House, including the work I did with the hon. Member for East Wiltshire. Whilst I didn't eventually support the bill, I pay tribute to the Member for Batley and Spen for her work, commitment and passion.

Talking about beyond party lines, Mr. Speaker, I noted with interest, as I'm sure the whole nation did too. The previous Duchy of Lancaster, the noble Lord Gove's rather peculiar fascination with our home Secretary. He actually confessed to browsing the internet for her images. Thankfully, Mr. Speaker, knowing our Home Secretary as I do, I'm confident that this is not the kind of cross-party mischief she would reciprocate. But I do have a guilty pleasure of my own.

And no, it's not a Tory. Unfortunately, for my calorie count, it is custard and cake. I blame Godfrey and Sharon in the tea room for their own. Their unwavering encouragement to indulge sparingly. I am the proud. I'm proud to be the first woman elected to Parliament for the constituency of Bradford West, a constituency with a history of extraordinary women who broke every barrier that patriarchy put in front of them. The Bronte sisters changed English literature forever, but had to use men's names to publish their writing.

The suffragettes of Bradford went to Holloway Prison for the right to vote. The women of Manningham Mills walked out into the cold, changing our political landscape forever. Margaret Macmillan pioneered free school meals and they were trialled in 1904. In the school I attended, Green Lane Primary, leading to the Education Act of 1906, which cemented free school meals into our history. And Barbara Castle, shaped by Bradford's streets and schools, went on to write equal pay into law, and I am proud to serve alongside equally formidable women with the member of Bradford South and indeed the Member for Shipley.

There is something in the air in Bradford as a whole, something that produces women who will not be told. I promise this House. I have zero intention of breaking with that. If today our country beams with pride because of the many great changes made by successive Labour governments, none of it would have been possible without the women who led the Manningham Mills strike, which then led to the founding of the Independent Labour Party. Conceived and formed in Bradford West, it was in Bradford that a man named Keir first took the chair of the Labour movement, and despite 130 years, two world Wars and roughly 47 leadership elections, the party remains in the hands of a the party remains in the hands of a Keir.

Prime Minister. Nobody can say that you don't know how to fight on. I could not make this speech without recognising David Hockney, a boy from a Bradford terrace who pushed his paintings around the city in a pram. David went on to become the world's most famous living artist. David once said that if you look closely, Bradford is a city with magic. I don't know whether he was looking into the future and literally describing Bradford's magician dynamo. Then Malicks magical music, or our leg spinning World Cup winning magic of our very own Adil Rashid.

But Bradford is, without question, a place of wonders. Bradford is also a place of culture, the jewel in the crown, as it is often referred to, is the Bradford Literature Festival, now one of the largest in the UK literature festivals and the largest of its kind throughout Europe, pairing excellence with access to those who would otherwise be excluded from culture. In 2025, Bradford was proud to be named UK City of Culture, home to a rich, diverse population built on the back of a historic title as the wool capital of the world.

In the 1850s, German Jewish merchants came to Bradford and built the magnificent warehouses of what we now call Little Germany, helping to make Bradford a global global trading city and the proud home of the oldest synagogue in the north, a synagogue that recently, the Muslim community stepped in to save. When the roof was about to cave in, illustrating the relationship within the Muslim and Jewish community in Bradford. A century later, men from Azad Jammu and Kashmir and India and Pakistan arrived in the 50s and 60s working tireless nights shifts to keep the mills running, ensuring Britain's economy continued to flourish after the Second World War.

Each generation of newcomers didn't just come to Bradford, they built Bradford. They Mr Speaker. Chicken tikka masala might be the UK's national dish, but I must inform the whole house that you have not had a curry until you have had a Bradford Curry. Whether it is the legendary family naans on trees invented by the late King of Qureshi, Shabir Hussain, the founder of Akbar's the subcontinental flavours of Agra, Mumtaz, Jinnah, my Lords, or any one of the hundreds of restaurants across the city.

Bradford does curry like no where else. The curries are that good. They even defy the current Mounjaro jab. A note to the Health secretary he may well have to develop a stronger solution. I recommend Bradford's Curry to all members of this House. Now that Bradford has a few reform councillors, perhaps a member for Clacton, who I see is not in his place, could pay, could pay a visit and treat them to a good curry, followed by a pint brewed in Bradford.

Yeah, in fact. In fact, given the size of his recent gift that we are now all well aware of. He could probably take half of Bradford out and still be left with plenty of change. Bradford is Mr Speaker, the youngest city in the United Kingdom. It has been named the most entrepreneurial tooth. Morrison's grew from a market stall in our city to a household name. It's the place where I promise this house there is no poverty of aspiration, talent or ambition.

But the poverty of infrastructure over decades has left us behind. Bradford is turning a corner. 270 million in public sector investment is building private sector confidence, with a combined pipeline now reaching 2.3 billion. I am grateful for our government support, which includes a new hospital in Airedale, 2 billion integrated settlement for West Yorkshire, giving our Labour mayor, Tracy Brabin, the power and flexibility to invest in local jobs, new homes and improving skills at Bradford City station. 2.1 billion investment in transport for the city region's funding, enabling West Yorkshire to deliver mass transit, better buses and repair

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our roads and potholes. Yay! All of this is pumping confidence into a city ready for investors to benefit from its untapped potential. Northern untapped potential. Northern Powerhouse Rail is not a nice to have. It is the difference between Bradford young people building Bradford young people building their futures at home or building them somewhere else. On this them somewhere else. On this occasion, I would also like to pay my thanks to all the House staff across the estate who ensure that Parliament can play the role that it does.

They are hugely deserving of our appreciation for everything they do. An outside of this place, the security services and our police forces who keep us safe with the ever increasing risks and threats to our democracy. Given the magnitude of this moment, I would also like to emphasise the huge weight and burden of responsibility on our shoulders. When we speak in this chamber, it carries meaning and impact. It impacts that boy who takes off his kippah, the girl who removes her hijab, fearing for their safety because of their race and religion, has become a political football.

And an attack on anyone or anyone's place of worship, be it a synagogue, a mosque, a church, a temple, a gurdwara, or or of any kind of religious institution is an attack on our British way of life. We must strengthen our communities against

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populism. Yes. In a world ever more dangerous,

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In a world ever more dangerous, an online world ever more toxic. Society more than ever, needs unity, calmness and leadership to make our country the best it can be. The country the best it can be. The burden of responsibility falls on all our shoulders, and it has never all our shoulders, and it has never been greater. Mr. speaker, it is also convention to part with words of wisdom for those who are slightly newer to this place. With that in mind, I simply say this nurture the pragmatism of being an elected representative of the people who have put their trust in you and sent you here, but never, never forget the passion of an activist.

Keep that fire burning, because it is indeed that passion that will sustain you and carry you through. Because sometimes it gets difficult here, Mr. Speaker, a King's speech is meant to be a fresh start. Parliament's version of clearing the kitchen table, making room for the work ahead and gathering the family round, reminding ourselves what the country has sent us here to do. As hon. Members may know, I believe in a full table. You make space. Hospitality matters in my home.

You listen, you serve people properly. But good hospitality and politics itself is more than who speaks first or indeed the loudest. It's about noticing the quiet ones, those who may be less organised, not as powerful, but nonetheless equally, if not more important, the

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voiceless whose voices we need to become. Again. Mr. speaker, for someone like me,

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Mr. speaker, for someone like me, who spent her formative years fighting a campaign to release her mother from prison who did not have mother from prison who did not have a formal education beyond the age of 12, spelling, grammar and parliamentary language and phrases parliamentary language and phrases don't come naturally. Forced into a marriage at 15. Forced to live with marriage at 15. Forced to live with a life with hearing aids, lugging a black bin liner, a belongings as a homeless teenager left all alone as a guardian to a younger brother and sister without a shoulder of support or stability in life.

Attempting suicide as I couldn't see a way out from my despair. Yet here I stand. With the world's eyes, watching the state opening of Parliament on this momentous occasion, given the privileges privilege of this moment, if this was not my story, I would only believe it to be fiction. But the truth is, there can be a light at the end of a tunnel. Yes, because as I believe my life personifies for me, after hardship comes ease. I stood in this chamber for the first time and pinched myself.

I still do, where someone like me can end up like somewhere like here, representing the city I live in, the mother of all parliaments, Bradford and my country gave me everything I intend to spend every day in this House returning the favour. It is an honour of my life to move the loyal address on behalf of the people of Bradford West. I commend the motion to the House.

14:57

Chris Vince MP (Harlow, Labour )

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15:11

Mr Speaker

The question is that the Humble >> The question is that the Humble Address be presented to His Majesty as follows. Most gracious sovereign, we, Your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Parliament. Assemble, beg leave to offer our humble thanks to your Majesty for the gracious speech which your Majesty's address to both Houses of Parliament. I now call the Leader of the Opposition by Sarah Bool Kemi Badenoch.

15:12

Rt Hon Kemi Badenoch MP (North West Essex, Conservative)

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15:36

Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer MP, The Prime Minister (Holborn and St Pancras, Labour)

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16:03

Rt Hon Ed Davey MP (Kingston and Surbiton, Liberal Democrat)

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16:27

Gareth Thomas MP (Harrow West, Labour )

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anti-Semitism. And I take this opportunity to commend the courage and skill of the police officers and skill of the police officers who responded. Yeah. One of the many important points that my hon. Friend for Bradford West made in Friend for Bradford West made in her excellent and humorous speech, was about the need for those of faith of all faiths and indeed of faith of all faiths and indeed of no faith to stand together against hatred. And that will resonate hatred. And that will resonate particularly in a constituency like mine.

I say to my hon. Friend, she gave a brilliant speech. She is an inspiration, and I suspect I am not the only member to feel that. It is an honour to be in the same party as her. As my hon. Friend for Harlow, who is without doubt a rising star in our ranks, made me jealous about his marathon running skills. If you'll forgive me, I won't dwell on his love letter to Harlow, but I will dwell a little bit, if I may, on the shared commitment to co-operation that we both have, and hope that together and with other members of the Co-op Parliamentary Party, we will see progress on delivering solutions to the need for capital, for more cooperatives to expand in our country.

Whatever the time of this king's speech. Madam Deputy Speaker, the biggest challenge our country faces remains how to put more money in people's pockets to drive up living standards, and to do so at a time of ever increasing global tensions. It's worth remembering what the Leader of the Opposition is clearly trying to forget. That after 14 years of austerity, after the Conservatives and their friends in reform led us out of the world's biggest market, doing huge economic damage, our public services, too, are still in need of sustained investment.

In that regard, I share my constituents impatience for change. I welcome the determination in the gracious address to continue to reform the leasehold system, to make, for example, service charges more transparent, fairer and easier to challenge. I welcome the plans to abolish NHS England to help fund more investment in expanding GP services, and to bring down waiting lists and waiting times in hospitals such as Northwick Park, which serves my constituents and I. Welcome to the overdue crackdown on late payments by big firms to small businesses.

Yes, there are two long term changes, I believe, that are key to delivering sustained higher living standards, particularly for my constituents. Firstly, to secure far better access to Europe's single market and secondly, far better access to finance for small businesses and the financially vulnerable. On Europe, I particularly welcome the European Partnership Bill in this gracious address as the next step towards a closer relationship with Europe. With the US increasingly unreliable as an ally and with the economic damage from Brexit ever clearer.

Britain needs to prioritise negotiating a dramatically better trade, defence and security deal with the EU. The imminent deal lowering barriers to trade in food, will reduce red tape and lower business costs. The decision to rejoin Erasmus and the coming deal on youth mobility are positive. Two. A referendum in my lifetime on whether to rejoin the EU feels inevitable, and if it does, I will be very tempted to campaign to rejoin. We are, though, a long way from such a moment.

The priority with the next UK EU summit coming up should be to reach agreement for a full renegotiation of the TCA to secure greater access to the single market, far more beneficial than mere customs union membership. The recently concluded EU Swiss trade deal offers a helpful pointer, with much more integration into the single market for more sectors of their. Similarly, service based economy, further security and defence cooperation, increased business mobility, mutual recognition agreements to remove duplicate product testing and certification to make it easier for businesses to sell British goods in European markets would make a significant difference for businesses here, for our economy

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and ultimately for living standards. Yes. He's very kind, and I'm listening intently to his anticipation of a brighter future with a closer relationship with the with a closer relationship with the EU. He even goes as far to say that he looks forward to another he looks forward to another referendum on whether to rejoin the European Union. Does he agree with me that when you're sold an outcome me that when you're sold an outcome on a false prospectus on a referendum, it's probably no big deal to have a rerun of that referendum so you can make an informed decision about your constitutional future.

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The one thing I will agree with the hon. Gentleman on is that we do need a closer relationship, and it need a closer relationship, and it is this government that has sought to rebuild relations with Europe and is doing so increasingly and is doing so increasingly effectively. On the point about the the need to open up opportunities the need to open up opportunities for more cooperation with Europe, I recognise that we will have to pay to access the single market more to access the single market more easily, but given the damage to our economy, given the higher costs, the extra bureaucracy, the poorly negotiated Brexit deal brought in its wake, we should be willing to negotiate that hard bargain.

The second long term issue that I think we should focus on as necessary to deliver sustained higher living standards is around banking. Millions of people and thousands of small businesses are locked out of affordable credit, forced into high cost or illegal lending. Money is being taken from the pockets of the poorest, and economic growth is being stifled. This is an entrenched but fixable market failure, which I hope the coming Financial Services Bill may help to begin to address. Research by the National Institute for Economic and Social Research, funded by the Treasury and the Department for Business and Trade that was published in January, made the striking conclusion that if Britain had a network of mutual banks that had stronger direct relationships with their small business owners, the growth would be higher by between 1% and more than 2% over its first five years, rising to between 1.7% and 3.5% over the long term.

It noted two how investment would be almost 2 to 3.5% higher in the first five years, rising to between two to almost 4.5% higher in the long run. The research and it is academic research which looks at the impact of mutual banks in France, state run German regional banks and community development finance institutions in the US considers how much more lending would happen if we had a somewhat less centralised banking model than we have currently here in the UK. There are many suggestions for how to deliver growth currently doing the rounds, but the scale of the impact of more investment in mutual or community banks, as this serious research suggests, does beg the obvious question of what more we could achieve in this Parliament, in this area to expand the reach and scale of mutual banks, building more direct and personal relationships with more small and medium sized businesses offering more affordable credit, credit options for personal customers, and a greater willingness to back hard headed community ownership initiatives that help to restore pride in the places we live.

Fair banking legislation, similar to what exists in the US, would help proactive efforts to help credit unions expand by employers, particularly in the public sector, through payroll deduction options would help to. The biggest. Banks should actively help support the expansion of community banks. 1 or 2 do. But they need sustained private capital investment. Barclays, Santander and HSBC invest in Cdfi's or community banks in the US, but they don't here in the UK. That should change. Let me now turn to the international situation.

I welcome the government's continuing support for Ukraine. The decision to stay out of the conflict with Iran and the strong support for NATO, the situation in Gaza remains profoundly disturbing. Every child under five in Gaza is considered undernourished by Unicef and other aid agencies. Almost every school has been destroyed or severely damaged, and 96% of households lack adequate access to water. Over 1 million children are facing a catastrophic humanitarian crisis, which I would suggest demands fresh and sustained UK engagement.

I strongly supported the government's decision last year to recognise the state of Palestine, to protect the viability of a two state solution and create a path towards a lasting peace for the Israeli and Palestinian people. Distant as that prospect may seem. It remains, in my view, the only path to a sustainable peace for the Palestinians and Israelis alike. Yes, the UN documented more than 1800 settler attacks last year in the West Bank, the highest on record. Clearly part of a sustained campaign to reduce the.

The possibility of a viable Palestinian state. So. Action to clamp down on goods coming into the UK from illegal settlements and to further sanction violent settlers is needed. Lastly, 80 years on since the founding meeting took place just across from where this House now meets, a renewed commitment to the United Nations has never been more necessary. For all its failings and there have been many, it remains our best route for addressing conflicts, for tackling global health threats, for promoting the rights of all, for delivering humanitarian aid, humanitarian aid, and for championing the interests of the world's most vulnerable.

With our coming G20 and then our coming G7 presidency. We are in a unique position to support the current UN Secretary general as he seeks to rethink and reaffirm the

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UN's role for the world we're in now. I hope we'll support him in those efforts. Hear, hear.

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Hear, hear. Andrew Mitchell thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, for giving me a chance to contribute to this King's speech debate today at such an early point in it. It's a it's a pleasure to follow the hon. Gentleman for Harrow West, and I Gentleman for Harrow West, and I want to express strong support for what he said about the government's determination, the whole of

16:37

Rt Hon Sir Andrew Mitchell MP (Sutton Coldfield, Conservative)

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16:48

Chris Webb MP (Blackpool South, Labour)

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and they have felt forgotten. But Blackpool became an example of how badly politics can fail people. It badly politics can fail people. It can also be an example of what happens when this place gets it right. If the government can turn right. If the government can turn around the fortunes of a town with the worst health outcomes, lowest wages and highest levels of wages and highest levels of deprivation in the country, there is nowhere that can't succeed, because when Blackpool succeeds, Britain succeeds.

When we talk about the cost of living crisis, we are not just talking about the price of a pint of milk or go for bread. In Blackpool, we're experiencing food insecurity alongside debt, poor housing and an acute mental health crisis. Families already struggling to pay the rent are pushed further behind by insecure work and rising bills. This is not isolated problems and there is no quick fix. Legislation passed in this House matters so much in constituents. Constituencies like mine, strengthening the employment rights, increasing the minimum wage, expanding free childcare provision and providing security to renters are all examples of a real difference that is being made right now to working families in Blackpool.

