You’ve heard the king’s speech – but I think a better one might run like this |
While I welcome many measures in the king’s speech, an alternative might look something like this.
My lords, and members of the Commons: my government is committed to winning back the support of the British people and demonstrating that they are “on the side” of those who are working – or who have worked – hard to make ends meet.
My government will therefore bring forward legislation, as a matter of priority, to take powers to protect the British people from the impact of global conflict and the consequent increases in the cost of living; to reduce rising inflation and maintain living standards.
To this end, my government will appoint a secretary of state for consumer protection who will be given powers to intervene, where appropriate on a temporary basis, to freeze energy bills for 12 months from 1 July, and to introduce a windfall levy on excess profits from oil and gas arising out of the closure of the strait of Hormuz in order to meet the cost of this intervention.
Consequent on having already passed the Renters Rights Act, my government will take temporary power for the new secretary of state to retrospectively introduce rent controls for an initial 12-month period that will allow landlords to increase rents by no more than the rate of inflation based on the CPI rate in September 2025 and applying from 1 January 2026.
My government will return to the issue of welfare reform. A sensitive and humane approach will be adopted to modernising the current........