The King’s Speech was overshadowed by the Westminster clown show May 14, 2026 Put the current political chaos from your mind for a moment and imagine that Keir Starmer wasn’t under threat. Imagine a version of the Prime Minister – still unpopular and still struggling to engineer economic growth – but at least with the full backing of his cabinet and MPs. Under such circumstances, yesterday’s King’s Speech [...]
Starmer to face challenge from Streeting May 13, 2026 Sir Keir Starmer is set to face an imminent leadership challenge from health secretary Wes Streeting, according to reports, as Labour’s infighting explodes into open war. The Prime Minister attempted to use the King’s Speech – setting out his legislative agenda for the year ahead – to regain the initiative, promising “radical change.” But minutes [...]
King’s Speech: Under Labour, Britain looks like a bad bet May 13, 2026 Today’s King’s Speech offered no solutions, just a failing government doubling down on its mistakes, says Mel Stride The King’s Speech will not restore confidence. It will not tame inflation. It will not bring borrowing down. And it certainly will not convince markets that under Keir Starmer’s Labour, Britain has a government with a grip [...]
King’s Speech shows incremental change is all Starmer knows May 13, 2026 Keir Starmer says incremental change won't cut it, yet his King's Speech was nothing but tinkering and rearranging, writes Matthew Bowles.
City sounds the alarm on pension inheritance tax upheaval May 13, 2026 City grandees have raised the alarm over government plans to overhaul key rules over pensions and inheritance tax. The sweeping reforms will allow scheme providers to retain half an outstanding pension pot to ensure executors can cover potential bills for inheritance tax, or IHT. Due to take effect in April next year, the changes will bring [...]
Jury trial controversy looms over Starmer after King’s Speech points to reform May 13, 2026 Controversial government plans to trim back the use of jury trials were included in the King’s Speech on Wednesday, as an embattled Keir Starmer persevered with an long-trailed overhaul of the UK’s criminal justice system. The Courts Modernisation Bill could become the latest issue over which Downing Street and the parliamentary Labour Party clash at [...]
Farage to face probe on £5m gift from Harborne May 13, 2026 Reform UK leader Nigel Farage is set to be investigated by the parliamentary standards committee after he received a £5m donation from Thai-based crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne shortly before being elected as an MP. Farage will be probed on whether he broke a code of conduct for MPs on failing to declare the large gift [...]
Westminster permadrama is sabotaging productivity May 13, 2026 The constant drama of Westminster is distracting politicians, investors and the general public from getting on with what they're meant to.
Ticket tout bill branded as ‘not enough’ as Labour confirms crackdown May 13, 2026 After months of pressure from the music industry and furious fans, Labour has confirmed plans for a sweeping crackdown on ticket touting as part of Wednesday’s King’s Speech. But reforms may still be years away from becoming law. The draft Ticket Tout Ban Bill would make it illegal to resell tickets for live events above [...]
Ministers to be handed ‘statutory powers’ to steer regulator’s growth agenda May 13, 2026 Ministers will be handed new “statutory powers” to steer UK watchdog’s growth agenda and define what it means in different “regulatory contexts“. In the King’s Speech, the government revealed its Regulating for Growth Bill – a cross-sector piece of legislation designed to beef up the UK’s regulatory system’s fostering of growth. The government’s report takes [...]