But with parents still skipping meals to their children can eat, there is still much work to be done, I hope the legislation announced today will ease the pressure on working people who have carried the burden of economic instability for far too long. Energy security is part of that challenge to the devastating conflict in Iran is having a growing impact across the world. For families in Blackpool already struggling to make ends meet, another spike in their bills is devastating. My constituents deserve the security of knowing that energy supply is reliable and affordable, and the Energy Independence Bill hopefully will give them that.

I welcome the commitments to improve patient care and support early intervention through the NHS modernisation Bill, because health inequalities remains one of the biggest injustices facing my constituents. People in Blackpool spend around a third of their lives in poor health and healthy life expectancy for men in my hometown is 50 years old. My son was born in Blackpool as I was. The simple fact means he and all the other children born in our town are expected to live ten years less than a child born in Hampshire.

That's ten years stolen before they've even had the chance to live them. There is nothing inevitable about those figures. They are results of political choices and years of inequality. NHS reform must be meaningful, improving outcomes and giving people the chance to live longer and healthier lives. Having visited schools across my constituency, met with parents of Sen children and read hundreds of the responses to my constituency send survey. It's clear to me that the current system is not working for families in my constituency and beyond.

Parents speak about fighting for support that should already be there. Schools are under enormous pressure and children are waiting far too long for the help they need. The funding secured earlier this year and the two new Sen schools in Blackpool is welcome because it will mean more children are getting the support closer to home and fewer families are facing months of uncertainty and delay. But areas with the highest levels of need must receive support. That reflects the reality in their area, because children growing up in Blackpool deserve the same opportunities as children growing up anywhere else in this country.

As chair of the APPG for hospitality and Tourism and the MP for a town built on tourism, I have followed discussions around the visitor levy closely. Tourism supports thousands of jobs in Blackpool. It gives young people the opportunities to join the job ladder as it did with me selling Kiss Me Quick hats at 14 and the tourist pound reaches far beyond hotels and guest houses. It supports pubs, cafes, restaurants, theatres, attractions and transport links across our area. Before the introduction of the Overnight Visitor Levy Bill, the concerns of the sector must be taken seriously because additional costs and additional burdens will hit them hardest.

And if we are serious about supporting British tourism, I repeat my call on the Chancellor to reduce VAT for hospitality and tourism in line with other European countries. Just under two years ago in this House, I stood on the benches opposite when we were in opposition and asked my first questions. The MP for Blackpool South, I called on taxi licensing reform. Yes, taxis are an essential part of Blackpool's transport network, yet the licensing scheme has failed both passengers and our local economy.

We need reforms so that local drivers are protected, passengers are safe and Blackpool gets the benefit of the revenue that's created in our town. Instead of leaving down the motorway at the end of each day after a long campaign, I'm delighted that the government will be taking action that I have long campaigned for to modernise taxi and private hire wars. This bill can finally address the issue of out of air working, protecting public safety and supporting local taxi revenue. Madam Deputy Speaker in closing, this place has the power to change the direction of my seaside town story and in doing so, change the story Britain tells about itself.

So let that be the challenge for this Labour government. We want the trust of the country. Then we must prove that we can rebuild places. Unfortunately, the previous government, too often written off, proved that prosperity does not belong only to the wealthiest postcodes. Prove that working people, coastal towns and forgotten communities matter just as much as anywhere else in the United Kingdom. It will stand as proof that a different future is possible fairer, more hopeful, more equal. Because,

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as I've said before, when Blackpool succeeds, Britain succeeds. Yeah, yeah.

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Yeah, yeah. You're grateful to catch her eye in this important King's Speech debate. And I follow other debate. And I follow other colleagues in congratulating both the Member for members for Bradford West and Harlow on their amusing West and Harlow on their amusing and well informed speeches. One of the few things, Madam Deputy Speaker, this government has got Speaker, this government has got right in the King's speech is the expedited Bill to nationalise the Scunthorpe steelworks to safeguard domestic steel production.

That plant is costing the taxpayer £1 million a day and therefore modernisation and future private and public investment under a

16:55

Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP (North Cotswolds, Conservative)

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17:10

Rachael Maskell MP (York Central, Labour )

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down on our planet, our nation and our communities demands a bold response in this parliamentary response in this parliamentary session. I recognise the current bind, but as we move into the next bind, but as we move into the next chapter of Labour's story, there is one consideration I want government to take through this legislative programme how we bring our communities, our country and our communities, our country and our fractious planet together. Such vision and policy must be the thread that gathers and inspires us against the backdrop of fast paced change.

This planet is breaking the grotesque inequalities, climate degradation and conflict are driving people apart at home. We've had 14 years of austerity where the harder you work, the tougher it gets. It is why I have called for a new economic orthodoxy, as neoliberalism preys on the working class and exploits all who want to get on as much as those who can't. As people are fleeced, the energy giants and water bosses profit despite putting carbon in our air and sewage in our rivers like the Ouse in York, the second worst in the country, the Clean Water Bill must pull this service back into public hands and public

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way. Welcome. A call for taking water back

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A call for taking water back into public ownership. Would she also agree with me that in setting the share price that we buy it back the share price that we buy it back with, we should take account of the cost of pollution, of the money that's being paid to distant shareholders, of no investment or interest in this country, and the inconvenience of so many of our inconvenience of so many of our residents by constant water leaks and waste of water, they should pay

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the price of it, not our constituents. I do agree it's a daylight robbery and people shouldn't be robbery and people shouldn't be profiting out of our natural resources, let alone seeing the resources, let alone seeing the levels of pollution that we are in our rivers, which should be pure and clean. I have a sewer running through the middle of my city and it is not acceptable. So it is it is not acceptable. So it is right to legislate, but also to ensure that we are not adding to the carbon cost of our natural environment too.

And therefore, I caution with airports and road expansion that we also ensure that we bring down the, the, the, the sense of carbon. And I fear with airport expansion, that may not be the case. The leaseholder and commonhold bill and freezing ground rents is welcome. But as developers extract all they can, people paying extortionate rents and management costs. We need to see good quality housing as a right and rethink the model. Co-operative housing, as I've witnessed in my own constituency, is a powerful antidote and one worth investing in.

Alongside a new generation of council built housing for the common good. The system is rigged against ordinary people, as it was 126 years ago when trade unions came together to form the Labour Party. It is our duty in this Parliament to once again set the ambition to drive the transformation for our communities, address the grotesque inequalities that drive people apart and rewire the system to bring us together. It is our purpose, as the unions fought for common terms and better pay.

Labour pass reimagined where everyone can get on a welfare state for those in need, and an NHS where Bevan encapsulated the Duke and the dustman as equals. Yet to not understand a collective, cohesive society pulls all of this at risk as parties opposite seek to exploit opportunity and people sell off our common assets and sow division. It is why Labour has an immense obligation to be bold and ambitious, not for those who take all they can, but for those who serve, who work, who play their part, and to take away the stigma and barriers for those who can't.

For this, I implore government to maintain the rights of those with indefinite leave to remain as new communities work alongside established communities. And when it comes to restraining traumatised children, as the government are consulting on, I simply warn government don't. I will not support. All children must be treated with dignity, nothing less. I'm happy to give way.

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My hon. Friend, for giving way in regards indefinite leave to in regards indefinite leave to remain on the journey down from my constituency today I spoke to the constituency today I spoke to the private hire driver who is on a visa that requires a renewal every visa that requires a renewal every two and a half years, and he has to do that four times before he's eligible. He's not really eligible. He's not really complaining about that. But when his visa is up for renewal and he sends his documents away, the council will not accept.

He won't won't allow him to continue working while the visa is being processed. Would my hon. Friend agree with me that that should be looked at, and there shouldn't be any unintended consequences from this process?

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And the the hon. Member's put that well and truly on the record. We need to reform the system. It is really prejudiced against so many people that are working hard within people that are working hard within our society, and therefore, we mustn't see these increases either mustn't see these increases either in the indefinite leave to remain, because our word should be our bond and we should honour the agreements and we should honour the agreements we make.

So this brings me to the ambition that these benches have for reforming the system. We need an inclusive approach so every child finds their place and reaches their level. More inclusion means rewiring the culture to be therapeutic and trauma informed. New pedagogies to map out the learning styles onto the learning of the children, and to end the harsh discipline and single channel of exam based assessments. Instead, we must include children and bring out their best. But as we move forward, I urge Treasury to invest the funding needed to help raise this and future generations.

Well, from 1001 critical days supporting parents and babies with the right foundations, to ensuring that the wraparound support that teachers, health professionals and support staff need to ensure our system is fixed once and for all because such investment will show its benefit in years to come. And as we support our young people into work, we must recognise that the state neglect under the last government caused such harm. We must be compassionate and work with, not against our young people, as they struggle to navigate their way to transition into independence and work.

Society brought together and our communities brought together as centralised system is failing. Decisions made far from the realities of the regions and nations. Building a sense of remote dystopia, not in touch with the daily challenges experience as a cost of living weighs heavy, while others live their profligate lives. Today we need a radical devolution of power, finance and opportunity to help people see themselves with agency and purpose, recognising the diversity of all our communities and yet the common bond of us all.

It will not be found in the idealisms of some, nor the toxic divisions of the right, which, believe me, will set community against community while its crypto backed leaders sow chaos and division, ripping up our NHS, our welfare state and our incredible inheritance which has glued our society together through generations, this Humble Address has so much to celebrate and I will so in the voices of my community in York, as we progress, I want to ensure the Railways Bill protects the wellbeing of all who work in the sector.

Having championed the removal of titles in the last two parliamentary sessions, I hope we can move fast on cleaning up our politics. I welcome the move to tackle anti-Semitism, as this week graffiti has been found in my community, which is antisemitic. It brings such shame and we must move fast on that and improve relations with the EU will help build the bridges we need. And with regards to being a visitor and tourism hotspot, I will work carefully with government on looking at the overnight visitors levy and trust that businesses won't pay a penalty, but our city would still get the reward whilst at the same time the draft taxi licensing Bill will really help bring licensing back under control.

I trust we will do more on the climate crisis too. As the National Emergency briefing highlighted, we do not have the luxury of time with the UK in the bottom 10% on the Biodiversity Intactness index and 1 in 6 species at risk of extinction. While our planet burns and our ice cap melts, we need to invest fast. Finance should be invested to hasten decarbonisation, and projects like Bio Yorkshire should be funded to ensure that we hasten agricultural resilience and prevent low yields and crop failure, which is escalating the cost of food.

And that's why I'm really glad that we're moving to independence in our energy market too. And we need a second employment rights bill to capture the single status of worker, extend collective bargaining and improve the wellbeing of workers. My final point is this if we are to bring the diversity of voices to Parliament and ensure that they are heard, I want this place to change. Madam Deputy Speaker. Governments have been destabilised over recent years due to too much power being held by the executive and too little invested in Parliament.

If this equation does not change the discourse of distrust between Parliament and the people will continue. Our voices representing the diversity of the country must be heard and impact the programme of government. I want to see all bills go through in-depth consultation with MPs, inputting the experiences of their communities, just running AI across consultation responses is not good enough. I want full pre-legislative scrutiny so we can ensure that bills are robust, unifying and do everything possible to improve the lives of those we represent.

Without this, I fear we will let people down. The people we were sent here to represent. It is time to include all the mission to great for a few. This parliamentary session must be like no other. Connecting communities, unifying

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society and transforming our future. Thank you very much. Madam Deputy Speaker. And it's a pleasure to follow the. The hon. pleasure to follow the. The hon. Member from York Central and in today's speech, listening to His today's speech, listening to His Majesty the King, there was one part which reminded me of the very part which reminded me of the very first speech by her late Majesty the Queen in 2017, when I was first the Queen in 2017, when I was first elected, when the government then said in a speech that we were promised that the government's top

17:22

Christine Jardine MP (Edinburgh West, Liberal Democrat)

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priority was to secure the best possible deal. As the country leaves the European Union. That leaves the European Union. That went well. If you look at the comparison between our economy then comparison between our economy then and now, inflation and unemployment are both higher. In 2017, we had are both higher. In 2017, we had the fifth largest economy in the world. We have slipped to sixth since we left. And outside of this place in 2017, people were concerned for the welfare of the refugees, risking their lives on boats to cross the Mediterranean.

But landing in a safe European Union European Union country meant that was where they had to seek refuge, not now. Having left the European Union. That rule no longer applies to us, something the Brexiteers omitted, perhaps forgot to mention then in their campaign, or now in their immigration rants. And that is why one part of this speech I welcome is the promise of closer links with the European Union. But while I am delighted to hear that, in the words of the speech, we will strengthen ties.

What exactly will that mean? At the weekend, I spent time with some non-political friends. A welcome break, I thought, from constant election messaging of the past few weeks, but they dragged me back there by asking quite clearly and categorically, when are we doing something to get back into the European Union? Leaving had been a disaster for them, for their businesses, for the country. Closer probably won't be enough for them. They want to know exactly what we're going to do, how we're going to get back to the centre of Europe to lead and work with our neighbours, build trading links which will be essential to economic recovery.

And what about the customs union? The single market? Does it include them? And while I agree that it will help our economic growth on its own, it will not be enough. Not enough to help improve the lives of the constituents who come to me every week. Not enough to cut their energy bills before the next winter, not enough to provide housing that they can afford, or that their children will be able to afford to help them get on the housing ladder.

So while I welcome that, I also welcome the moves on anti-Semitism, which has rocketed in the past few years. We have seen it up 175% in a decade, and it's been all too visible in the recent attacks on our streets. But while the government is promising to tackle anti-Semitism, I hope they will not forget Islamophobia, which is also rampant, or the misogyny which we see everywhere and is influenced by the dangerous views which young men see expressed on the internet and influences how they look at women and girls.

Among the 35 bills are measures to support women and give them greater agency over the decision, which affects their lives. And again, I don't disagree. But again, like the measures on the European Union, it's not exactly clear what it will mean. More action on domestic abuse helping women entrepreneurs. Yes, it sounds good, but I hope it's more than just clever language and warm words rather than bold action. Over the past two months, on almost every doorstep, I visited, the theme of the conversation was exactly the same.

Change, change. People wanted change. People voted for two years ago. But change they don't feel they're seeing yet. And I'm not entirely sure that they will see that desire reflected in what they heard of the government's plans today. It's all too bitty. Unclear. Not absolutely transparent. Yes, we know energy security is vital to national security. National security, which is increasingly under threat and does need investment. It is only too clear that Ukraine's pain is being suffered on all of our behalves that without their resistance, the rest of Europe would be even more vulnerable.

And again, nothing that most people would take issue with when we speak about our defence. It sounds good, but what I believe people will take issue with is what is missing from this speech. Where is the bold new direction for this country? Where is the thing which will give people in this country hope? Hope that their government understands what it's like to lie awake at night worrying how to pay your bills? Hope that the government understands your fear that the job you just lost because your employer has struggled with national insurance increases, will not be your last employment, or that the same employers growing realisation that they may not be able to hold on to the company they have spent their life building, becomes a reality.

I actually think that many in this government do understand that because, like me, they come from a background where that was an all too clear reality. But what the country wants to see

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is action change, and they want it soon. David Burton-Sampson thank you.

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David Burton-Sampson thank you. Madam Deputy Speaker. It's a great pleasure to speak in this King's Speech debate, setting out the Labour Government's new programme for this session, and I warmly welcome its measures. I I warmly welcome its measures. I also thank my hon. Friend from Bradford West and from Harlow for their opening speeches. My hon. Friend from Bradford West really showed how she had overcome adversity and also took head on

17:29

David Burton-Sampson MP (Southend West and Leigh, Labour)

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some of the challenges that people who look like me and her in today's society face. And of course, society face. And of course, there's no greater champion for their community than my hon. Friend, their community than my hon. Friend, my Essex friend for Harlow, who he just he just lives, breathes and is Harlow. And I thank him for all the work he does in his community. This Labour government has already achieved so much handing back power to local leaders, supporting local regeneration and growth plans, and taking the pivotal step of a new deal for working people.

This government also put in place the biggest change to renters rights for 40 years, which was particularly welcomed in my constituency of Southend West and Leigh, directly giving greater housing security to the 8938 renters. We've seen other significant improvements already, including a new Best Start family hub at the Brennan Family Centre, three breakfast clubs, three breakfast clubs in my primary schools, a new extended nursery provision at Chalkwell Hall Infant School, more than £2.5 million worth of investment into South Essex College to upgrade its campus.

A new youth hub, one of 80 being rolled out in the UK. Whilst the removal of the two child benefit cap is helping 1800 families in my constituency and most importantly, lifting children out of poverty. Add to that that we brought back into public ownership both our train lines, which will soon be part of Great British Railways and opened our first community diagnostic centre in our city, which is having a huge impact, providing seven day a week, testing early and late and getting people diagnosed much, much quicker.

I've also been thrilled to see more than £2 million worth of new government funding to start to transform the futures of children with special educational needs in Southend. This is the start of a breakthrough moment and one the families in my constituency have been waiting a long time for. I personally have heard from these families during my See Every Need meetings, bringing parents, school leaders, health, health representatives and charities together to get the changes right. Our reports from those meetings have been sent to the Secretary of State for education and my hon.

