Law and order and the economy are focus of the British government's King's Speech
Britain’s Conservative government is setting out a pre-election policy slate including tougher sentences for criminals and measures to boost economic growth
LONDON — Britain’s Conservative government set out a pre-election policy slate including tougher sentences for serious crimes and promises of elusive economic growth on Tuesday in a speech delivered by King Charles III at the grand State Opening of Parliament.
The king read out a speech written by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s government, outlining its legislative plans for the next year. The government said it was making “difficult but necessary long-term decisions to change this country for the better.” Opposition politicians and business groups called it a lightweight speech short on measures to kickstart a sluggish economy.
It’s almost certainly the last such speech before a national election, and Sunak’s first chance to set out major legislative plans since he became prime minister just over a year ago. The last session of Parliament opened in May 2022, when Boris Johnson was prime minister and Queen Elizabeth II sat on the throne.
Charles became monarch when his mother died in September 2022 after a 70-year reign. He paid tribute to “my beloved mother” at the start of the first King’s — rather than Queen’s — Speech since 1951.
The speech gave clues to how the Conservatives plan to campaign in an election that must be called by the end of 2024. The Tories have been in power since 2010, but opinion polls put them up to 20 points behind the opposition Labour Party.
There was a strong focus on law and order, an area where the Conservatives think they have an edge over left-of-center Labour. The speech announced tougher sentences for serious offenses, including
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