REPLAY: UK's Sunak sets out pre-election agenda in King's Speech
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Transcript
00:00 Thank you very much for joining us here on France 24.
00:09 In a few minutes from now, Britain's King Charles III will be making his first address
00:15 to parliamentarians as monarch.
00:18 The speech there you can see in the House of Lords will be his, will list out the government's
00:24 priorities for the new parliamentary session.
00:28 King Charles III accompanied by his wife Queen Camilla.
00:33 He will be handed the speech now which has been written by the government and then he
00:38 will read out the speech before parliamentarians joining me on set is France 24's Philip Turle.
00:48 Philip, just before the speech begins, talk us through the symbolism of all of this.
00:51 Well, this is the first speech by King Charles III.
00:55 You remember he stood in for his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II last year in May for
01:01 the last King's speech, for the Queen's speech.
01:05 He was Prince of Wales then.
01:07 Now he is going to be doing his first speech today.
01:10 The lady we see coming here is called the Black Rod.
01:12 The door is slammed in her face.
01:14 That is a tradition in the UK to indicate the separation of the monarchy from the government
01:21 and from the House of Commons.
01:23 She will knock at the door.
01:24 It will then be opened and then the members of the House of Commons will be allowed into
01:29 the House of Lords where they will be able to listen to the King's speech.
01:35 The lady there carrying Black Rod, that's what she's called, is the Lady Usher and her
01:40 name is Sarah Clark.
01:42 She is there now in the House of Commons where she is calling on the members of the House
01:47 of Commons to listen to the King's speech.
01:53 And that is going to be starting in just a few minutes when all of the members there
01:59 are settled and King Charles can begin a speech, which is probably going to last, I would reckon,
02:04 about 15 minutes or so.
02:06 And he will outline for both Houses of Parliament, the House of Lords and the House of Commons,
02:14 what the priorities of the government are.
02:17 Of course, the thing that many people don't know is that the speech is not actually written
02:21 by the King himself.
02:22 It's written by the government.
02:24 So that's the House of Commons, right?
02:27 What are we seeing right now?
02:28 This is the MPs from the House of Commons who are now making their way to the House
02:33 of Lords to listen to the King's speech.
02:36 The King is in the House of Lords.
02:37 This is all the Palace of Westminster in central London, the palace where you can see Big Ben
02:42 on the outside.
02:43 It's one of the most recognisable monuments in the United Kingdom.
02:48 So both Houses are settled there and it's just a short walk from the House of Commons
02:52 to the House of Lords, which is where all the MPs are.
02:56 The 649 MPs are now on their way to the House of Lords to listen to the King's speech,
03:03 the King's speech which announces the new parliamentary session of the year.
03:09 And this is probably, Delano, going to be the last time that we have a new parliamentary
03:15 session under Rishi Sunak before the next elections, which are due to be held in the
03:21 United Kingdom before January 2025.
03:24 So an important speech and probably one that I think will outline measures that the Prime
03:30 Minister will see as vote-catching measures to try to win back support that has gone to
03:38 the opposition Labour Party.
03:39 The Conservatives have been in power since 2010 and there is a worry in Conservative
03:45 circles that the fall in support in recent times may lead to a change of government and
03:52 the election of a Labour government at the next general elections next year.
03:56 And that's why we're expecting to see some pretty vote-catching measures announced in
04:02 the King's speech.
04:04 When he makes that speech in just a few minutes you can see Rishi Sunak there talking to the
04:08 leader of the opposition, Sikir Starmer.
04:11 OK, so we have the lawmakers making their way there from the House of Lords, from the
04:16 House of Commons to the House of Lords.
04:19 The speech is expected to start in a couple of minutes now.
04:23 But before it does, Philip, the fact that the King doesn't write the speech, does he
04:28 agree with everything he's reading here?
04:30 Not necessarily.
04:31 And that is one of the problems that the King has to put up with and the Queen before him.