Friend the Ministers of State for School Standards and. And I'm delighted that their local voices from my constituency have been reflected in government policy. However, there does remain much scepticism amongst parents, parents of seven children as to whether these reforms will actually happen and make a difference to their children's lives. As quite simply, Madam Deputy Speaker, they have been let down so many times in the past, but I am confident that seeing these reforms starting to come forward in legislation during this session, as part of the education for all Bill, will help give parents more certainty that this government is focussed on fixing the situation once and for all.

I welcome the announcement in the King's speech of the Enhancing Financial Services Bill, promising a major shake up of financial services regulation. As current chair of the Fair Banking APPG and the Open Finance and Payments APPG, I have a passion for reforms to financial services and I'm pleased to see this legislation coming forward. It is really important, though, that government continues to listen to the voices of industry, ensuring that these reforms are appropriate and genuinely designed to fix the challenges the industry faces.

And I thank my hon. Friend the EST, for her work in listening to industry to date. Moving on. Conversion therapy and similar practices are appalling and sadly, I'm aware of people who have been subject of some of these despicable acts. I believe interventions intended to change or suppress a person's sexuality or their gender identity are wrong, and I'm delighted to see a full trans inclusive ban on conversion practices coming forward. The LGBTQ plus community have waited far too long for this ban, after promises made and broken by previous governments.

This Labour government is finally bringing forward that ban through the Draft Conversion Practices Bill, and it cannot be delivered a moment too soon for for our community. I'm grateful for the government's water reform legislation, which is set to go even further with the Clean Water Bill, and I applaud their approach. Banning bonuses for water company bosses, bosses when companies pollute or fail customers. I have been holding regular water summits since being elected, focusing on storm overflows, sewage discharges and bathing water quality, as well as many other related matters where we have called our water company Anglian Water to account.

I'm delighted that the local community has now taken ownership of these summits, proving that they are just as invested in this agenda as our government are. In my constituency, Madam Deputy Speaker, we have a diverse and growing Jewish community. I've met with many of them recently and they've told me of their fears following the recent rise in anti-Semitic, anti-Semitic attacks. I know that they will be particularly assured, following His Majesty the King specific mention of this in his speech, and this government's desire to do all they can to stamp out this scourge.

I want to conclude, Madam Deputy Speaker, by touching on the enormously challenging international situation we face. I support the priority of this government. Places on standing with Ukraine, standing firm with Ukraine, and I stand firmly with them, too. After Putin's appalling illegal invasion. And also, I, I, I, I'm pleased with this government's stance on the Middle East conflict as well. I'm pleased to see our commitment to a sustained increase in defence spending. The challenges that we face. We must work together with our allies through international cooperation.

And I'm glad to see in this Humble Address, support strengthening and rebuilding the ties of trust, trade and friendship with our European friends that was so badly damaged by a poorly implemented Brexit. And we will fix them through our European Partnerships Bill. The promise of the return of the Erasmus scheme, and better opportunities for our young people to live, work and study in Europe is also welcomed. A good relationship with our closest, closest neighbours is vital in this uncertain world.

So it's pleasing, therefore, to see the desire to bring forward primary legislation in this area. I'm excited to see the legislation in this King's speech unfold, so that we can make even more of a difference to the lives of people in Southend West and Leigh and across the rest of the country. In an uncertain world, I'm confident that this government is now moving at pace to make the country fit for the challenges we face, whilst prioritising hope and renewal for our country.

Thank you.

17:37

Dave Doogan MP (Angus and Perthshire Glens, Scottish National Party)

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17:51

Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP (Clapham and Brixton Hill, Labour)

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of everything, we have begun to make truly transformational changes like ending no fault evictions and

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finally scrapping the two child benefit cap. Things that have changed lives. Yeah, yeah.

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But today's offering pales in comparison, perhaps because we have already heard so much of it before, but definitely because it lacks the but definitely because it lacks the urgency and the radical transformation we need. I don't believe this is the further and believe this is the further and faster that we've been hearing so much about. It seems we have put the handbrake on offering change, and we are wasting political capital on divisive measures that weren't even in our manifesto, like ID cards and curtailing the rights of asylum seekers.

I do want to be clear that I'm not in any way objecting to The King's Speech. I'm pleased to see measures like bills on the bill on conversion practices, votes at 16 Hillsborough Law on tackling anti-Semitism, reforming Leaseholds and many other key measures. But why are we not doing more? What is there to shout about? Last week, the electorate sent our party a clear message that they were dissatisfied with with government. And I don't believe that this is a king's speech to inspire them back to us.

I don't believe my constituents will hear this and think my life will be better. When Labour introduces digital ID, or replaces the water regulator and instigates another top down reform of the NHS. At a time of great turmoil and difficulty, with global uncertainty hitting households in their pockets, people need policies that will ease the financial pressure they are under today. So, building on the successes of the last legislative session and there were successes, I would have liked to see an extension of renters rights and the introduction of rent controls, especially in major cities where private rents are beyond extortionate.

We acknowledge that those living in social housing need their rents capped and regulated, yet we disregard the thousands of low income households and young people left at the mercy of private rental markets. I had hoped to see a second employment rights bill announced today. While the first one deserves significant praise, it doesn't go far enough. We need a bill that we will restore sectoral collective bargaining, give basic rights to the self-employed and gig economy workers, and commits to greater insourcing. The nationalisation of British Steel is welcome, but this should have been accompanied by the nationalisation of rail, mail, water, energy and other essential services.

These are not mere industries, they are lifelines. They should never have been handed over to shareholders. And it's long past time we took them back. I would have liked to see greater acknowledgement on the biggest existential crisis we face as a species nationally, by reducing the planning burdens on solar farms and on offshore wind. If the government really wants to help people with their energy bills, then we need to be switching to renewables much faster. Internationally, I would have liked to see steps to introduce debt cancellations for climate vulnerable nations who are fighting the crisis with their hands tied behind their backs.

If we want to reduce numbers of people seeking asylum, then we need to be working with allies to tackle the biggest causes of displacement. As the only Labour MP to vote against the Brexit implementation Agreement, I was very pleased to see measures on the strengthening of our relationship with the EU. We can now all stop pretending it was in any way a good idea, and then watching that disastrous impact that it's had, I feel vindicated. But I would also advise the government that with all of the Henry Eighth clauses in that bill, we could do so much more faster, and we could do it in a way that would quickly benefit our nation.

I also want to point out that whilst I understand that some things take time, some things are not hard. I would have liked to see steps to address the continued private sale of human remains. At the start of this year, I presented a very simple bill that ought to end the vile practice of human remains, many of which have unknown provenance being bought and sold by private individuals. It would have been relatively straightforward to end this practice, but the government have no plans to close this loophole and implement it.

As I said, I understand that these things take time, but there are some simple things that we could just get done. And I know, and it feels like the government may be inclined to capitulate to the right and row back on some climate goals, but I remind the government that we lost more votes to the left of us than we did to the right of us. And if we carry on doing the bare minimum on climate issues, this could only get worse. So I would have also welcomed Stemp strengths, I believe, to strengthen the citizenship rights of children born here, or who have grown up here, and addressing the extortionate fees that block these children from becoming citizens.

I have raised this again and again in this House just about every single year, and I was guaranteed that there would be some changes on this. I do not like being misled inadvertently or otherwise on issues such as this. Whatever our differences, on our views on migration, right, right across this House, people agree that these children are not migrants, and we continue to treat them like that and price them out of their rights. I also want to acknowledge the cost of living crisis and the fact that there have been measures in this king's speech to tackle them, but frankly, successive governments have been skirting around this issue for years, making minor tweaks that slightly ease the pressure.

But don't go far enough. I think it's time to be very bold. It's time to consider the merits of a universal basic income. This is not a radical idea. It's something that I believe is a logical one, because poverty is a political choice. Even at these difficult times, we remain one of the richest countries in the world. So why do we have such a huge cost of living crisis? Why are people skipping meals, rationing, heating, working themselves into the ground, doing multiple jobs just to stay afloat? This doesn't happen by accident.

It happens because those in power decided it was acceptable. And for the avoidance of doubt, we are the ones in power. The question is not really affordability. It's whether we have the courage and the will to take on such a transformative policy, because at the moment it feels like we are offering piecemeal change. Minor tweaks, while they may be necessary, I don't believe they will excite anyone. They do not. They believe they will make the tangible change that we need. Now, I know we can't sell people the world, and systematic changes do need to be made to facilitate reforms, but you cannot solely offer that and then tell people that their lives have been changed, especially not after the very clear message the electorate delivered to us last week.

People may call me unrealistic, but I would say that I am ambitious for what we can achieve in government right now. And in this parliamentary session. Labour governments have always accompanied radical transformation, transformational change in our society. This is the change that the electorate wants. This is the change that we promised them. They made it very clear, and I don't believe this legislative agenda goes far enough to achieve that for them. The public is demanding more, and I believe that we can do more

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to give them that. Sir David Davis. Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker.

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Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. During the privileges debate, I told the House that I had hoped a told the House that I had hoped a couple of years ago that the Prime Minister would make a success of his new job at the time. Unfortunately, with this House debating against the backdrop of a Labour psychodrama, that psychodrama wouldn't have happened except for the fact the government has failed and failed very clearly and is now infamous speech. The

17:59

Rt Hon David Davis MP (Goole and Pocklington, Conservative)

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18:18

Kevin Bonavia MP (Stevenage, Labour)

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greatest country to live in. And she spoke as a true patriot, a patriot that is there for all of us patriot that is there for all of us if we choose to use it. And then my hon. Friend the Member for Harlow, we often have a lot of rivalries in this chamber. He, the proud this chamber. He, the proud advocate for his new town of Harlow. I proud advocate for the first new I proud advocate for the first new town in the UK.

Stevenage. But he's done so much for Harlow. He's run for a good cause in Harlow and on this Saturday I will be joining a resident of Stevenage Luke Weinberg, who will be running an ultra marathon even further than a marathon around Fairlands Valley Park and Stevenage. When I say join him, I'll join him for the park run. Bit of ultra ultra marathon. But the point is, is that, as my hon. Friend has done, each of us in this chamber, I think, for all our political differences, are proud of the constituents we serve.

And that means that when we come together in this place, when we come together in big moments like we have today, we should think about the country as a whole and not about what divides it. And I should now congratulate His Majesty the King, of course, because, as has been said in this chamber, he has given speeches recently of great depth, humour and wit, and I thank him for that. And today his speech to us, as is normal for speeches in these buildings, was very serious.

It was a serious speech for serious times, and I recall his opening words, an increasingly dangerous and volatile world threatens the United Kingdom. Every element of the nation's energy, defence and economic security will be tested. How true that is. And it demands more than warm words and response. It demands strength, and it demands a government that acts because the world has changed. It is harder, it is less stable. It is less predictable.

So we cannot treat security as something distant. We cannot treat it as something optional. And this government is committed in investing in our nation's security and indeed, the security of each of us in our own lives. It was a Labour government in 1945 onwards that recognised the threats that faced our country. Then, following a devastating war. But the uncertainty of the future, amongst its many responses, it built new towns. It built the new town of Stevenage to deal with a housing crisis, a crisis that we face again today and in new towns like Stevenage, it provided jobs, security, hope for the future and some of those jobs in those days and to this day are in the critical defence sector that this country and indeed the rest of the civilised world needs.

So security is what we need today. But it can't just be a slogan. It is a plan that must run through everything we do. That's why I'm pleased this government is bringing forward a cyber security resilience Bill, because the systems we rely on every day are now targets. Data centres, communications networks, the digital backbone of our economy. If those if any one of those fails, everything else follows. And so that is why we are also acting with security starts in the real economy.

When British Steel was pushed to the brink last year, this government stepped in and saved it. We protected jobs, we protected capability, and we acted because that industrial base is not optional in a more dangerous world, because you cannot defend a country that cannot build. And as the Prime Minister himself said earlier today, we need sovereign capability to do that. Steel engineering, precision manufacturing, all of it feeds directly, directly into the defence supply chain. In my constituency of Stevenage, that chain ends with highly skilled workers building and upgrading some of the most advanced systems in the world.

At Mbda, we have workers who are retrofitting storm shadow missiles, systems that are in use right now, protecting Ukrainian civilians as they sleep. That is what industrial policy and national security looks like when it's joined up. British Steel, British engineering, British workers delivering real deterrence. And we need security to be ready. It needs to ensure we have readiness. And that's why the Armed Forces Bill gives us new powers to mobilise reserves and former personnel when the country needs them, because deterrence only works if it is credible.

And credibility does not come from words alone. It comes from capability. It comes from the knowledge that this country can act, scale up and sustain ourselves in a country in a crisis. You see that credibility not only in what we deploy, but in what we build at home, in Stevenage, alongside those missile systems, we see the next generation of secure military satellite communications being developed at Airbus, connecting our forces and our allies securely in real time. But security also must start at home in the domestic field.

A national security bill will criminalise the glorification or normalisation of serious violence, because when violence is excused or made acceptable, it creates the conditions for more of it. We saw the consequences of that in Southport. We cannot allow that to take root in our society. And that's the same across all our streets, where policing must keep pace with modern threats. In Stevenage, we have seen what proactive policing looks like under Project Vigilant. Trained officers are out in our town centre identifying predatory behaviour before escalates, intervening early to prevent harm and protect women and girls.

And when it comes to organised crime, we are acting there too. A recent operation targeting county lines gangs operating in Stevenage saw 19 arrests with weapons seized and more than £27,000 taken off our streets. That is the reality of the threat. If people do not feel safe where they live. National security means nothing. The Police Reform Bill builds on an approach that will give our officers the tools they need to do their job, strengthening forces and creating a national capability to go after the most serious criminals.

And security also means being honest about threats we face from hostile actors. The Tackling State Threats Bill gives us the power to act directly against state linked organisations that operate against our interests. It will mean that this government can, and will prescribe the IRGC as a terrorist organisation, that it is because when organisations use violence, intimidation and terror, whether backed by a state or not, there can be no grey areas. Prescription is not optional. It is essential. The threats we face today are not always conventional.

They are covert, they are persistent, and they are designed to exploit any weakness. And that includes our digital infrastructure, which is why the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill is so vital. But security is not only about stopping threats, it's about building strength. And in Stevenage, you see that strength in our life sciences sector at the Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst Autolus, a UK based Car-T cell therapy company, is developing advanced program T cell therapies, and it's at the forefront of a revolution in cancer treatment that is British innovation at its best.

Highly skilled jobs. World leading science a life changing outcome for patients. A country that leads in science, in manufacturing and innovation is a country that is more secure, more resilient and better prepared for the shocks we know are coming because those shocks are real. War has returned to Europe. Ukraine has shown us that peace cannot be taken for granted. The Middle East has shown us how quickly instability spreads from conflict abroad to pressure on energy markets and prices at home. And some of those most serious threats are the ones people never see cables beneath our seas, networks under constant pressure, hostile states probing for weaknesses every single day.

We have already seen this in action. Just weeks ago, Russian submarines were detected operating over critical undersea infrastructure in waters around the United Kingdom and our allies. Let us be clear about what that means. These are the lifelines of our country. The vast majority of our data flows through those cables. Our energy supplies depend upon them. Our economy depends upon them. That was a deliberate act by the Russian state to test our defences, and we must call it out for what it is.

It is unacceptable, it is hostile, and it will not be tolerated. Our armed forces track those submarines, expose their operation and force them to withdraw. And the message to the tyrant Putin was clear. We know what you are doing, and any attempt to damage our infrastructure will have serious consequences, because in the modern world, there is no warning sound. There is no clear beginning. The attack comes quietly and if we are not ready, we will feel the consequences before we even see the cause.

So let us be clear security is not one policy. It is not one department. It is and must be a national mission. It runs through defence, through policing, through industry, through science, and through the strength of our communities. It is about whether people feel safe in our streets, secure in their jobs and confident in their future. That is the first duty of government. And when we take it seriously, when we act, when we build the strength we need, places like Stevenage show exactly what that looks like in practice.

Madam Deputy Speaker, we will not just endure in a more dangerous world. We will lead Britain through

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it both safely and securely. Thank you. Richard Tice thank you, Madam

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Richard Tice thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. Well, 86 years ago Deputy Speaker. Well, 86 years ago today, on the 13th of May 1940, Britain's greatest and most popular Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, rose to give his first speech as Prime Minister at a time of war. He Prime Minister at a time of war. He said he could offer nothing but blood, sweat and tears. And 86

18:30

Richard Tice MP (Boston and Skegness, Reform UK)

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18:42

Mr Jonathan Brash MP (Hartlepool, Labour)

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Brexit and they were failed, they voted again for change under the Tories with levelling up and were Tories with levelling up and were let down once more. And now that accumulated anger lands on our door, alongside an understandable fear amongst many of my constituents amongst many of my constituents that politics will once again let them down. The message last week them down. The message last week was unmistakeable people want a government that acts with urgency, courage and purpose against the crushing pressures of everyday life, and if they do not get it, they will once again roll the dice.

And even if it is on a charlatan, because desperation drives risk and people are desperate for hope and for however difficult it may be for many on these benches to admit, it is now clear to me that this Prime Minister can no longer provide that hope. I do not say it with pleasure. But leadership is not only about knowing when to fight on, it is also about knowing when your authority has ebbed, when trust has frayed, and when it is time to leave the stage.

Some people will say this is about personality. It is not. It's about policy. And whether we are prepared to meet the moment with the scale of change it demands. This government has done so much in its first 22 months, and there is much to applaud in this king's speech. But caution will not save us now. Incrementalism will not save us now. We must be bolder. We need a programme of radical renewal that improves the lives of working people in Hartlepool and across Britain.

