Starmer’s New Law Pack: What Britain Will Change

The upcoming Parliament will introduce 37 new laws as part of Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s agenda to demonstrate continued leadership of the Labour Party after a challenging local election. The king’s speech, drafted by ministers, will officially launch these legislative plans.

Trade Focus

• European Partnership Bill: Grants Britain the authority to negotiate new deals on energy, food, and emissions with the EU more efficiently.

Regulatory Shifts

• Regulating for Growth Bill: Requires regulatory bodies overseeing the environment and safety to assess how their rules support business growth. It also allows companies to test emerging technologies—such as AI and medical devices—before full market release.

Security Measures

• Tackling State Threats Bill: Empowers the government to sanction groups acting on behalf of hostile states. Police will gain easier prosecution routes for sabotage and espionage.

House of Lords Reforms

• Removal of Peerages Bill: Simplifies the process of stripping a peerage from individuals who resign or are expelled, following a recent case where a former politician continued to use the title “Lord” after leaving office.

Immigration Overhaul

• Replaces a two-tier appeal system with a single body, giving asylum seekers only one chance to challenge decisions.
• Limits judicial interpretation of certain provisions within the European Convention on Human Rights.

Energy Security

• Energy Independence Bill: Accelerates offshore wind, hydrogen, and smart‑grid projects. Aims to decouple electricity prices from gas price volatility.
• Supports growth in nuclear power.

Youth Voting

• Representation of the People Bill: Lowers the voting age to 16 across all UK elections, aiming to increase trust and turnout among younger voters.

Welfare

• No new welfare legislation is proposed. Efforts to reduce welfare costs were abandoned due to opposition from within Starmer’s own MPs.