04:37 And one of the requisites of this speech, which is going to be given by the Lord Chancellor,
04:43 is that he should not flinch or show any facial expressions which could lead one to believe
04:51 that he's in favour of some measures or not in favour of others.
04:56 So we'll have to listen to what he's going to say.
04:58 OK, let's take a listen.
05:04 My Lords and members of the House of Commons, it is mindful of a legacy of service and devotion
05:13 to this country set by my beloved mother, the late Queen, that I deliver this, the first
05:20 King's speech in over 70 years.
05:25 The impact of Covid and the war in Ukraine have created significant long-term challenges
05:31 for the United Kingdom.
05:34 That is why my government's priority is to make the difficult but necessary long-term
05:39 decisions to change this country for the better.
05:44 My minister's focus is on increasing economic growth and safeguarding the health and security
05:52 of the British people for generations to come.
05:57 My government will continue to take action to bring down inflation, to ease the cost
06:04 of living for families and help businesses fund new jobs and investments.
06:12 My ministers will support the Bank of England to return inflation to target by taking responsible
06:18 decisions on spending and borrowing.
06:23 These decisions will help household finances, reduce public sector debt and safeguard the
06:29 financial security of the country.
06:33 Legislation will be introduced to strengthen the United Kingdom's energy security and
06:40 reduce reliance on volatile international energy markets and hostile foreign regimes.
06:49 This bill will support the future licensing of new oil and gas fields, helping the country
06:56 to transition to net zero by 2050 without adding undue burdens on households.
07:05 Alongside this, my ministers will seek to attract record levels of investment in renewable
07:11 energy sources and reform grid connections, building on the United Kingdom's track record
07:18 of decarbonising faster than other G7 economies.
07:24 My government will invest in Network North to deliver faster and more reliable journeys
07:31 between and within the cities and towns of the North and Midlands, prioritising improving
07:38 the journeys that people make most often.
07:44 My ministers will strengthen education for the long term.
07:49 Steps will be taken to ensure young people have the knowledge and skills to succeed,
07:55 through the introduction of the Advanced British Standard that will bring technical and academic
08:01 routes into a single qualification.
08:06 Proposals will be implemented to reduce the number of young people studying poor-quality
08:12 university degrees and increase the number undertaking high-quality apprenticeships.
08:20 My ministers will take steps to make the economy more competitive, taking advantage of freedoms
08:27 afforded by the United Kingdom's departure from the European Union.
08:33 A bill will be brought forward to promote trade and investment with economies in the
08:39 fastest-growing region in the world.
08:43 My ministers will continue to negotiate trade agreements with dynamic economies, delivering
08:50 jobs and growth in the United Kingdom.
08:55 My ministers will introduce new legal frameworks to support the safe commercial development
09:01 of emerging industries, such as self-driving vehicles; introduce new competition rules
09:08 for digital markets; and encourage innovation in technologies such as machine learning.
09:17 Legislation will be brought forward to support the creative industries and protect public
09:23 interest journalism.
09:26 Proposals will be published to reform welfare and support more people into work.
09:34 My government will promote the integrity of the Union and strengthen the social fabric
09:40 of the United Kingdom.
09:44 Working with NHS England, my government will deliver its plans to cut waiting lists and
09:51 transform the long-term workforce of the National Health Service.
09:56 This will include delivering on the NHS Workforce Plan, the first long-term plan to train the
10:03 doctors and nurses the country needs, and minimum service levels to prevent strikes
10:11 from undermining patient safety.
10:15 Record levels of investment are expanding and transforming mental health services to
10:21 ensure more people can access the support they need.
10:27 My government will introduce legislation to create a smoke-free generation by restricting
10:34 the sale of tobacco so that children currently aged 14 or younger can never be sold cigarettes,
10:43 and restricting the sale and marketing of e-cigarettes to children.
10:50 My ministers will bring forward a bill to reform the housing market by making it cheaper
10:56 and easier for leaseholders to purchase their freehold, and tackling the exploitation of
11:02 millions of homeowners through punitive service charges.