That means abolishing the hated council tax and replacing it with a progressive system that no longer punishes poor communities for simply being poor. It means radical welfare reform that is both compassionate and demanding support for those who need help, but a clear demand that everyone who can work must work. It means, barring failed monopolies back into public ownership, where markets have plainly failed, from water companies to the Royal Mail, it means cutting taxes on jobs and investment in deprived regions so that opportunity finally reaches communities left behind for decades.

It means banning estate management companies altogether and requiring every council to adopt every street. It means finding the £2 billion the British Dental Association has said is needed to rescue NHS dentistry. It means lower energy bills for those communities hosting the new nuclear, hosting, the new wind, the new solar that powers Britain. And while I absolutely support the Home Secretary and stand absolutely behind her reforms, if it is necessary, it means declaring a state of emergency, our borders and turning boats back.

It means banning southern councils from discharging their homelessness duty by shifting the burden to communities like mine simply because our housing is cheaper. It means taking defence spending out of the fiscal rules and spending what this dangerous world requires now. It means giving councils the power to simply seize empty shops, abandoned homes, derelict sites where absentee owners refuse to act. It means finally standing up for justice for our Waspi women, and it means delivering a national care service.

Not eventually, not someday, but now. Madam Deputy Speaker, I do not want this country to fall prey to Trump style populism. But the truth is, only we on these benches can prevent it. We have the parliamentary majority, we have the mandate, and we still have time. But if we do not use it to deliver visible, meaningful change, if we do not give people hope, they can feel in their wages, in their streets, in their communities, then others will inevitably fill that vacuum.

And if that happens, the responsibility will lie with us.

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Thank you. Liz Saville-Roberts. And it's really I listened with

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And it's really I listened with interest to the speech for the hon. Member for Hartlepool. I very much of what he said that I heartily of what he said that I heartily agree with. But of course, we know that something momentous happened that something momentous happened in Wales last week, although there was no mention of Wales from either was no mention of Wales from either of the frontbenchers. It's as though Wales and I would wonder. Many other places, possibly in the UK don't matter that much to this place.

But of course I'm a member for Plaid Cymru, so it is my job to talk about Wales and across the campaign that ended last week, people responded strongly to our message of hope and fairness and putting their nation for putting Wales first, for putting their communities first. Plaid Cymru has

18:48

Rt Hon Liz Saville Roberts MP (Dwyfor Meirionnydd, Plaid Cymru)

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won at least two representatives in every one of the constituencies. every one of the constituencies. This is unheard of. This is momentous. We came first in 11 out momentous. We came first in 11 out of the 16 constituencies in Wales, all across Wales, the message that we only reached out to certain people. That is gone. Our party is now active and representing now active and representing everywhere in Wales. I am proud to say that 60% of our group in the Senate is women.

This historic result represents a decisive break from the past. It gives applied, Susan Murray led Welsh Government a clear mandate to act on urgent priorities, including reducing child poverty, cutting NHS waiting times and unlocking our economy's latent potential. Our Cabinet was announced at 4:00 this afternoon. We will now need to work to deliver the progressive and stable government that Wales craves. In doing so, our priority is to form a government that reflects the seriousness and ambition that Wales, our nation, expects and deserves.

The groundbreaking result was a rejection of the stale status quo of the Labour, Welsh Government and the divisive politics of reform. It also demonstrated the Welsh public's expectation that the UK government ends its neglect of Welsh communities. People are crying out for change, not for more of the same. So my party's manifesto and the plan for the first 100 days of government set out the areas where will we be pressing Westminster to deliver fairness for Wales? So we look, of course, to the King's Speech.

For inspiration, we need to see steps taken to devolve the Crown Estate, justice and rail and to deliver fair funding that reflects Wales needs. We need parity with Scotland. There is no reason, no reason whatsoever in a United Kingdom that puts equality first, that devolution should be so unbalanced between the different nations of the United Kingdom. These powers are not constitutional fripperies. They are the means to realise better lives, better communities. They are the building bricks to lift people out of poverty and desperation.

Wales needs control over our natural resources so that our communities directly, directly benefit from their wealth. Ending the scandal of high energy prices in an energy rich country like ours, Wales needs full control over our justice system in line with Scotland. Why is this such an extraordinary thing to ask? So that Wales is no longer holding the infamous status of the highest imprisonment rate in Western Europe, and instead we will be able effectively to promote rehabilitation and the thriving communities that will follow.

With that more effectively, we need to see the end of the great Welsh train robbery that is HS2 and other English rail projects to deliver billions in funding to our crumbling, inadequate transport network so that people can travel quickly and affordably across our nation. And Wales needs to see the scrapping of the Barnett formula and its replacement, with one that reflects the reality of our population's needs. Despite the mountains of evidence and popular support, the UK government has stubbornly refused to engage with these issues.

That has been the reality of the partnership at both ends of the M4. That is what we have seen and that, in part is why we've had the results that we have had in Wales. And after, of course, last week's election result, it is no longer possible to ignore Wales's voices and people's demands for fair treatment. In his speech on Monday, the Prime Minister did not even acknowledge Wales once and again today. The King's Speech has failed to provide the answers that we know the people of Wales need and want.

There was no acknowledgement of the structural inequality that meant that the powers begrudged to Wales, since the power the birth of devolution have so far only enabled us, allowed us to manage poverty and never, ever actually to build our way out of poverty. That somehow, in the overcentralised chaotic government of Westminster, that is something which we need now to address. And of course, the chaos that we're seeing now. None of this serves the people of Wales. None of it serves many, many people, many, many communities across the United Kingdom.

But it is particularly now in focus to see. We can see now how how ill this serves the people of Wales. So whoever is the Prime Minister going forward, he or she must respect the mandate. The new Welsh Government has to deliver new powers and fair funding for Wales. My party will therefore be tabling an amendment to the King's Speech, calling for a New Wales Bill to be introduced so that Wales can gain the tools we need and the means to thrive.

And I hope, finally, that the Prime Minister will have seen the error in his ways when he wants. I think it was in March, warned his government against. Over deference to the devolved governments over deference. Where is the respect, the respect to our communities, the respect to democracy? These are the changes we need to see. And sadly, in the King's Speech, as it stands, I do not see them. But there is potential and I would urge the government to think seriously about

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the need for a New Wales bill. And may I congratulate my hon.

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And may I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Bradford West and Harlow for their excellent and Harlow for their excellent speeches. In proposing the loyal address and seconding it. It is an absolute pleasure to support the absolute pleasure to support the government's programme for the coming session of Parliament. The government has set out a government has set out a challenging programme to build the security and growth that our country so badly needs. After many years of stagnation, this government, under the guidance of the Prime Minister, the Chancellor and the Cabinet, are laying the foundations for sustained growth

18:54

Alison Taylor MP (Paisley and Renfrewshire North, Labour)

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and the economic prosperity. My constituents in Paisley and Renfrewshire North so badly need. It's that long term thinking that has been missing from politics for has been missing from politics for a long time. My constituents need to see the life chances of their children correspond with their talent and effort. Too many young people have started to think that a people have started to think that a life in another country would be a better alternative. We need to appreciate more our young people's efforts when they join the workforce.

I have yet to work with a young person who I have not learned enormously from in so many ways, making me a better leader, a better manager, a better person, a better business owner. During my previous career and experience, this government's transformative actions around employment law, abolishing zero hour contracts, increasing the minimum wage, and legislating for more job security are all things that this House should celebrate. If we lose our young people, if they do not feel rewarded and appreciated, they will literally vote with their feet and move away.

We also need to do better at explaining that an apprenticeship is every bit as worthy as a degree in Canada and Australia, centre left governments are working well for their people, and this in part explains why many young people want to leave the UK and travel there. We're losing skilled young people who have been nurtured, educated and cared for from birth, and we're losing these to other countries. One industry where we need more apprenticeships created and nurtured is my former industry, the property sector, a key economic driver and delivery body for the homes and businesses of the future.

No other sector has the ability to both transition our economy to a greener, less energy hungry society whilst providing hope and new environments that will inspire and attract our young people to stay here. Madam Deputy Speaker, it is true that places like Paisley are changing, and New World historic buildings being brought back to life, new cafes opening, public and civic buildings being restored, and a programme of cultural events. But even in a great town like Paisley, that is not enough.

Change is not quick enough and it's not slick enough. The truth is we need real investment in our towns in Scotland and that requires UK government money. The local authorities are doing their best but they are undercapitalised and under pressure. They are under-resourced. And in terms of staff, particularly town planners, environmentalists and building surveyors, we need more initiatives like the City deal, Pride in place, UK Town of Culture and we need this to be supercharged. To do that, my hon.

Friend, we need courage, hard work, political and economic stability and gritted determination from each and every

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one of us. My hon. Friend for giving way. She's making an extremely eloquent She's making an extremely eloquent speech. Would she agree with me that people are sick and tired of living in towns that just look dirty? They're not cleaned, they're dirty? They're not cleaned, they're not maintained, and sports clubs don't even get their fields grass don't even get their fields grass cut. So that's the basic requirement of having pride in our towns and cities, is for a council to be funded so that it can do the basics of keeping the streets clean

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and cutting the grass for people to play sport. Well. I couldn't I couldn't agree with

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I couldn't I couldn't agree with the hon. Gentleman more. And in Scotland we've had an issue where the Scottish Government has cut the the Scottish Government has cut the budgets of local authorities for the last 20 years. But in terms of the last 20 years. But in terms of my own life, I like to go out and do litter picks and we have some really good initiatives in Renfrewshire around that, and I would encourage everyone in the community to do that, because at least it does feel like you're making a difference.

And so I thank the hon. Gentleman for that point. And we build on strong foundations, strong labour foundations, not like the local cowboy who builds in quicksand. The government programme will have positive effects, but it will take time for communities up and down the country, with greater immediate support for young people to find education and training opportunities that they need to fulfil their potential. This programme will also continue to promise long term economic growth based on strategic investment in housing and infrastructure.

There is still a very great deal to be done. Madam Deputy Speaker, Great British businesses, large and small, should be able to thrive under this government, supporting them in overcoming the obstacles and barriers they face. Should be should always be part of our strategy for growth. Madam Deputy Speaker, do not think for a minute that this simply means agreeing with whatever business asks for. It means a realistic engagement with business and an awareness of the pressures that they face.

From my own experience of running a small business, I understand the choices people make in starting and building their business. I know something of the struggles they face to get money owed to them and paid, and to meet a myriad of costs, not least paying staff and suppliers. I welcome the changes proposed around the late payment and procurement to assist small business owners. I empathise with entrepreneurs working hard to build something, to employ people, and being willing to take the risk to build a business.

In my constituency, as in many others, small businesses are an important part of the local community, but building a successful business is predicated on so much of the social fabric and infrastructure that we in the UK take for granted. We need transport, infrastructure and public transport for workers and customers. We need economic growth and customers with the disposable income to buy our goods and services. Those things don't just happen by accident. The noble Address makes clear this government's commitment to building a thriving economy, because people need that to do business.

So and so does society at large. The choice isn't between good for business or good for workers. It's between good for society or long term decline. On this side of the House, we want to build a future for everyone.

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UQ Ben Spencer. Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker and I'd like to begin by paying and I'd like to begin by paying tribute to the speeches by the hon. Members opposite Bradford West and Members opposite Bradford West and Harlow at the beginning of this Harlow at the beginning of this debate. But context is key and the backdrop to the gracious speech is backdrop to the gracious speech is one of a Labour Party in open warfare, and we've heard some of that in terms of the contributions of the debates earlier and the huge amount of uncertainty over what's going to happen with the leadership of the Labour Party in the current Prime Minister.

And that uncertainty is is playing out in the financial markets. And we what the message I would like to say to start off with to to members of the benches opposite is whatever, whatever they're going to do, please just do it quickly because we need to move on from this. The country needs leadership and we

19:02

Dr Ben Spencer MP (Runnymede and Weybridge, Conservative)

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need we've got a lot of very important things that we need to do. We need to be getting on with. And We need to be getting on with. And I'd say I'm mulling over options going forwards. I'd like to give a going forwards. I'd like to give a message and feedback from the Runnymede and Weybridge constituency on a couple of issues constituency on a couple of issues which affect their residents as well, and that feedback is that well, and that feedback is that small and medium enterprise is the backbone of our economy.

But right now it's under intolerable pressure. I've received. I'll give a couple examples. I received a letter from one Cobham, which is a business improvement district in my constituency covering Cobham. It's co-signed by 50 of a bid members raising the issues of business rates in particular, but also rates, rises in rent, wages, utilities. Two companies already having gone bust recently, and the intolerable pressure this is putting on the high street. And businesses very

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happy to give way. Iqbal Mohamed giving way on business rates. Would you agree with me that there needs to be a with me that there needs to be a different model for small businesses that should be linked to businesses that should be linked to profitability with a maximum cap, rather than having to pay the flat

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rather than having to pay the flat rate, regardless of what you're making or not making? Well, in a in a different world,

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Well, in a in a different world, we would have a very different King speech, and we'd have the one which is the ultimate King speech delivered by the Conservative Party by hopefully soon to be the the Leader of the Opposition as Prime Minister, which would scrap business rates of up to. Please, please do look at the detail. But certainly up to around 110,000. But I'll go to a different a different company which is which I visited in recent weeks for in the north of my constituency in Egham.

This is a logistics company. It's a very specialist logistics company. They transport medical and medical devices, which are due to pathology and investigations, in fact probably sent Tom Hayes across the road has been supplied by them in the pathology department. This is a company that's been operating for 40 years, and when I met with them, there's again, they are facing the wall because of increases in business rates, taxation burdens on the company, and all the people who work for them.

And I hope, I hope to God they are OK. And this government changes course and they continue to be successful. But if they do go to the wall, then all these jobs and livelihoods will go with this. And it's a story that affects businesses and organisations across my constituency. Whether you're going to Chertsey, whether you're going to Addlestone, whether you go to to Weybridge, whether you go to Woodland Road Town or Newhall, whether you go to Oxshott, Stoke, Dunham, you know all the different parts of my constituency.

Businesses are struggling, free enterprise is under pressure and it's dying and it's dying because of the taxation burden and because the regulatory burden that's being imposed on them by this government. So for all the sort of great words in this in this King's speech, fundamentally the problem is the tax and spend approach that the government is taking forward and the intolerable pressure that's being put on free enterprise and business. And I want to finish with this in my my final member to a message to to members opposite as you agonise over the direction of the Labour Party leadership over the next few days, please just remember, you cannot tax a company

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that's gone bust. Ruth Jones thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker and it's a pleasure. Deputy Speaker and it's a pleasure. Well, it's always interesting to follow the member of the Runnymede and Weybridge opposite, and I thank and Weybridge opposite, and I thank him for his speech. I'm not sure I learned anything from it, but I do thank him for his contribution. thank him for his contribution. Really helpful, but I pay I pay tribute to the hon. Member. I do pay tribute to the hon.

Member for pay tribute to the hon. Member for Bradford West, for her poignant and clear proposal. Proposal of the honourable address earlier, and I thank the hon. Member for Harlow for his seconding with his witty

19:07

Ruth Jones MP (Newport West and Islwyn, Labour)

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speech, and I do wish him well in his future marathons. I do welcome this King's speech for him, this King's speech for him, focussed on the day to day security of British families, putting the cost of living front and centre of this government's priorities. this government's priorities. Because this Labour government has already increased the minimum wage, boosted pensions and ensured wages boosted pensions and ensured wages are rising faster than prices for the first time in over a decade. By the first time in over a decade.

By removing the two child cap, this has benefited over 2000 families in my constituency of Newport West, and now we are moving further and faster to deliver on the change our country needs, bearing down on the costs facing ordinary families, and there is no clearer expression of the cost of living squeeze than people's energy bills, which doubled under the last government. Today's latest energy crisis only highlights the danger of Britain's continued reliance on volatile fossil fuels, something that would only be exacerbated under the Conservatives and Reform.

Genuine energy independence cannot be achieved through continued exposure to volatile global fossil fuel markets. The fastest way to improve energy security while meeting the UK's climate and nature obligations and bringing down bills is through the expansion of renewable energy and rollout of energy efficiency and electrification measures. And I would urge the Secretary of State of DESNZ to go further and faster, looking not just at solar and wind, onshore and offshore, but also tidal, including wave energy and lagoons. The need for change is pressing.

A third of all households across Wales live in fuel poverty. This amounts to approximately 9000 households in Newport and 12,000 in Caerphilly County borough, and this can only be tackled by bringing down bills for good. I am incredibly disappointed to see that the incoming Welsh Government at the Senate tied themselves in knots over decarbonising Wales energy supplies, because Plaid Cymru's policy of undergrounding cables at all costs will mean cancel projects and higher household bills. So they do need to urgently rethink this.

The bill, proposed in the honourable address, shows Labour are clear that the UK's future is in clean, cheap power. This Energy Independence Bill is a decisive step forward towards energy security, warmer homes and reforming our broken energy market.

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I will. She recognised that the communities in which energy infrastructure is placed, be that large or small, must start seeing real advantages from that energy. In parts of Wales, we pay the highest standing charges in the United Kingdom and yet we. We have historically and we still export energy. That has got to change to make a difference to people's lives, make a difference to people's lives, and also for people to welcome having the infrastructure that we need to have for Wales and possibly

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for the rest of the United Kingdom to. I don't disagree with the right hon. Lady opposite, because we do hon. Lady opposite, because we do need to make sure that our prices are fair. Absolutely. And that means looking across Wales as a means looking across Wales as a whole, but also benefiting from the renewables that Wales is has in abundance. We know that. So this abundance. We know that. So this energy independence Bill is a decisive step. As I said, another decisive step.

