What a mess! The PM agrees to a short meeting on King’s Speech day with his Health Secretary. Someone tells the Times Streeting will call a contest today. We read he did not want to go public yesterday to overshadow the Speech, yet someone in the know tipped off the papers to ensure the Speech was overshadowed. There was no early or any denial from Streeting which any loyal Cabinet member would immediately put out.
So the King read out a turgid long list of lifeless Bills, many of them repeats of old themes whilst Ministers had their minds on questions of whether to run, who to support, how to keep their jobs.
Many of these Bills if pursued are troubled. What can another Steel nationalisation Bill do to correct the folly of the last one that failed to agree transfer of the plant from the Chinese owners or agree to who has to pay off old debts?
What will a new Water Regulator do differently to the current one? Why cant the government just issue better instructions to Ofwat? Why persist with widely loathed digital ID, a solution in search of a problem? What will be yet another Criminal Justice Bill?
The worst Bill and the centre of the economic and constitutional struggle is the EU re set Bill. Based on the wrong notion that we could boost trade with the EU to boost growth, it will lock us into more bad laws, put up energy prices and taxes, invite in many more young people in need of jobs and hones we do not have, and put up spending to give them money we cannot afford.
May 14, 2026
I wonder if you have run the notion that boosting trade with the EU won’t boost growth past any of the economics fellows at All Souls?
Reply They know my views. They do not write about that topic. Pity you cannot be bothered to follow the argument or see from the data how joining the Customs Union hit our growth rate.
May 14, 2026
Allister Heath is surely correct in today’s Telegraph (to adopt a line from a prolific poster on here) :-
‘ Starmer will soon be gone, but he will be remembered as the Left’s Trojan Horse: he won power on a deceptively moderate manifesto, conned the electorate, broke all his promises, governed like a 1970s socialist and paved the way for an even more Left-wing and Rejoinist Labour PM.
…. he promised not to reverse Brexit, but is racing to do so. Starmer expanded the Overton window, normalised mad policies and paved the way for an even more Left-wing candidate, one who would never have been elected in a general election.’
May 14, 2026
Indeed he almost invariably is. Jacob Rees Mogg said Ambrose P E had witten a brilliant article on fusion and the EU yesterday. Must be a first I thought so I read it. Not brilliant but a was improvement on his usual tripe.
May 14, 2026
So Ofcon Ofcom are investigating GB news for not challenging Trump on his climate “change is a hoax claim. ”
If you think the climate changes always have always will then it is not a hoax. If however you think as it now does means a fiery & imminent man made CO2 hell on earth then it is indeed a hoax. Were not ofcom the group that forced the media to lie about net harm covid lockdowns and net harm Covid Vaccines. Are they now the UK arbiters of science? They do not even seem to be scientist!
May 14, 2026
The in-fighting is more interesting than the possible outcome now. Starmer dragging his time out or another PM being installed will not make much difference for the country.
The main contenders and how much support they can muster is like a soap opera. Allegations about what motivates the main players emerge. Starmer was said to have been prepared to leave if he could maintain a dignified (in his mind) image. Then he gets angered and decides to fight on. Reports of his behaviour in cabinet and all the behind-the-scenes stuff are fascinating.
May 14, 2026
Economist Dan probably can’t understand the nature of the EU. Trade is secondary to subjugation of nations into a Soviet style command economy.
Like Starmer and the rest of the leftwaffe they are blinded by ideology.
The Kings speech was a disgrace which amplified the fact the government had no ideas how to run the economy beneficial to Britain.
May 14, 2026
Indeed
May 14, 2026
+1
The EEC / EU has NEVER been about trade or economics.
It’s about command and control by a politburo which is “above” democracy and building a United States of Europe where the means of national independence (manufacturing capability – steel; energy – “coal;” and agriculture) are destroyed by inter-dependence.
May 14, 2026
That is a straw man argument. No-one is saying that boosting trade with the EU (or India, or USA) won’t increase growth. The argument is that making our imports from non-EU countries (50% of total) more expensive by joining the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism will depress growth. So go on – why won’t it ? It is a Customs Union component so is irrelevant to direct UK-EU trade.
May 14, 2026
@Roy Grainger – the EU deploys laws and rules inside the UK that are not conditions of trade with any other nation. Why because the UK as the EU said at the time of the Withdrawal Agreement, is the EU’s Colony now.
May 14, 2026
Big picture is that we need to focus on creating HIGH QUALITY, HIGH-TECH BRITISH BRANDS (make as easy as poss for entrepreneurs/companies and to try and keep them UK-owned and in UK long-term). And high-tech not just about hardware but also software and services (loads of £££ in services too).