11:08 Renters will benefit from stronger security of tenure and better value, while landlords
11:16 will benefit from reforms to provide certainty that they can regain their properties when
11:22 needed.
11:25 My government will deliver a long-term plan to regenerate towns and put local people in
11:32 control of their future.
11:36 Legislation will be brought forward to safeguard the future of football clubs for the benefit
11:42 of communities and fans.
11:46 A bill will be introduced to deal with the scourge of unlicensed pedicabs in London.
11:55 My government is committed to tackling anti-Semitism and ensuring that the Holocaust is never forgotten.
12:03 A bill will progress the construction of a National Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre
12:10 in Victoria Tower Gardens.
12:15 My government will act to keep communities safe from crime, anti-social behaviour, terrorism
12:23 and illegal migration.
12:26 A bill will be brought forward to ensure tougher sentences for the most serious offenders and
12:33 increase the confidence of victims.
12:37 My ministers will introduce legislation to empower police forces and the criminal justice
12:43 system to prevent new or complex crimes, such as digital-enabled crime and child sexual
12:51 abuse, including grooming.
12:56 At a time when threats to national security are changing rapidly due to new technology,
13:04 my ministers will give the security and intelligence services the powers they need and will strengthen
13:11 independent judicial oversight.
13:15 Legislation will be introduced to protect public premises from terrorism in light of
13:21 the Manchester Arena attack.
13:26 My government will deliver on the Illegal Migration Act passed earlier this year and
13:32 on international agreements to stop dangerous and illegal channel crossings and ensure it
13:38 is the government, not criminal gangs, who decides who comes to this country.
13:47 My government will continue to champion security around the world, to invest in our gallant
13:52 armed forces and to support veterans to whom so much is owed.
14:00 My ministers will work closely with international partners to support Ukraine, strengthen NATO
14:07 and address the most pressing security challenges.
14:12 This includes the consequences of the barbaric acts of terrorism against the people of Israel,
14:20 facilitating humanitarian support into Gaza and supporting the cause of peace and stability
14:26 in the Middle East.
14:30 My government will continue to lead action on tackling climate change and biodiversity
14:37 loss, support developing countries with their energy of transition and hold other countries
14:46 to their environmental commitments.
14:51 The United Kingdom will continue to lead international discussions to ensure that artificial intelligence
15:00 is developed safely.
15:04 My government will host the Global Investment Summit, the European Political Community and
15:10 the Energy Conference, leading global conversations on the United Kingdom's most pressing challenges.
15:20 I look forward to welcoming His Excellency the President of the Republic of Korea and
15:25 Mrs Kim Kye-on-hee for a state visit later this month.
15:33 My government will, in all respects, seek to make long-term decisions in the interests
15:40 of future generations.
15:43 My ministers will address inflation and the drivers of low growth over demands for greater
15:49 spending or borrowing.
15:52 My ministers will put the security of communities and the nation ahead of the rights of those
15:58 who endanger it.
16:01 By taking these long-term decisions, my government will change this country and build a better
16:07 future.
16:11 Members of the House of Commons, estimates for the public services will be laid before
16:17 you.
16:19 My Lords and Members of the House of Commons, other measures will be laid before you.
16:26 I pray that the blessing of Almighty God may rest upon your counsels.
16:33 Thank you.
16:58 You were listening to Britain's King Charles III making his first address to parliamentarians
17:04 as monarch.
17:05 He said his government was focused on increasing economic growth and easing the cost of living
17:12 crisis.
17:16 The speech at Westminster outlined the government's priorities for the new parliamentary session.
17:22 The government is also expected to promote trade and take advantage of Brexit freedoms.
17:29 France 24's international affairs editor, Philip Turs, was in the studio with me listening
17:34 to that speech.
17:35 Philip, what did you make of what the King said in that speech, which he did not write?
17:41 You should clarify.
17:42 That is a speech that was written by the government, by the Prime Minister.