As I said, another major scourge of Billpayers, firmly in the sights of this government is our failing water companies, including Welsh Water, and I welcome the urgent steps being taken by this government to reform our broken water system through a new water bill. In March, Ofwat published its findings that Welsh Water has breached its legal obligations in operating its wastewater treatment works and network. Off.what found that Welsh Water failed to operate, maintain and upgrade its wastewater assets adequately to ensure they could cope with the flows of sewage and wastewater coming to them.

We know that Welsh Water discharged raw sewage into rivers, lakes and seas for over 968,000 hours in 2024. Water pollution in Wales has reached emergency levels, so I welcome this water bill and I look forward to seeing water bosses being held to account and the clean up of our rivers and waterways. I also welcome further action by this government to back British Steel. Whilst the Tories left our steel sector unsupported, Labour are taking action. This includes nationalising British Steel and protecting domestic production from international dumping and uncompetitive subsidies.

UK steel has said that the government's steel strategy is the most significant intervention to support UK steel competitiveness in over a decade. The government's new target for at least half of steel used in Britain to be made in Britain, is a major boost for Welsh steel, with Welsh manufacturing expected to account for half of future steel making. And I would like to say we must not forget about Port Talbot and Llanwern in South Wales, and I do pay tribute to my honourable neighbour and friend in Newport East for the sterling work she has done to promote and protect our steel at Llanwern, the conservative botched Brexit deal has been disproportionately damaging to the Welsh economy.

This is because Wales remains remains significant manufacturing economy, with 60% of our exports going to the European Union. This is 10% higher than the UK average. Whilst negotiations are ongoing for the EU trade Bill, I would urge the government to commit to securing a carve out on animal welfare as secured by Switzerland. In a similar deal. The UK is proudly a nation of animal lovers and a world leader in animal welfare standards. This includes being the first country in the world to ban fur farming, a future trade deal involving dynamic alignment on key sectors must not risk watering down UK commitments to ban the sale of foie gras, or end the import of fur, we.

I would like to gently highlight to the frontbench the lack of legislation about animal welfare. In this King's speech I said we are a nation of animal lovers and there are easy wins that we could make for this for this government. Now we are committed to the animal welfare strategy. Yes. And using this we could ban the use of snare traps, bring forward a closed season for hares and bring into effect the animals low Welfare Activities Abroad act. These are small pieces of legislation but could make a huge difference to wild domestic and farmed animals both here and abroad.

Now, moving on to small businesses, we know that the Federation of Small Businesses has estimated that 50 to 54% of SMEs regularly experience late payments. Late payments cost the average SME £22,000 a year, and businesses spend on average 86 hours a year chasing invoices. And this is a massive problem for businesses in my constituency of Newport West and East Line, and I'm pleased that we are taking action to stop this happening. So looking ahead now to GB railway, this Labour Government new Railways Bill will transform the railway network in Wales as we deliver our £14 billion plan to improve Wales railways.

Front and centre of this is the £90 million investment in five new stations between the Severn Tunnel and Cardiff, including new stations in Newport West in my constituency, Cardiff Parkway next door, and these new stations will support over 12,000 new jobs across Monmouthshire, Newport and Cardiff. South Wales is also set to benefit from additional £40 million investment in upgrading two sets of rail tracks, which will improve service, reliability and capacity for additional services. Labour's railway bill will also give the Welsh Government a new statutory role to ensure that Wales wide strategies feed into cross border plans by Great British Railways.

This will be a key pillar of the continued constructive and professional relationship between the two governments working together for the benefit of people in Wales. Turning now to the Timms Review and I would welcome the government's continued ambition to support more young and disabled people into work by reforming the welfare system. But these changes must be based on compassion and providing effective support mechanisms for people to move into work. Building on the already introduced right to try, I agree with His Majesty that we must have a system which is fair and fit for the future.

Finally, I turn to the conflict with Israel and Palestine. I welcome this government's continued commitment to supporting a two state solution. We urgently need to work with partners to ensure a viable Palestinian state alongside a secure Israel in supporting peace efforts in the Middle East. I would also press Ministers to call on Israel to end its continued bombing in Lebanon, which has seen over a million civilians displaced from their

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homes. I will. I'm grateful for the Member for giving way. Does the member agree that it's now time that the government supports the ICJ court case and calls it what it is a case and calls it what it is a genocide, and now is the time to cut all diplomatic ties and end all cut all diplomatic ties and end all arms licenses? Because Israel is a rogue state here.

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I thank him for his contribution. I must say, if you cut ties, you cannot communicate. Therefore, the only way to lasting peace is through communication. We must keep communication channels open. That's the only way to a lasting peace. So I listen carefully to the honourable address this morning, and I'm pleased to hear of the proposed 35 bills and the actions planned. I look forward to them being delivered swiftly for working people across the UK, so they can feel the benefits of a Labour government working for them and

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with them. Thank you. Hear, hear. Jerome Mayhew thank. You speaker. And you don't need me to tell you that this is a me to tell you that this is a deeply unhappy government. It's a deeply unhappy party sitting on the deeply unhappy party sitting on the benches opposite. And the reason for it? What they don't appear to understand is the the core problem understand is the the core problem that they have is a lack of economic growth. If the party opposite was presiding over fast

19:17

Jerome Mayhew MP (Broadland and Fakenham, Conservative)

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opposite was presiding over fast economic growth, the taxes would come rolling in. Their ability to spend on their pet welfare projects would be unlimited, and they would be riding high in the polls. And they used to know this when they came into office. They said their number one mission was economic growth. And yet what we've seen in the two years following is the most appalling example of a fundamental misunderstanding on how an economy works. Because instead of bringing in policies which have increased economic growth, we've entered into the depressing doom loop of increased taxes to fund increased welfare, leading directly to reduced economic activity, which are then, of course, leads to increase welfare needs and therefore an increased need for tax rises.

Instead of this, we need a leader. We need a government that has a plan, not just words, to support economic growth, something that reverses the welfare, taxation doom loop. And what do we have in the King's speech? Where is that welfare reform bill? It is an appalling statistic, Madam Deputy Speaker, that we now spend more on welfare than we recover in income tax. 4 million people, 4 million adults receive PIP. That's gone up by half a million. Half a million since the last general election.

And the centre for Social Justice came out with a really terrifying argument the other day where, according to their analysis, 25% of all adults, full time workers would actually be better off under benefits than they are in employment. That's a quarter of the working population. And yet in this King's speech, there has been nothing, nothing to fix the relationship between welfare and the productive economy. Instead, I will just deliver this point and then I'll continue and then I'll give way rather than continue, although I'll be tempted.

Instead, we've got the extraordinarily named regulating for growth bill, which I thought was oxymoronic or perhaps just moronic, because the it seems to me that the government's answer to anaemic growth is more regulation. And we also hear more. Europe. According to the Prime Minister, I will. I said I'd give

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way to the hon. Gentleman, and then I'll. Perhaps my hon. Friend, for giving way, would he enlighten me giving way, would he enlighten me and help me understand why the Tories, in 14 years in power didn't address this welfare timebomb ticking time bomb? And what would ticking time bomb? And what would what would he do now that would address this wage disparity where address this wage disparity where people on benefits can be better off than if they're in work?

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The hon. Gentleman will will acknowledge that the previous government absolutely did take government absolutely did take action to reduce the welfare state, the Covid, the global crisis that was caused by Covid. Not that back was caused by Covid. Not that back a bit. And then the now shadow Chancellor in his previous role as Secretary of State for the Secretary of State for the Department of Work and Pensions, was bringing in wide scale reform, which would have been effective but was cut short by the general was cut short by the general election.

So this has been a long term project for the conservative government, but it's gone into reverse as a result of the Labour administration. But if there's one message that the election results last year should have transmitted to all of us, loud and clear, is that the country is frustrated. They feel that we're bogged down in bureaucracy, that Ministers announce plans, then nothing happens. It costs a fortune and takes forever. It costs spiral. So where, Madam Deputy Speaker was the Reducing Bureaucracy Bill that would unlock the power of the state to actually get things moving.

You heard the Leader of the Opposition. You heard the Leader of the Opposition, in her powerful response to the gracious address, setting out the plans of a conservative administration. And yet, without such a bureaucracy busting bill, this government is doomed to failure, even on its own terms and for that matter, Madam Deputy Speaker, without a cheaper energy, then manufacturing in the UK is also doomed to failure. Commercial energy is now the highest in the world in the United Kingdom.

That is a sobering fact. Domestic energy is the second highest in the developed world, so we can't be surprised. The members opposite cannot be surprised when we had a decline in manufacturing. If their energy, their primary input, is the highest in the world, and it's not higher because it costs us more to produce energy in this country than elsewhere. It's higher because of deliberate taxation and levy decisions taken by the government. So the government taxes and has levies on electricity to subsidise expensive renewables.

Where's the cheap energy bill? We've done the opposite. Party opposite have doubled down on the renewable levies, tying this country into the world's most expensive energy for decades to come. And let's look at the wider economy. The high street has been hammered by Labour, whether it's from the business rates, revaluation, the removal of the hospitality and leisure exemption, and also by the employers National Insurance contributions. Pubs and shops right across the country, not just in my constituency but in every one of their constituencies, have been closing in record numbers.

So where's our bring back the high street bill? It's not there. In fact, there's no coherent plan for a stronger economy and a stronger country. The King's Speech instead has just been a hotchpotch, bureaucratic fiddling whilst the Prime Minister burns. The government has had two years, two years already, and yet the opposition is doing more serious thinking about solving the problems of this country than the government is with all, with all its resources. It is shaming. They shouldn't be laughing.

They should be ashamed of themselves and of their government, that the that the opposition has a more complete King's speech with more complete answers to the problems of this country than their government seems able to bring forward. It is extraordinary that we have this weak legislative programme from a weak government. The country deserves so much better.

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Fleur Anderson thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. It is a privilege to speak in this debate on the to speak in this debate on the King's gracious address, and I would like to thank and congratulate the members for congratulate the members for Bradford West and Harlow in their proposing speeches. It is an honour to be the MP for Putney, South to be the MP for Putney, South Shields, Roehampton and Wandsworth town, and I'd just like to take this opportunity to thank all the this opportunity to thank all the people who stopped me on the street, who stopped me in events when I go to school and thank me for the work

19:24

Fleur Anderson MP (Putney, Labour)

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I do for our community. It's not the image that MPs often have about the image that MPs often have about being constantly harassed and abused, but honestly, the people of Putney are wonderful and they and I am so grateful for their support for my work. We don't always agree on everything, but they are very supportive of my work of being an MP, and I'd like to thank them for that. In a short space of time, His Majesty's Government has delivered real change that matters to people in Putney, Southfields, Roehampton and Wandsworth town, and they also tell me about the things that the government is doing that's made a difference to their lives.

We've raised the minimum wage, strengthened workers rights, including day one, sick pay, protecting renters rights and stopping the unfair section 21 evictions. And in the last few months, seeing landlords taking the opportunity, the rogue landlords, the good landlords have remained good. The rogue landlords have taken the opportunity in the last few months leading up to the section 21 evictions being stopped. Being abolished to evict people has been horrific to see and just shows why we needed to do that, and how good it is to rebalance the equation in favour of renters.

We've brought our railways back into public ownership, starting with our own southwest rail, and I'm so proud of lifting 450 000 children out of poverty by abolishing the two child benefit cap. And I welcome the ambitious package of legislation announced here today 37 bills, bills on health, education and security, a clean water bill to tackle pollution and hold water companies to account, speeding up remediation for those living with unsafe cladding, which is still affecting so many people. On developments in Putney, long term investment in social housing and support for those victims of domestic abuse to stay in their own home.

Reform of the leasehold system by accelerating the transition to commonhold and including stronger transparency measures, alongside tighter regulation of managing agents. This is an issue that plagues so many people in Putney. They have been looking forward to this commonhold and leasehold transformation that is coming down the line. It will make such a difference to people who don't get enough information in their bills. They don't know what they're being asked to pay for. The bills go up time and time again and and giving them the security of tenure that they have not had up to now, but also the scaling up of the clean energy through an Energy Independence Bill and the Northern Ireland Legacy Bill, to build a fairer Northern Ireland with justice to families who have waited too long.

I would have liked to see. I certainly.

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Well can I commend hon. Lady for for her speech and a very positive from her point of view. But on the legacy Bill, unfortunately, we do not see the emphasis that we wish to see upon victims. So does the hon. Lady agree that we're going to hon. Lady agree that we're going to have a legacy bill? It has to address the issues of victims and also address the issue of the Republic of Ireland. Who has more

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Republic of Ireland. Who has more say in the process than what we have here? Sir. I absolutely respect that. The

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I absolutely respect that. The work that the hon. Member does in his own constituency and across Northern Ireland to bring about reconciliation and and but I would say that the Bill does put victims at the heart. Its victims have been spoken to constantly to create the bill, to rework it, since the Tories bill didn't work and and to put their their justice that they want to see at the heart. And we should make sure that we across the chamber, we make sure that the bill does deliver what he advocates for there, because it should deliver justice.

And the answers that families have been waiting for for so long. I must say I'm disappointed that there was no mention of the renovation of Hammersmith Bridge in The King's Speech. I live in hope. One day the King will sit upon the throne and talk about the renovation of Hammersmith Bridge. We are one step further. There is a structures fund. There is a timetable for applying for it, and I am very hopeful that there will be funding announced very soon this year for that renovation for Hammersmith Bridge and the reopening of the six bus routes and all of the vehicles that were stopped from going across that bridge, which impacts us so much in Putney.

But I was most keen to see the focus on closer alignment with the European Union, and I will focus on that in my speech. As well as protecting children online and international security, Brexit has imposed a deep and enduring cost on our economy and on living standards. It's the elephant in the room all the time. When we talk about the economy, the context for the very difficult financial position that we are in as a country because of Brexit, GDP per person is 6 to 8% lower, business investment is around 18% lower.

Employment and productivity are down 3 to 4%. The member of Clacton will talk about everything he did, except the consequences of the single policy that he has delivered. He sold the country false promises and we are seeing the consequences today. But he's not the only one that bears

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the cost. Most families. The hon. Lady. Might like to consider whether. She would like to withdraw the

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She would like to withdraw the comment. False promises. She's suggesting falsehoods from the hon.

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Member for Clacton. I certainly will withdraw that. Thank you very much, Madam Deputy Speaker. The cost is being borne by families who can't magic away the detrimental economic consequences detrimental economic consequences of Brexit. With a £5 million gift, the damage he has inflicted has compounded year after year Brexit. The Brexit effect has built up and built up through uncertainty, higher trade barriers and businesses forced to divert time and resources away from growth, innovation and job creation.

As a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Madam Deputy Speaker, I recommend all readers and all members become readers of our report on the EU reset. The most important lesson we drew is that a reset cannot be simply a collection of lots of initiatives. It must be guided by a clear strategic vision. What we need is a whole of government strategy, one that defines what we want the relationship with the EU to look like in five, ten, 15 years time, and it aligns our economic, security and diplomatic priorities accordingly.

I therefore welcome the announcement of the European Partnership Bill in the greatest address, and I welcome the priority given to better working relationship with the EU. This will benefit the whole country through better security, increased economic growth and more investment for businesses. This is how we tackle the cost of living crisis. On economic cooperation. We must reduce the real world frictions holding back British businesses. A veterinary SPS agreement will cut border checks and bring down costs. Mutual recognition of professional qualifications will unlock services and trade and where alignment supports jobs and growth, we should pursue it on security and defence in a more dangerous world.

The UK's security and that of Europe is indivisible. We should seek to return to frameworks such as Safe Security Action for Europe, which increased military readiness and defence scale up. We should strengthen cooperation on defence capability, industrial resilience and strategic planning because the choice is not between sovereignty and cooperation, it's between influence and absence and on people to people links. The return to Erasmus+ must be built upon with a youth mobility scheme, reversing the cutback in school visits and better access for touring musicians, creatives and researchers.

Madam Deputy Speaker moving on to social media and under 16 seconds, this parliamentary session will also include action on social media and its impact on our young people across Putney parents raise with me the harmful impact of social media with me again and again. I've had consultations very recently in some schools in my constituency talking to young people about the impact in Hotham Primary School, Putney High School and Ashcroft Academy, I've talked about the addictive design, harmful content, and the sheer amount of time that young people are spending online, time that they feel they are disappointed by wasted time.

So I'm really pleased that the government is already is not about being anti-technology, it's about being pro childhood. The Australian campaign that led their campaign there, it's called 36 months, and they said it so well, raising the age by 36 months from 12 to 16 is 36 months for young people to get to know themselves before the world gets to know them. And internationally. I welcome our stance on Ukraine and Iran, and urge the government to go further in opposing the illegal settlements on the West Bank, which undermine peace in the region, with more action to boycott the illegal settlement goods.

In Sudan, 25 million people need assistance. And yet the funding gap means that food, medicine and wash, water, sanitation and hygiene services are being rationed. Next week's development conference at the beginning of this new parliamentary term is a test of whether the changes are more than rhetoric, but will be backed up by action. If we reverse the cuts, we put money behind frontline health and water systems and look. And back local leadership instead of bypassing it with top down contracts, we can affect real change.

