Labour say their ‘mandate for change’ will see a raft of new legislation introduced designed to prioritise growth in the King’s Speech at the official State Opening of Parliament on Wednesday 17th July.
The speech will include proposals to launch a National Wealth Fund to ‘drive investment into the UK,’ to a new Mission Control to push forward the clean energy agenda, and recruiting a new border security command. The role of the Office of Budget Responsibility will be strengthened ‘to ensure nobody can play fast and loose with the public finances ever again.’ And the party have committed to legislation that will ‘help to create wealth in every community and hand the power back to local leaders who know what is best for their areas.’
Campaign groups have already called for the new government to prioritise cohabitation reform and ‘real tangible change’ in dealing with domestic abuse.
In a speech at the Labour Party conference last year, Shadow Attorney General Emily Thornberry MP said that the Labour government would reform the law for cohabiting couples with commentators calling on the new government to make cohabitation reform a priority. Grant Cameron, Chair of Resolution’s National Committee says:
“Resolution is looking forward to working with new ministers and Ministry of Justice officials to make cohabitation reform a reality as quickly as possible.
“The family justice system in England and Wales is at a crucial turning point. It is vital that the family justice system meets the need of today’s modern families. We urge the Government to make cohabitation reform a priority so that more than 3.6 million cohabiting families in the UK get the legal protection they urgently need.”
Domestic abuse charity Women’s Aid have welcomed pledges from the new government on ‘ending domestic violence against women and girls within ten years’ in their manifesto. Chief Executive of Women’s Aid, Farah Nazeer says
“The election of a new government presents an opportunity for real, and tangible change in the way that tackling domestic abuse and other forms of violence against women and girls is approached in this country. While there have been some positive legislative changes in recent years, including the introduction of the Domestic Abuse Act (2021) and the criminalisation of coercive control, survivors have been largely let down by disjointed responses to the issues they face and inadequate funding. The tragic reality is that 1 in 4 women will experience domestic at some point in their lives and the domestic abuse sector must be supported to provide their life-saving services.
Women’s Aid welcomed pledges made by Labour during this election period to halve violence against women and girls within a decade of being elected, but for this promise to be delivered, urgent and sustainable investment is needed. As it stands, the domestic abuse sector is facing ongoing challenges that leave many survivors facing a postcode lottery of support, with women and children being turned away at their point of need. The government must commit to investing £427 million per year, as a minimum, into specialist services, so that women and children get the support they deserve. What’s more, we know that every pound invested in domestic abuse support services will see a saving to the Exchequer of at least £9 – saving money and lives.
Domestic abuse is a national threat and needs an urgent response to protect women and children. Women’s Aid invites the new government to work with us and utilise our expertise to deliver on their promises for transformation and to ensure that women and children who have experienced abuse can get the support they deserve.”
More than 35 bills are being prepared according to a government statement, which will build on the statements already made in the first weeks of Labour taking office with Prime Minister Keir Starmer saying:
“Our work is urgent. There is no time to waste. We are hitting the ground running by bringing forward the laws we will need to rebuild our country for the long-term – and our ambitious, fully costed agenda is the downpayment on that change.”
“From energy, to planning, to unbreakable fiscal rules, my government is serious about delivering the stability that is going to turbo charge growth that will create wealth in every corner of the UK.”
“The task of national renewal will not be easy, and this is just the down payment on our plans for the next five years, but the legislation set out at the King’s Speech will build on the momentum of our first days in office and make a difference to the lives of working people.”