17:46 And as I was saying just before the speech began, it was a speech that is destined to
17:53 come forward with measures to be appealing to the electorate of head of elections, which
18:00 would take place in the United Kingdom before the end of next year.
18:05 So what many were saying was that the measures that the King was going to announce would
18:11 go against his own wishes that there were going to be more planet-friendly measures
18:19 announced by the government.
18:20 In fact, what the King did announce in that speech, I think would be generally welcomed
18:25 by him as an individual, because he is someone who has been very attentive about the threat
18:31 of global warming for decades now.
18:34 And there were measures in there that have been announced that the UK is going to take
18:38 the necessary steps to try to thwart global warming and to move towards liberating the
18:44 United Kingdom from greenhouse gases by 2050.
18:49 All of these are measures that, of course, the King would be in favour of himself.
18:53 The speech saying that the government is ready to tackle climate change as well, that's something
18:59 else that King Charles has always said that he wants to remain in favour of.
19:04 So I think certain measures there are going to be getting the thumbs up from the royal
19:10 family.
19:11 But generally, what we saw was measures that are really at the forefront of concerns within
19:17 the United Kingdom, like the National Health Service plans to cut waiting lists, which
19:22 is something which people have been complaining about for a very long time, an increase in
19:26 the train services, better travel around the country, stopping the migrant boats coming
19:33 across the Channel from Calais to the United Kingdom.
19:37 That's something the government has been trying very hard to clamp down against, attacking
19:42 anti-Semitism in the United Kingdom, the announcement that there was going to be a new Holocaust
19:47 memorial built in central London.
19:50 That was something that will be welcomed, I think, especially in the current international
19:54 situation.
19:55 I want to just jump on that because international events did sort of make their way into the
20:00 speech.
20:01 You had, Barnak, mentioned the war in Ukraine, as well as the attacks last month in southern
20:08 Israel, Hamas's attacks.
20:10 Yeah, and also the King saying that the United Kingdom would remain very vigilant about what
20:21 was going on and saying that it supported the people of Gaza in the face of these bombing
20:27 raids from Israel, but also that Israel had a right to defend itself and that there needed
20:31 to be a peaceful solution to all of this, a peaceful resolution.
20:36 The United Kingdom has been quite vocal, like many other countries, in its desire for a
20:42 two-state solution between the Palestinians on one side and the Israelis on the other.
20:47 All of that coming out in the speech here, also a mention of the war in Ukraine and the
20:51 threat to world stability as well.
20:54 So lots of international points that were brought up in the speech.
21:00 It remains to be seen now.
21:01 There's an interesting couple of points that need to be looked at.
21:09 The first one is that this speech lasted about 10 minutes, a little bit shorter than expected,
21:15 and it will now be voted on this afternoon in the House of Commons.
21:18 There is a vote.
21:20 It's a symbolic vote, really, amongst MPs put forward by the Prime Minister.
21:26 It is nearly always accepted, the only time that MPs have voted against a King's speech
21:31 that was presented to the House of Commons was in 1924 when Stanley Baldwin was Prime
21:36 Minister.
21:37 So it was almost 100 years ago in just a few months.
21:39 Is this the last King's speech before the next general election in the UK?
21:43 Well, there's no exact date on when that election is going to take place.
21:47 It has to take place before the end of next year or January 2025.
21:52 I think that there probably won't be another parliamentary or another new parliamentary
21:55 session between now and then because it'll all be too complicated to organise when we
22:02 are in an election year.
22:05 The second point is that as we don't know the date, the government will see when it
22:09 calls the election depending on how popular it is in the opinion polls, and then it will
22:13 announce the date pretty soon after that.
22:16 Britain normally holds elections in the month of May, but there have been in recent years
22:20 times when those elections, like for example in 2019 when Boris Johnson received a landslide
22:25 election was in December.
22:26 So there is reason to think that this next election could take place at the end of next
22:31 year or the very latest in January 2025.