And there's a false dichotomy, I think, between spending on aid and development and defence and security. Spending on aid is frontline defence and security spending just delivered differently. Funding global health, wash and conflict prevention cuts off the instability that terrorists and armed groups thrive on. Aid preserves a political space for diplomacy and stops conflict, stops the need to evacuate citizens, stops the need to deploy troops in the first place. Madam Deputy Speaker, this is a king's speech for talent.

Britain's Got Talent and Putney's Got Talent, and this King's speech shows that this government backs the talent of putney's young people. My constituents in Putney voted for Labour at the general election for action. Action to change their lives for the better, action from a government in touch with the issues that really matter to them, and action with a long term view of the changes that are needed. This King's Speech is a programme that delivers on that, and I look forward to working with the government to continue to achieve the ambitious programme for change that we promised.

Thank you Spencer.

19:35

Hannah Spencer MP (Gorton and Denton, Green Party)

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Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. I'm grateful to be taking part in this debate on the Royal Address this debate on the Royal Address and honoured to be doing so on behalf of the Green Party. And this is only the second time I have made is only the second time I have made a speech here, so I hope you will all bear with me if I get any protocols wrong. In my maiden speech, I gave a shout out to the many professions and communities that haven't been well represented here in Parliament in the past, and I made a promise to help give them a voice.

And today it feels especially important to keep that promise, because there's sadly not enough in the King's Speech that is going to make their lives significantly better. And that is why us Greens have tabled a reasoned amendment for all the people working hard, or to raise a family, or to just get through each day, because everyone deserves a safety net and a chance to get ahead for everyone who wants things to be different. And 1 in 3 households in Gorton and Denton live in fuel poverty, and the UK has got some of the leakiest homes in Europe.

And I know that because I have worked on thousands of them in my last job as a plumber. And so if we want to cut energy bills for good, we really do need a properly funded and a properly regulated national home insulation scheme. And to go even bigger on renewable energy. And that is where investment should be going, not into nuclear power. And the King's speech includes some steps in the right direction, but it is nothing like the transformative progressive programme that this moment demands.

It doesn't rise to the climate and nature crisis that is happening now, and that's a crisis that can't be separated from the inequality and cost of living crises that are happening, too, because it is always the poorest people that suffer the most here in our country and around the world. And while certain people will claim that climate action is pushing up bills, we know that that isn't true. And we know that some of the people saying that are being bankrolled by the very companies causing climate destruction and ripping off our constituents and the Representation of the People Bill must go further on cleaning up politics because a greener, more affordable, more secure future is possible if you stand up to those vested interests.

And if we're prepared to admit that obscene wealth is damaging our country, and people out there are so angry at the gap between the super, super rich and all the rest of us are getting even bigger, and they want something equally big doing about it. They don't want any child to go hungry, and they know that a free hot school meal for every child up to the age of 16 is possible. If extreme wealth is taxed fairly. They want public transport to be more affordable, and they know that we could start by giving free bus passes to all the under 22 seconds, again paid for by our tax system being made fairer.

They want everyone to have a roof over their head to get a doctor's or a dentist appointment without struggle, and for the NHS to be run for the public good, not to line shareholders pockets. And they know that change is possible. If only this government, a Labour government, would tax extreme wealth fairly. Our Green Amendment includes new powers to control rents. Greens welcomed the changes in the Renters Reform Act and now plans for more social housing. But far too many people are still struggling to pay their rent and make ends meet.

So alongside action to bring down energy and water bills, it is time to get a grip on the cost of renting too. And now I was elected to give a voice to a politics that truly represents everyone. This is the first King's speech I've been in Parliament to hear, and honestly, what I'm hearing isn't going to give everyone the meaningful change that we, and they all know is possible. So Greens will have no hesitation to use our individual and collective voices over the coming months to welcome progress when it's made, but crucially, to demand the change that people were promised and the change that people Darlington.

19:40

Emily Darlington MP (Milton Keynes Central, Labour)

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Thank you, Madam Deputy. >> Firstly, I would like to pay tribute to the King for coming to Parliament, to coming to the to the other place and making a speech. It other place and making a speech. It wasn't with the wit and the humour that he addressed the Americans with, but it was with the with, but it was with the seriousness that the. Today his. I'd also like to thank the MP for Bradford West. Her impassioned and her impassioned speech and perseverance really is.

She is. She is to be admired and respected from anybody who has suffered any kind of hardship and abuse and shows how far you can go, though, she claimed. And she was boasting about Bradford being the youngest city. But of course, I would like to say that Milton Keynes is the newest city. And in that mind, in that same vein, we had a speech by the hon. Member. Now where was he from again? Oh yes. Harlow, I should remember that. He mentioned it 35 times.

I counted. He was claiming about his new town, and we also had the member from Stevenage claiming they were the first new town. But I would like to remind everyone that Milton Keynes is the most successful new town I do. I'm not going to go through every bill, but I do want to just pick out some that will really make a difference to people in my constituency. The European Partnership Bill is so important, as we all know, and as the public in Milton Keynes knows, especially if you're running a small or medium sized business.

The campaign was not clear on how it would impact them. Using my parliamentary language. The biggest thing that we could do to support small and medium sized businesses here in the UK is to make sure they have full access to all of the European customers and trading area, working together with their European counterparts and trade partners, and actually building growth here. We've heard from other members some of the impact that we've already seen. So if we are serious about growing the economy and supporting small business, as the party opposite says it all, it says it is, I'm sure we can count on their full support to get closer to Europe to make that happen.

Yeah. Also, the clean Water bill as as Milton Keynes has both a river and a canal. And some may remember, the previous MP decided to demonstrate how clean the water was or isn't in the river by taking his shirt off in a photo shoot. It is not clean and it isn't. It is a bit weird, but he was your from your party. Oh sorry, he was from the hon. Member's party opposite. It's not the way I.

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Think we can agree on. But the Clean Water bill is actually about taking on vested actually about taking on vested interests. It's not just about cleaning up the waterways, it's about taking on those water companies who have absolutely taken companies who have absolutely taken us for mugs. And I would say to anybody who still puts Thatcher up in their office, let's remember Margaret Thatcher up in their office, I would remind them that the reason we're in this place in the reason we're in this place in the first place around water companies is because of the legacy that she has left us, right? We want to end leasehold for good.

That is hugely important in a city like Milton Keynes, where many people own their properties, because we are that new town, that promise that you can move and own either a flat or a property. But we must go further than that. We must make sure that there's an end to leasehold, because those that buy freehold houses should not continue to pay a service charge for long, going many, many years into the future. And this is a huge problem in Glebe Farm, where there are six different developers charging six different service charges, two freeholders, and this must end.

We also need to make sure that we have the social housing bill. Housing renewal bill. Social housing, which was part of my Cabinet portfolios when I was the Labour deputy leader and Milton Keynes City Council, and we were able to build new council homes at great high standard green standards, with air source heat pumps and solar panels bringing down energy bills further for council tenants, as well as a social housing decarbonisation fund, which has supported over 2000 of our tenants to bring down their bills through insulation.

New

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windows. Yes. Regarding social housing, I think in the late 70s and 80s, think in the late 70s and 80s, housing benefit was paid to low income families or people on benefits. 80% or more of that went benefits. 80% or more of that went to local authorities, and they used that money to provide services. that money to provide services. Today, over 80% of housing benefit is going to private landlords, not is going to private landlords, not to councils. So that money needs to be provided by government to councils for them to maintain their

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properties and provide the public services. Would she agree? Thank you very much, my

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Thank you very much, my honourable. The hon. Member makes a good point and I agree. In Milton Keynes, we did not privatise our Keynes, we did not privatise our social housing stock. We have 12,000 in the housing revenue 12,000 in the housing revenue account. And the reality is that the reforms that were again done the reforms that were again done under the party opposite during the 1980s meant that it destroyed our council housing stock across this country. And that wall that has been put between the housing revenue account and the councils account, means that you can't invest in building new housing to reduce your temporary accommodation, and things like that need to go, as well as making sure that if you are a victim of domestic abuse, you should not be the one evicted from your home with your children.

It is the perpetrator who needs to leave. And for the first time, we're bringing forward legislation that will make sure that happens because the stability for those children and for the victim needs to be absolutely at the forefront of our minds, rather than saying we're going to move them around the country to protect them, we need to intervene to get the perpetrator away and protect them from that perpetrator. Finally, I just want to say, you know, a nod to the fact that we are banning conversion practices, which should have been done before, but it's finally going to be done under this government.

We are removing we're doing the removal of peerages bill, and that is so important. And the Digital Access to Services bill, which people will know my views on and I think is absolutely vital to making sure that we modernise our public services. But I do want to talk about security, which is the theme that runs through this. And I agree with my hon. Friend that when we talk about security, we need to talk about domestic defence and development because they all go hand in hand.

And when we talk about tackling state threats, we need to see that bill, not just in light of the horrible events that we've seen against our Jewish communities in recent weeks. We also need to see it in the context of our democracy. And that's why in the representation of People's Act that is coming back with this bill, we have to do more to protect democracy. The most personal form of power that any of us hold is the power to choose freely who we vote for.

That power is fundamental to democracy, but today it's under threat from foreign states who want to cause us chaos. Tech bros who do not share our values, and opportunists looking to make money off of division. There aren't. They aren't taking away our right to vote, but they're distorting the national conversation and undermining genuine voices. Deepfakes stop us being able to trust what is real thought. Armies spread disinformation algorithms that prioritise engagement over truth amplify all of that, and foreign actors exploit it.

This is a make or break moment for the security of this country's democracy. We cannot shy away from what's at stake. Democracy does not require agreement, but it does

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reality. Yeah, yeah. Every member of this House has

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Every member of this House has seen misinformation, disinformation, bot activity, or deepfakes in bot activity, or deepfakes in action. In fact, many of us have been victims of it. If we don't act, we are putting our democracy in the we are putting our democracy in the hands of tech bros and other countries who do not share our values. And in fact, some have even values. And in fact, some have even called for riots in our streets and cannot be trusted with our future.

In Britain, the representation of People's Act of 1983 was not designed for a world of deep fakes. Micro-targeting, political advertising, deepfakes of politicians and algorithms with agendas. So I'm thrilled that this government is reforming it. And I will be tabling my seven amendments to the bill at Report stage. When it comes, I want to see clear laws that recognise and define digital manipulation as a serious offence against our democracy. I want increased powers for the Electoral Commission to demand back end, real time access to social media platforms when manipulation is suspected.

I would like mandatory labelling of AI generated content. A political advertisement repository so voters can separate what is real and what isn't, and see where political content comes from, who is funding it, and what they're saying in different parts of the country to different voters. A critical incident protocol, an independent of government, which can be triggered in response to a significant risk to the integrity or security of our elections, our election laws. And I know this is controversial, but elections do not just happen six weeks every five years.

Now, our election laws should also apply all year round. The six week campaign is a thing of the past. We cannot keep regulating for a world that doesn't exist, and that means that anything that people see in terms of our democracy, whether it's a year out from an election or two weeks out from an election, should meet our electoral standards. This is not about limiting debate or controlling outcomes. It's about safeguarding the conditions in which each and every person makes their choice.

It is the only way our democracy survives. And so, in conclusion, I am pleased that we are pursuing a very serious agenda, an agenda that is about our security, but is also about the security of everyday lives for our constituents in Milton Keynes. This King's speech, this 35 bills on top of the 50 that we passed in the last session, is making a real

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difference to everyone. Thank you. Martin Vickers thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. It's a pleasure to Deputy Speaker. It's a pleasure to take part in this King's Speech debate, and I join with others in congratulating the members for Bradford West and Harlow in the way Bradford West and Harlow in the way they spoke earlier. I want to focus in particular on the proposals to in particular on the proposals to nationalise British Steel. Now, my Brigg and Immingham constituency takes in a part of the Scunthorpe steelworks site.

Many hundreds of my constituents working in the industry and many more in the supply chain. It's also worth noting that MCHLG estimate that the

19:52

Martin Vickers MP (Brigg and Immingham, Conservative)

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loss in economic output in Northern Lincolnshire over the next five Lincolnshire over the next five years would equate to £802 million if the steelworks were to close. if the steelworks were to close. Now it's. As a conservative, it's not a natural for me to speak in favour of nationalisation, and it's somewhat uncomfortable in in many respects. But the present situation where Jingye still owned the site and the government Ministers and appointed officials actually manage the site is clearly not sustainable, and it's difficult to see any other alternative during the short term.

Now mention has been made by the hon. Lady who spoke before me about the privatisations of the Thatcher years, and it's certainly the case that some of them need refining, and certainly they need better regulating. I think it's worth worthy of note, though, that for 13 years, between 1997 and 2010, the Labour Party were in power and could have actually done something about those privatised companies. I think the big fault with the privatisation process was not the actual process initially, but what followed, and many now in foreign ownership and poorly regulated.

If I could just also comment about the EU reset, which the is proposed within the speech. Now I'm an ardent Brexiteer and I vote I'm old enough to have voted to leave the EU or the Common Market as it was then in 1975. So my credentials in that respect are pretty good. I would just say, as a warning to members opposite, that the reset and in principle, I have no objection to resetting our arrangements with Europe. Clearly we need to trade with them.

We need good working relationships with them. But I would just as a way of warning, suggest that EU procurement rules and overregulation will not be helpful to much of our industry. Now, if we are to remain a manufacturing nation, and I think I share the view, I would say across the House that that should be the case. Then we need a a domestic steel industry. And as I've said in this House on previous occasions when we've discussed the steel industry, they if we are going to maintain a domestic steel sector, which we must, then there will be a cost to the taxpayer.

Now, whether that is subsidy or whether it's nationalisation, the cost will certainly be there now. Scunthorpe thrives on the steelworks. 3 or 4000 people work there, as I mentioned, and many more in the supply chain. Now, I was born, although I was born in Cleethorpes, I at the age of five, I moved to Grimsby when my parents were allocated a council house and they thought that was magnificent, quite rightly. But moving to Grimsby and and living through the decline of the deep sea fishing industry means that I'm very aware of how it can affect the the the town and its people.

I subsequently went to work in Gainsborough as the constituency agent for the now Father of the House, and Gainsborough at that time was in a similar situation. The two big engineering companies that had closed and the inevitable downturn resulted. I don't want that to be repeated in Scunthorpe and the surrounding area. I'm grateful for the Ministers, the Member for Stockton North, for contacting me on Monday and going through the proposals, and I would hope, Madam Deputy Speaker, that when we.

When the Ministers winds up the debate this evening, he will give an assurance not only that the government are committed to the steel industry, but also that they will ensure that the blast furnaces now in Scunthorpe remain operational until electric arc furnaces are up and running. If I could then move on, Madam Deputy Speaker to 1 or 2 other items, the the was mentioned from the hon. Member for Newport a few minutes ago that the Great British Railways Bill will transform the railway network.

Well, I would suggest, Madam Deputy Speaker, that that transformation will cost money and taking the private sector out of the railway industry will mean that the taxpayer has got to find yet more money, and that may well result from government borrowing. Now, the other hit that my local economy has taken in recent months has been the closure of the practice Lindsay Oil refinery at Killingholme, near Immingham, and I. That again results in the fact that the.

The local economy has taken a really serious hit in recent months, and I would urge the government when when any anything is mentioned is oil, that they look again at the licences for the North Sea. The other thing I'd like to talk about is local government, because I see no mention of how we're going to improve local government services in the. In the King's Speech I was a councillor for 26 years, 14 of those on the on Grimsby Borough Council, which was in the two tier system and follow, followed by another 12 years in North East Lincolnshire.

Unitary authority and I support the changes to unitary authorities as a gradual process, but I would suggest to the government that the local government reform, as it's proceeding at the moment, is just moving the deck, the deck chairs on the Titanic. It's not dealing with the serious business of the services that local government provide. And it was the hon. Gentleman from, I can't remember. Is it Dewsbury? Yeah. Yeah. Mentioned earlier about basic council services, cutting grass parks, libraries and the like.

And I see no way that the this is likely to change if we're to create a vision for and make people want to be part of their local communities to a much greater extent, then the local authorities can play a major part in doing that, but they need resources. I'm. I can remember the days when, you know, even the lampposts in Grimsby had the coat of arms on it. Now we have street furniture all over the place, but it's just the basic grey steel, whatever.

And the the place begins to look a mess. If we are going to tidy up our, our towns improve the public realm. That is absolutely vital, and I see no way that the government are looking seriously at ways that we can improve on that. Madam Deputy Deputy Speaker And with that, I will conclude. Thank

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you. Anna Dixon.

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Anna Dixon. Speaker, I'd first like to begin by congratulating neighbouring MP, the hon. Member for Bradford West, the hon. Member for Bradford West, for her humorous and passionate opening speech. It is a true opening speech. It is a true privilege to sit alongside her and, together with Madam Deputy Speaker, together with Madam Deputy Speaker, to represent our shared home of Bradford. I'd also like to congratulate my hon. Friend for

20:01

Anna Dixon MP (Shipley, Labour)

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Harlow, although he's not any longer in his seat for again demonstrating his commitment to demonstrating his commitment to meeting his personal goals. And no, I'm not talking about getting a PB I'm not talking about getting a PB in the marathon. I'm talking about hitting his 400 contributions in hitting his 400 contributions in Parliament. Madam Deputy Speaker, just ten days ago that I stood in the other place to hear the the other place to hear the prorogation of Parliament, and I proudly heard an account given of the many things that this Labour government has achieved in its first parliamentary session.

