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The newly elected Labour Government has unveiled its plans for the House of Commons in the coming weeks, prioritising the bill to renationalise the railways, and legislation to guarantee independent analysis of Government budgets in a dig at Liz Truss’ former administration.
This Friday will see debate on the Government’s King’s Speech continue, focusing on planning, green belt, and rural affairs. It marks the beginning of an intense legislative period before the summer recess, while hundreds of new MPs settle into their roles.
The following week, starting 22 July, will be dominated by further debates on the King’s Speech. Monday will cover the economy, welfare, and public services, while Tuesday will conclude with discussions on immigration and home affairs.
Next Wednesday, will see a “general debate on education and opportunity”, presumably pushing Labour’s core missions.
The following day’s agenda includes a debate on second jobs for MPs and the establishment of a House of Commons modernisation committee, again signalling Labour’s focus on standards in public life.
Next week could also see debate on a Scottish National Party amendment to the King’s Speech, to scrap the two child benefit cap, after Keir Starmer dodged calls to include it in his programme for Government.
The amendment, in the name of SNP Westminster Leader Stephen Flynn MP, has received some early cross-party support from Plaid Cymru, the Green Party, SDLP, Alliance Party and some independent MPs including Jeremy Corbyn. If chosen by the Speaker, the amendment would go to a vote next week.
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The new Government’s green agenda takes centre stage on July 26, with a debate on “making Britain a clean energy superpower”, pegged around Labour’s election promises on climate action including getting to 100% renewable electricity by 2030.
The following week will see the introduction of two key bills: the Passenger Railway Services Public Ownership Bill and the Budget Responsibility Bill. The former will renationalise rail franchises in England, while the latter is designed to bolster the independent Office for Budget Responsibility, which ex-PM Liz Truss eschewed in her chaotic 2022 mini-budget.
The House is set to break for summer recess on 30 July, returning on 2 September. A brief session will follow before the conference recess from 12 September to 7 October– Labour’s first party conference in nearly 15 years where they have been in Government.
The agenda as set out by Commons leader Lucy Powell isn’t exhaustive and excludes urgent questions and statements. Today the Commons will debate the King’s Speech and hear urgent questions on the prison population crisis, and Labour’s “clean energy superpower” mission.
Responding to Labour, Conservative shadow Commons leader Chris Philp demanded that “any claims about public finance should be accompanied by a full [Office for Budget Responsibility] forecast.” Philp backed Liz Truss during the 2022 Conservative leadership election.
Philp also told MPs the Conservatives had left the “in fantastic condition.” And he bemoaned the fact the new Government had scrapped the Rwanda scheme as promised, claiming it “had been due to start next week”.
On the two child benefit limit, Keir Starmer has sought to head off an early rebellion by launching a ‘taskforce’ on child poverty which is likely to consider the cap.
New figures published by Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG), last week, found 1.6 million children are impacted by the two child benefit cap – with families losing up to £3,455 a year per child. The charity found 300,000 children would be lifted out of poverty, and a further 700,000 would be in less deep poverty, if the two child cap was abolished.
However, the Labour party appears concerned that it will be portrayed by the Right as “soft” on welfare if it backs down, with the two-child limit having some popular support.
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Josiah Mortimer also writes the On the Ground column, exclusive to the print edition of Byline Times.
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