Renters are no longer worried, thanks to secure tenure under the Renters Rights Act, children lifted out of poverty and families supported through the removal of the cruel Two Child Limit Act and stronger safeguards through the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act. Workers no longer on exploitative zero hours contracts. Thanks to the Employment Rights Act, I return to my constituency, buoyed up, ready to take the positive message onto the doors alongside hard working Labour councillors defending their seats and a new group of enthusiastic candidates, some standing for the first time, all of them prepared to stand up for their communities and to be a strong voice in City Hall.

Wanting to be part of a Labour led council that, after a decade of overseeing drastic Budget cuts handed down by a Tory government, could finally turn a corner with a Labour government in Westminster that believes in local government devolving more power to local authorities and communities through the Community and Devolution Act. Now, with a new fair funding formula that links deprivation to funding, giving places like Bradford the first significant increase in their Budget for over a decade. Commitments to investment in Northern Powerhouse Rail to better connect our city.

And I'm pleased to see that in The King's Speech. I could go on. There was hope. There was possibility, Madam Deputy Speaker, but all that was dashed as a results came in, and I was devastated to see so many brilliant Labour councillors lose their seats, to see reform take the most seats in Bradford Council, and to see people who, frankly, should not even have been allowed to stand as candidates due to racist comments that I won't repeat in this place. Winning seats.

And Madam Deputy Speaker, reform UK was spreading their despair. They argued that Britain is broken and it can't be fixed, and they undermine the very foundations of our democracy. And let me be clear the majority of people in Bradford rejected the divisive politics, despite them achieving the most seats. And I fear, Madam Deputy Speaker, that they are bringing their devices politics to our beautiful and multi-faith and diverse city. As the hon. Member for Bradford West so beautifully described.

So as we begin this second parliamentary session and hearing the King's Speech, we need a bold agenda that delivers tangible and visible improvements in the lives of people in every community across the country. I therefore welcome today's King's Speech, but I urge those who sit on the front bench and are the Ministers that as they bring forward these bills, they must ensure that they go as far and as fast as they can in delivering the change that we promised to the people of this country.

I'd like, Madam Deputy Speaker, in the in the minutes that I have just to pick three of the bills that are coming forward that I particularly think we need to grasp the opportunity. So I welcome the leasehold and Commonhold bill, which will abolish the outdated and frankly, feudal system by which leaseholders can be held to ransom by unscrupulous freeholders. And I have constituents in Bingley and Rose who face massive increases in service charges, failures to carry out maintenance to acceptable standards and unexpected bills for large upgrades.

I have estates in Gilston and Cottingley, where homeowners are left on Unadopted estates, paying out extortionate fees for ground maintenance. So I look forward to hearing more about how the government proposes to strengthen the regulation of managing agents to ensure this new system works fairly and has the confidence of leaseholders and common holders alike, and I hope Ministers will ensure that there continue to remain ways in which older people looking to rightsize can benefit from living in specialist retirement communities. When switching from leasehold to Commonhold.

While this, with the Renters Rights Act, will provide security for renters and homeowners, for those with no home, those in temporary accommodation and those waiting for a social home, the government must make more radical steps to accelerate the building of a new generation of social homes, so that everyone can have the opportunity of a secure, safe home. And I look forward to hearing more about the social housing renewal bill. Secondly, I welcome the government's intention to bring forward legislation which will strengthen accountability for the NHS.

Abolishing NHS England and making sure that we continue to put funding to the front line to bring down waiting lists and improve patient care. But I would urge the government not to wait until the next parliamentary session to begin to lay the foundations for a national care service. We urgently need national commissioning standards to ensure greater consistency for older and disabled people, a workforce strategy that addresses the need for better training and career progression for care workers. Baroness Casey has made an initial set of recommendations, but I hope the government will act with urgency and take this opportunity to put in place legislative provisions, which will enable us to move further and faster towards our ambition of a national care service as we also rebuild our national health Service.

And finally, Madam Deputy Speaker, I welcome the inclusion of the Clean Water Bill to take forward the major reform of the water sector that is needed. But I'm concerned that if we simply take forward the proposals for a new regulator without more fundamentally addressing the financial failings of the water companies, we will only perpetuate a broken model. I have urged Ministers to seek to use the existing powers to immediately take Thames Water under special administration, and use this as an opportunity to explore alternative public ownership models.

I would also hope to see the government create a legislative path for bringing other water companies into

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public ownership in future. I will give way on that point. I thank my hon. Friend for

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I thank my hon. Friend for giving way. Bournemouth is a footballing town and we're so excited for the cherries, who are excited for the cherries, who are in pole position to qualify for European football for the first time in our history. With that being said, would she also welcome being said, would she also welcome the measure in The King's Speech to kerb ticket touts, especially ahead of Euro 2028?

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of Euro 2028? Yeah, yeah, I. Will also join him in welcoming that measure, having been to see Bradford City play recently at Valley Parade. And they've obviously got their important championship play off match. So I hope that there won't be ticket touts selling extortionate tickets for that much sought after match. There is still obviously more time to make fundamental and radically radical changes that we desperately need. We need to show the public we're not going to let privatised water companies profit from polluting our rivers and seas, and above all, our most urgent priority must be to renew our democracy.

And I welcomed the speech given by my hon. Friend for Milton Keynes, who was showing how we clearly need to protect our democracy against threats. From my point of view, I think it shows clearly these local election results that two party policies, party politics is dead. The vote has fragmented, people have stopped tactical voting. And therefore, I urge the government, as part of the elections bill, to set up a democracy task force, including to look at electoral reform for both local and Westminster elections.

So in conclusion, Madam Deputy Speaker, today I sat in the Royal Gallery among much pomp and ceremony and plenty of bling. I can honestly say that it seems a world away from the realities of my Shipley constituents. The single mom who's working two jobs, who's struggling to make ends meet at the end of the month. The pensioner, who despite a modest private pension, is having to cut back the young person living with her parents unable to get employment, training or a place of their own.

This Labour government has begun the work of rebuilding Britain after the failures of the past. We must now push on and be bolder and more ambitious in delivering for people across every

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community of this country, delivering a fairer society for all. Thank you. Hear, hear.

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Hear, hear. Speaker. This debate is taking place in

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This debate is taking place in an almost surreal atmosphere, and we have a sort of psychodrama going on about whether the Prime Minister on about whether the Prime Minister will be challenged for the leadership of the Labour Party or not, whether he will still be Prime Minister by the time we come to Minister by the time we come to vote on this speech, and whether or not the Secretary of State for health is going to challenge and take over, and this is a government that's less than two years in office and seems to be not reflecting on the results of last Thursday's elections, it's obviously clear that the government lost a huge amount of support because of its perceived failure to deliver on the promises that were made in the manifesto in 2024, and the vote split asunder to independents and Greens or to reform.

And this, the same time as in our society, there is a horrific growth of far right racism, intolerance and horror show within our society growth of Islamophobia, growth of anti-Semitism, growth of all forms of racism. An attack took place on a prayer room in Blackburn on Monday evening. Precious little was said about it on any of the media. Shame on them for not reporting it. Quite rightly, reporting on antisemitic attacks on synagogues. The same should apply to any community that's under attack.

If we are to succeed in bringing our communities together and show that we need to stand up against racism in any form in which it rears its ugly head. This weekend, there will be an attendance in London by Tommy Robinson and a lot of people who, some of whom presumably adhere to his worldview, others who are there

20:12

Rt Hon Jeremy Corbyn MP (Islington North, Independent)

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20:28

Noah Law MP (St Austell and Newquay, Labour)

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opportunity built for all. And that opportunity starts at home with a good home. And that's why I support the measures that we're taking to protect existing social housing stock and incentivise the building of more social homes via the social housing renewable bill. But at the heart of this opportunity must be a hard day's work, and it must always be our mission, our labour mission to repair the broken link between work and our livelihoods. And that's why I welcome the steps that we're taking to deliver that fair deal for working people see targeted.

But I want to see targeted fiscal support come behind this to ensure a tax system that is a tax system for growth that ends things like the carers tax trap, other cliff tax cliff edges that punish working people. And we've got to work to lower the cost of employment for young people and let them get that first crucial step on the ladder. Let's let earners take home more of what they earn. On top of that pay boost that 2.7 million workers have already had via the minimum wage increase delivered by this Labour government.

I welcome the steps to strengthen and reform the state, and I would urge the government to go even further, even faster, to get that dynamism back into the apparatus of our British state, to harness the the potential of the state, as we have done so far by empowering our public finance institutions as an investor, but also as a coordinator to it's those same institutions that are investing millions of pounds into the Cornish economy and bringing together those crucial projects that might not otherwise come to fruition with the pure, narrow minded private investor mindset.

Sometimes it takes the state to coordinate, to step up and say, we are going to deliver in this industry, and it's this toolkit, it's this ambition for the role of the state, its potential for that dynamism and the rebuilding of our public wealth that's needed to deliver on our ambitions for economic security, for energy security and national security that

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we've outlined today. Jim Shannon Madam Chair, a real pleasure. You caught me off guard pleasure. You caught me off guard there. I I'm used to being the the last. So thank you very much. last. So thank you very much. You're very kind to invite me to to participate. Can I first of all, give special thanks to the hon. give special thanks to the hon. Lady for Bradford West for her introduction, I. I get on well with the young, the hon.

Lady, and she gave me her book as a gift for me to read. And I read her book from beginning to end, and I was very moved by, by her contribution. And

20:31

Jim Shannon MP (Strangford, Democratic Unionist Party)

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for me the hon. Lady epitomises, I believe, a strength of character, a believe, a strength of character, a courage against all the things in life, the hard things of life. Through a beginner she. She was Through a beginner she. She was able to overcome them. So she's a lady of exceptional, exceptional talent and I want to put that on talent and I want to put that on record. The hon. Gentleman for for Harlow, I thank the hon. Lady said a spoken word.

I mentioned Harlow 35 times. I thought it was more I. But I know what what what what what. I never was very good at mathematics. But there you are. He's a he's a a a, I believe, a great asset to the South. And his contribution today. And, and secondly, that was one that was worthy of this place. And we thank them both for that. I want Deputy Speaker, if I can refer to the King's speech in in two parts, and we've all heard of the curate's egg.

It's good in parts, and I want to speak if I can, first of all, and the good things that I see in the King's Speech, and then I want to refer to some specific specifics for Northern Ireland. So I do very much welcome government's commitment to address the issue of anti-Semitism. I think the Prime Minister and the Labour Government have grasped the importance of of an escalation of anti-Semitism in this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It's really important that it's grasped.

And government, I'm hoping through the bill that's coming through and the directive that comes from the top, from the Prime Minister, will be one that addresses this. And for that to happen, we need to have resources. So I'm hoping that whenever it comes to the Tuesday, the Wednesday night, whenever they they finish the bill, they refer to the the commitment financially to it also welcome government's commitment to the defence target of, of, of funding. And I also an intervention earlier on today to another on this side of the chamber, I referred to the importance of of changing technology in defence.

For instance, in the last few weeks and the papers, there's lots of talk about the the drone technology and particularly Ukraine's grasping of that new technology in a way that I don't think any other country in the world has done it. And I think it's time that we had a partnership with with Ukraine to ensure that when we're looking at drone technology, that we're able to to be part of that. And when it comes to defence, a change.

Warfare and how it is conducted. And I also wanted to very much thank the Labour government as well for for lifting all those children out of poverty. I that moves me greatly because I and I can certainly. I see lots of those young children in poverty, but this government, this government lifted them out of poverty and there are 60,000 children in Northern Ireland who were lifted out of poverty by what this government done. So thank you for those three things.

I want to refer now. I hope this is a. I always try to be decent with my my contribution. So it's never meant in an adversarial way, but I have to record some of the the things that that do concern me. The King's Speech laid bare, I believe, the true priorities of this administration, and I'm speaking from a Unionist point of view from Northern Ireland, where the government speaks of a stronger and fairer United Kingdom. The reality delivered from this government through Her Majesty King Charles tells a.

Perhaps a very different story for Northern Ireland. As unionists we judge a government not by its rhetoric, but by its respect for the constitutional integrity of our nation and its commitment to the fundamental justice on both counts. Today, Madam Deputy Speaker, this legislative agenda falls, I believe, unfortunately, profoundly short. Indeed. I listened intently to discover exactly where Northern Ireland was in the plan that was put forward in the King's Speech and struggled to see what that role is. And that is worrying to the extreme.

Nowhere is this failure more evident than in the government's decision to carry over the highly contentious Northern Ireland Troubles Bill, although we know it's been carried over from the last time, there wasn't much in the way of mentioned on it today. I know members on this side of the chamber certainly referred to it in their contributions. Let us be completely clear about what is happening here. This legislation is being pushed forward despite having zero support from the people who matter. Most are victims or survivors, and our courageous veterans, those with clean hands and the aching hearts.

Instead of listening to the families who cried the heaviest burdens during the dark years of terror, the government has chosen to ban the need to. Intense pressure from the Dublin government. It really vexes me to to for for myself as a Unionist and as a Democratic Unionist Party MP, to recognise that the Republic of Ireland government has more say in this process than I have as who who lost family members to the IRA campaign and who represents in Strangford many, many, many of those who serve and who also lost loved ones.

The Democratic Unionist Party will always stand firmly against any process that aims to rewrite the past to shield terrorists or treat our brave security forces as anything less than the defenders of democracy. It is a disgrace that Westminster is ignoring domestic consensus to satisfy a foreign jurisdiction, because that's what their public are about. It is, and that no reform, or even a nod to the massive work that must be done was referenced. We also, I believe, Madam Deputy Speaker, will have heard of the government's grand design for an EU reset I put on record.

I'm a Brexiteer. I voted to leave. Why? We didn't get all we wanted in Northern Ireland in relation to being a Brexiteer like the rest of the United Kingdom got. I want and I feel I have to say this and put it on record. Madam Speaker, you will forgive me and I refuse. I refuse to offer comment on the inner workings of any party. I'm not here to have any, I said to everyone, but I am making no mention whatsoever across. And because what happens for your party is your decision and I leave that with you.

But the fact that we'll have on my nation, on the on Northern Ireland must be recognised. There appears to be a desperate scramble for a closer relationship with Brussels, and yet one of the main casualties of our relationship with the EU has been Northern Ireland through Brexit are a process that took place the last time and the callous, callous treatment that we have received. And yet not one single word has been ordered about the renegotiation. So my question and answer, Madam Speaker, to the to the Labour Government and to the Ministers in place.

And and and I'm very respectful to the two hon. Ladies, and that's how I will always be in relation to what I put forward. But if we're going to have a renegotiation, if we're going to have closer ties with the EU, then the Northern Ireland's position at this moment in time, which is not the same as the United Kingdom. I, I would ask that we would be to the front of the Prime Minister and the Labour Government's intentions. The Prime Minister intends to to align Great Britain more closely with European laws.

And if the rest of the United Kingdom is set to follow these same EU regulations, the government must answer a fundamental question where is the road map to moving entirely beyond the Windsor framework, and how has any legislation towards a European question taken place without even a nod towards those of us in Northern Ireland who have used and who have been used and abused to negate the democratic will of the people of the United Kingdom by the EU. And if the Prime Minister and the Liberal government have set their their their eye and their focus upon closer ties, then please, please, please make sure that we within Northern Ireland are on the same page.

And therefore I would very much seek that renegotiation for ourselves and put our place very clearly on the table. Others may say that as we move forward in the other days, perhaps this is one of those times when science has spoken more clearly than words ever could. And perhaps government needs to be reminded that the people of Ulster that's us, will not be silent in demanding that our government recognises the disgraceful impact of the framework and prioritising its dismantling of Great Britain aligns with these rules.

There is no longer even a flawed logistical excuse for maintaining an artificial barrier in the Irish Sea. The Irish Sea border, the continuing enforcement of the Windsor framework remains a direct, unconstitutional assault on Northern Ireland's economic and political place within the United Kingdom. And if government genuinely desires a fairer path that unlocks hope, it must immediately stop treating Northern Ireland as a bargaining chip. We're not a bargaining chip. We're part of this great United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

It gives me great pride and great pleasure to say that, because I mean it from the bottom of my heart. I'm proud to have a British passport. I'm proud to be a member of the the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. So us in Northern Ireland, the unionists that we are deserve to have the same the same declaration and recognition. We demand a clear road map that eliminates internal trade friction scraps. The Irish Sea border fully restores our place within the United Kingdom internal market.

The Democratic Unionist Party will continue to challenge this legislative programme at every turn, fighting for real justice for our veterans and the complete restoration of our constitutional rights. The and the leader of the Lib Dems mentioned that the IRGC and government's commitment. I welcome that commitment that government has made 3000 and they say maybe as many as 40,000 people were arrested for protesting in the streets and peacefully protesting in the streets and were put in jail. And many of those have been executed.

And, and, and because of just standing up for freedom verbally, no physical action, just verbally. And the week before last, when we were were about to go into purgation, there were six ladies, six Iranian ladies who protested in the streets. They were facing execution. So for those people, for those who want freedom, those who wish to have freedom, I make this comment. We must address government's continued. Perhaps we need that timescale. We don't need a hesitation regarding the direct, immediate prescription prescription of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

For years we have listened to grand promises from the Dispatch Box. Yet instead of utilising existing counterterrorism legislation to immediately ban this hostile state entity, the government has insisted the. Within a broader delayed legislative framework, this tactical evasion exposes a very worrying vulnerability and by creating new bureaucratic hoops, rather than enacting an outright ban, it's said the beginning of security. Good things. I've spoken about, the good things. I want to highlight some of the things that I and my party have concerns with.

Again, I'm always a pleasure to see the Ministers and her place. I wish her well and the job that she does and and I pray for every Ministers and for this government that they will be full of wisdom when it comes to doing the right things, and also to have the the, the ability to know when to say it. So I wish you well. And Madam Deputy Speaker thank you very

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much. Daniel Zeichner thank you, Madam. Deputy Speaker and it's a pleasure always to follow the hon. pleasure always to follow the hon. Member for Strangford. Just as it was a great pleasure to visit his beautiful constituency last week, beautiful constituency last week, even though I don't agree with him on everything he said, he's a true gentleman. I'll keep my comments gentleman. I'll keep my comments relatively brief, Madam Speaker, but I would echo his tributes as others have paid tribute to the others have paid tribute to the excellent speeches made by my friends from Bradford West and particularly from from Harlow, my hon.

Friend from Harlow and I have campaigned for many, many years in East of England, which is the easiest place to win for Labour,

20:43

Daniel Zeichner MP (Cambridge, Labour)

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and I don't think either of us would possibly have ever imagined that he'd be here delivering that brilliant speech, and I'm so pleased for him. It's a joy. Now, Madam Deputy Speaker, I welcome the Madam Deputy Speaker, I welcome the gracious speech. I also know how much work, thought, effort and planning goes into it and how many planning goes into it and how many things others would have wanted to be in it and didn't make the cut. And I have to say, I hope in future, And I have to say, I hope in future, although I was very pleased to hear the remarks from the Prime Minister earlier about a national system of food redistribution, which I would welcome.

I also hope in the future we can see measures to modernise the regulation of the food system, secure the outcomes I think we'd all like to see around health, environment and food security. There are a whole range of bills. I particularly welcome the clean water bill, the Energy independence bill, the Social housing renewal bill and the draft taxi licensing bill. I've spent many hours in this chamber over the years talking about the taxi and private hire trade, and I genuinely hope we're going to get some progress on modernising the legislation, which is clearly woefully out of date as

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the world has moved on. Very happy to. Giving way on private hires

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Giving way on private hires every week or every time I'm coming to Parliament, I'm taking a taxi from my home to the station. I speak to many private hire drivers, and I'm sure many members across the house do. And the thing for the last two years, since the settlement with Uber to class drivers as employees and get some benefits, the commission rates have just ballooned. So before they were fixed at nearly 25%, now they're dynamic. So drivers are getting sometimes less than half the fare that customers are paying.

So would you agree with me that the government should do more to prevent any exploitation of workers and to protect them from modern

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slavery conditions? Grateful for the intervention.

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Grateful for the intervention. These are a complicated set of issues, and there's a genuine change in the structure and the change in the structure and the industry through the some of those legal cases that he's referred to. So I have to say over the years, it's been particularly the out of it's been particularly the out of area working that has troubled me. And I hope that we can address some of this and make sure it's safe. of this and make sure it's safe.

But he's absolutely right to say that the squeeze on drivers has been harsh, and I hope we can address that. I'd also say that I'm delighted that over a quarter of a century after I led a debate at Labour Party conference on lowering the voting age. It's ironic, isn't it, 25 years to lower the voting age to 16? It looks like it's finally going to happen. I'm really pleased about that. And I have to say, while I'm on constitutional reform, I suspect there's still some unfinished business relating to the second chamber I'd love to see addressed in the future.

But like 1 or 2 others, most of all, I welcome the proposals to bring us closer to the European Union. I have to say, one of my happiest days and evenings as a Ministers. Last year was the day of the the the agreement that we had started to develop. And I remember the celebrations that evening in the Downing Street garden, where there were pieces of cake being passed around with Union Jacks and EU flags on our phones have been confiscated. Unfortunately, I would love to send a picture back to my constituents in Cambridge because while I understand not everyone would have been celebrating, I can tell the House that certainly my constituents would have been absolutely delighted, and I was very pleased to hear the comments of the Prime Minister made in his speech on Monday on that.

But there's a paradox here, isn't there? Because I think most people in this country can now see that there was a problem with the Brexit process. And I think most people can see that the promises that were made at the time have not been delivered. And yet the very people who led that campaign have been surging in the polls. They're the people who are responsible for the damage. And frankly, I think they've been a bit too cautious about pointing it out, because the argument goes that we shouldn't be telling the electors they're wrong.

Well, absolutely right. Wasn't the electors that were wrong, it was the people who frankly misled them. They were shamelessly misled. And frankly, I think they're being misled again. And we should repeat that message endlessly. Be warned. Do not listen to these people. Now, any speech on Monday, the Prime Minister explicitly chose Europe, and he also chose young people. And I think in doing that, he chose the future. And I'm genuinely thrilled to hear that, because, frankly, my generation and the generation above have run off with all the money as far as I can see.

And the only way that will change is through explicit political choices. And again, there's a fear that politicians can't say anything about the pensioner generation for fear of upsetting them because they vote. Well, I think it's gone too far, quite frankly. I think it's time to recognise the very real unfair, the intergenerational unfairness that has emerged. So I hope we'll be seeing not just schemes to help young people working and travelling in Europe, but that every policy will be examined and looked at and the question asked, what impact will this have on that younger generation? And a final point in my speech during the Budget debate a few months ago, I railed against what I called the fragmentation and privatisation, the decay of the public realm.

Now, in retrospect, I thought it was a rather Cambridge way of putting it, because, frankly, it needs to be a bit more blunt. The question is, why are so many areas around the places where people live in such a state? And that is a point that's been made by a number of hon. Members. It's no wonder people are fed up. Whether it's graffiti, fly tipping, potholes. Frankly, I think we need to tackle those issues with an urgency that for too long has been missing.

Yes, local government was hollowed out and under resourced, but frankly, just saying that is not going to reassure angry voters. We need to actually fix those problems and show that we're fixing them. When we had the pandemic, it was a national emergency. And frankly, I think we need to do something similar to address that scale of problem. So, Madam Deputy Speaker, I wish the Prime Minister well, as he tries to make the national machine work. Frankly, the Labour Party needs him to succeed.

But even more, the country needs him to succeed.

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Yeah. Ahmed, thank. You, Madam Deputy Speaker. I

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You, Madam Deputy Speaker. I would like to start by associating myself with the remarks of Mr. myself with the remarks of Mr. Speaker, about how we should conduct ourselves in this place conduct ourselves in this place with kindness, compassion and respect, even when we disagree. And respect, even when we disagree. And I would like to quote Jalaluddin Rumi, a Muslim Sufi philosopher, who said, and I quote, before you speak, let your words pass through three gates.

Is it true? Is it necessary? And is it kind? And I believe that if we all followed

20:51

Iqbal Mohamed MP (Dewsbury and Batley, Independent)

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21:03

Matt Western MP (Warwick and Leamington, Labour)

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21:19

Dr Roz Savage MP (South Cotswolds, Liberal Democrat)

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21:34

Alistair Strathern MP (Hitchin, Labour)

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21:47

Leigh Ingham MP (Stafford, Labour)

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foot on the property ladder. I was proud and I felt like I really achieved a dream. But when you live achieved a dream. But when you live on an unadopted new build estate, as I did, the reality is so different from what you'd pictured. The nature of an adopted estate The nature of an adopted estate means that residents are paying for a service that many people get through their council tax, and it through their council tax, and it means that simple maintenance often is just not done.

It can result in unsafe paths, roads and parks. Let unsafe paths, roads and parks. Let me tell you about one constituent of mine at Sunset Grange in Eccleshall who uses a wheelchair. The footpaths on the estate were so badly maintained, uneven that she fell and was unable to move for 20 minutes until a passer-by found her, and she now has to pay for taxis to get to and from appointments that she should be able to reach independently. This is a basic failure of accessibility that should not be happening in 2026.

And on the crossings, residents have been waiting nearly 20 years for their roads to be adopted. That tells us everything about how slowly this system is working, so we must take action now to fix the historic problems and give these families safe neighbourhoods that they deserve and pride, and was proud to support this government's leasehold and commonhold reform bill. It's a huge step forward for homeowners and shows real progress in fixing an outdated system, and I support my hon. Friend's ten minute rule bill, which sounds excellent in what it's going to deliver, but I do ask the Ministers what more can we do the government do to protect those in leasehold situations and make sure their

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roads, paths and parks are safe and fit for purpose? Yes. Ministers.

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Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. Can I start by congratulating my hon. Friend the Member for Hitchin on securing this important debate. on securing this important debate. He is an incredibly hard working and extremely effective advocate for the interests of his for the interests of his constituency, and he has long championed action to address Unadopted amenities on privately Unadopted amenities on privately managed housing estates. I warmly commend him for his ongoing efforts to secure a fair deal for homeowners living on freehold estates in his constituency and across the rest of England.

Can I also thank those other hon. Members who have made interventions during the debate? My hon. Friends from Carlisle and Hastings and the hon. Gentleman from Exmouth and Exeter East, and also my hon. Friend from Stafford for sharing the experiences of residents on developments in her constituency, which are clearly unacceptable. Madam Deputy Speaker, whether it be roads, street lighting or sewers and drains, homeowners rightly expect that public amenities on new housing estates should be built to an acceptable standard that enables them, in due course, to be adopted by the local authority or other relevant body.

Yet for far too many homeowners, the experience of living on a newly developed housing estate has been tainted by hidden and enduring consequences of unadopted infrastructure. Madam Deputy Speaker Unadopted roads and private estate amenities are not in and of themselves new. As my hon. Friend mentioned, what has changed is their prevalence and the impact of private estate management arrangements on homeowners roads, sewers, drains, green spaces and other amenities that historically would have been maintained by the local authority or utility companies are instead now routinely left to be managed by private estate management companies, often with little transparency or accountability.

In many cases, the quality of the amenities on such freehold estates is inferior to those adopted by the relevant public authority, and falls far short of what people have a right to expect. Residential freeholders across the country frequently report open spaces not fit for purpose. Roads left unsurfaced and drainage systems, which are often little more than open ditches. These issues blight people's lives, and with few of the rights to redress found in other markets and no ability to control the management of the estates on which they live, residents feel like they are treated as second class homeowners.

Now. The Competition and Markets Authority, which has been mentioned, published a 2024 house building market study which identified significant consumer detriment arising from the private management of Unadopted public amenities on housing estates and concluded that without government intervention, this consumer detriment was likely to increase. This government believes that homeowners living on freehold estates deserve a fair deal. That's why we pledged in our manifesto to act to bring the injustice of leasehold private housing estates and unfair maintenance costs to an end.

Our objective is clear. Madam Deputy Speaker, we are determined to reduce the prevalence of private estate management arrangements, which are the root cause of the problems experienced by many residential freeholders, and we also want to provide those who currently live on privately managed estates with greater rights and protections, so that the fees they pay are fair, transparent and robustly justified. Now, as my hon. Friend is fully aware, the government is taking action to deliver on its manifesto commitments in this area.

He rightly referenced the two

21:51

Matthew Pennycook MP (Greenwich and Woolwich, Labour)

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comprehensive consultations that we launched on the 18th of December last year, both of which closed on the 12th of March. I don't intend, Madam Deputy Speaker, to summarise the contents of those two quite lengthy consultations. I know hon. Members have been engaging with them, but in simple terms, they sought views on how best to implement the new consumer implement the new consumer protections for homeowners on freehold estates, which were contained in the last Government's Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 act, but also the ways in which we might reduce the prevalence of privately managed estates over the coming years.

We are currently analysing the many responses received with a view to setting out next steps in due course. I'm clear, Madam Deputy Speaker, that our approach must be balanced. Homeowners must be protected. They should know before they buy whether the public amenities they will rely on will be adopted, and what that means for service standards and costs. Local authorities operating under significant pressures must have confidence that adoption is safe, sustainable and provides value for money. In turn, highways, authorities and drainage bodies must know that any infrastructure and amenities offered for adoption meet proper standards and are

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durable. I will give way. About Ministers for Giving way. Like many other members, I am Like many other members, I am exhausted by dealing with the Liberal Democrats, East Devon District Council and Devon County Council and they seem completely unaccountable. So can I ask the Ministers directly what could be done to make local government more

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accountable for the adoptions of roads? Well, I'd refer the hon. Gentleman in the first instance to that CMA House building report. And what they say very clearly is a twin track approach is needed. We need common adoptable standards only at the point that we have common standards can we force local authorities to adopt, because I understand, as I know many hon. Members do, the dilemma that local authorities can face when they have substandard amenities and are asked to adopt them and incur all the costs of bringing them up to the necessary standard, as well as their ongoing maintenance.

I will

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give way briefly to the hon. Gentleman and then I want to make some progress. Ministers, just a question, and you probably know it's going to be you probably know it's going to be before I even ask you, would the Ministers share his ideas on his conclusions and his way forward conclusions and his way forward with the relevant Ministers back home? For if the Ministers got a way of doing it better, we need to

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way of doing it better, we need to know it as well. Thank you so much. I will happily direct the my counterpart in Northern Ireland to counterpart in Northern Ireland to the government's response when we publish it in due course. Having analysed those two consultations, Madam Deputy Speaker, where private arrangements exist, they must be transparent and properly regulated. If residents are expected to pay for services, they must be able to see and scrutinise what they're paying for and to access effective routes to redress.

And we must, of course, ensure that any reforms taken forward work in practice across different types of development and support effective long term stewardship. But we also have to avoid unintended consequences, for example, implementing measures that would reduce overall housing delivery or that simply shift costs in ways that do not ultimately benefit homeowners. Now, alongside the consultations I've referenced, we are bringing forward measures to help those on existing unadopted housing estates, including the removal of draconian enforcement practices that can cause real anxiety for homeowners through the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill, which was published in draft in January this year and is obviously mentioned in substantive terms in the King's Speech today, we intend to repeal sections 121 122 of the Law of Property Act, 1925.

100 year old law to bring arrears collection into the modern era. The bill also strengthens safeguards around enforcement, including requiring notice before enforcement action can commence. We are acting to ensure that enforcement mechanisms are fair and proportionate, and that people are not faced with undue threats or escalating penalties in relation to their home. In addition, we're sponsoring a law commission project to consider longer term legal frameworks so that residents could be given greater control over the management of their estates. And I really do think that when alongside when we're looking alongside the consumer protections that are the short term answer to some of those unfair charges being levelled and how in the long term, we end the prevalence of these arrangements, that control is the really vital third leg of that stool, giving residents in those situations control.

And I know that's what my hon. Friend's private member's bill seeks to address, and we're also considering, Madam Deputy Speaker, what further steps we can take to strengthen the regulation of property agents, because the quality and conduct of the managing agent can make a profound difference to residents experience, particularly in respect of communication, responsiveness and the handling of disputes. Madam Deputy Speaker, this issue also engages the responsibilities of other departments, including the Department for transport and the Department for environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Residents do not experience these matters in departmental silos. A road that is not adopted affects safety and accessibility. Poorly managed drainage affects flood risk and local environmental quality, and under-maintained public spaces affect community wellbeing and pride in place concerning roads. Specifically, alongside our consultation, the Department for transport has commissioned independent research by Ipsos UK into the barriers to road adoption. This will help ensure that we have clear evidence base about what is preventing adoption in practice, whether that be issues of technical standards, inspection and certification processes, funding and commuted sums, long term liability or the interaction between planning consents and highways agreements.

That work will help inform my department's thinking about next steps, including how we can support local highways authorities and ensure that the system encourages timely adoption where that is the appropriate outcome in parallel. Madam Deputy Speaker, a future home hubs project is underway that is helping my department to engage with industry, local government and others on quality standards and delivery, ensuring that new estates come with well-designed, durable and maintainable infrastructure is an integral part of building the high quality places that communities expect.

I just want to briefly mention before I conclude transparency. It is important to recognise that this debate is not only one about about one type of amenity, it's about the whole public realm. On new estates, as has been mentioned, play areas, open spaces, water features, attenuation ponds, sustainable drainage, street lighting verges, footpaths and the smaller pieces of infrastructure that, taken together, determine whether development feels like a coherent community when those amenities are not properly completed, or when their long term upkeep is not clearly and fairly arranged.

Residents can feel that the place they are promised has not been delivered. That is why transparency at the point of sale matters so much. People are making the biggest financial commitment of their lives. In most cases, they should be able to understand in plain terms what is intended to be adopted, what will remain private, what services will be provided, how charges will be set, what protections exist if standards slip, and what happens if the original developer is no longer on the scene. Certainty and predictability are not luxuries.

They are essential. We know some private management arrangements can work well, particularly where there is a clear resident focussed governance model and robust oversight. But where such arrangements are used, it's vital that residents are not left exposed to opaque fees, poor service or enforcement measures that feel disproportionate. That's precisely why our reform programme spans both the prevention of poor outcomes by reducing the creation of problematic unadopted estates, and the strengthening of protections and accountability where those arrangements remain. So conclude. Madam Deputy Speaker, the government recognises the strength of feeling on this issue and the very real impacts that the current practice is having on homeowners.

We are acting through the two consultations that concluded in March through the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill, through the implementation of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024, through our sponsorship of the Law Commission's product I just mentioned, and through our ongoing efforts to strengthen the regulation of property agents, I look forward to continuing to engage with my hon. Friend and other hon. Members from across the House. As this work progresses, so that we can deliver a system that is clearer for consumers, fairer in practice, and better at ensuring that the places we build come with

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the adopted, well-maintained amenities that residents rightly expect. Hey.

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The question is that this House do now adjourn as many as are of do now adjourn as many as are of that opinion say aye. the ayes have

This debate has concluded

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