And then we can EXPORT where we like (and high tech great for PRODUCTIVITY and HIGH QUALITY JOBS) back home.
So we need to compete with Americans and others over high tech. With Germans over quality cars. Etc
Trade agreements important. But not that important.
May 14, 2026
Roy, read the post – JR said explictly that boosting trade with the EU does not boost growth.
May 14, 2026
Can you are a fake detractor self-styled “economist”.
Also going for the man and not the ball and debate is a sure sign when losing.
May 14, 2026
ED :
When we were members of the EU we had a £100bn/YEAR trading deficit with the EU. In 2025 it was £89bn. How would “boosting trade with the EU” improve our balance of payments? The whole idea of accepting the EU’s rules would be to make our manufacturing even more expensive by increasing our energy costs with increased carbon taxes and our imports from non-EU countries more expensive with duties and CBAM. It is quite obvious that the current administration having seen the latest polls and election results has just one policy – a scorched earth policy – which is to be expected as socialism depends upon making and keeping people poor. And the history of the last century shows us to where socialism eventually leads. The political discussion in energy now is how to best to ration its use and cope with expensive, intermittent electricity from renewables…it is no longer claimed to be cheap and abundant and available at the flick of a switch (P19 of the Net Zero Strategy).
May 14, 2026
The trouble with socialists/communists is that they are always right and ordinary people always ring. It is pointless trying to engage with them or debate. Their minds are closed, hermetically sealed. And the outcome is always the same: dictatorship, poverty and oppression. The only difference, potentially in UK this time, is that the Islamist allies of the Left takeover as they did in Iran in 1979.
There is one new law we really do need and that is one whereby ordinary voters can force a government to hold a general election. The Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act 2022 does not require a general election following dissolution. It dissolves parliament automatically after five years but leaves the government in office. So the situation in 2029 will be Starmer’s Gang, perhaps with a different communist leader, still in office but no MPs. I repeat, zero MPs, ie, no opposition, no holding ministers to account. There isn’t even a law in Britain saying there must be a national parliament. It is an unwritten constitutional practice. That is all.
May 14, 2026
@Peter Gardner – spot on, it is not their fiefdom it is our nation
May 14, 2026
‘The trouble with socialists/communists is that they are always right and ordinary people always ring’
– socialists always left and ordinary people always rung
May 14, 2026
A much better solution to the fact that the Electorate demonstrates discontent regularly with governments is to revise the term of office to 3 years. This would restrict measures that might offend the voters, allowed positive manifesto promises to be carried out and bring confidence to casting votes.
Of course even if the public agreed, the Establishment will react with horror.
May 14, 2026
The worst Bill and the centre of the economic and constitutional struggle is the EU re set Bill
Well hopefully Starmer will be gone very soon, and when ever a General Election is called be it Tories or Reform they have in there manifesto and pledges to the voter to over turn anything this liebour government do in the next few months of there survival about the dreaded EU
May 14, 2026
Notable also that Starmer has entirely bypassed the democratic process in his EU reset bill – individual ministers can decide personally whether to follow EU laws and regulations in their area without any need for a vote in the Commons or even a debate on the issues.
May 14, 2026
It is telling when a recently elected government who claimed their ambition was to bring about change, ends up giving the King a speech to read out that is focused entirely of their standard no change position.
Labour came to office with no new ideas and have ensured their lack of innovation was progressed. They have managed to change one thing though. The country no longer believes Labour is capable of changing anything.
The growth in state spending, no change. The growth in Public sector scale and cost no change. The ongoing illegal immigration from continental Europe, no change. The increasing level of taxation each and every year, no change. The expansion of the benefits class, no change. The submission to international institutions we have zero influence over, no change.
I can feel a song coming on. No change..
May 14, 2026
Doom loop lunacy in every single policy they push which will clearly end in economic and social doom. A good interview by David Starkey of Tommy Robinson on the march on Saturday and Starmer’s banning for people from coming into the country.
May 14, 2026
@Lifelogic – the easiest way for a Dictator to quell dissension, is to ban them. A democratic leader would listen hear and produce a counter argument. That is beneath those that are a god unto themselves.
May 14, 2026
LL
‘David Starkey of Tommy Robinson’
They’re extremists. If we want to get UK back on track then we need to return to good old fashioned Christian values (without pushing religion on people) of work ethic (like the Quakers in business and medieval guilds), depend on self and family instead of state, patriotism (like Joan of Arc), civic values (it was the Church who gave us our Parliament, judiciary, Oxford, Cambridge etc – Sir Isaac Newton Biblical scholar), best of our Greco-Roman values (think what the Romans and Greeks achieved at their best) and BRITISH SENSE OF HUMOUR!
Extremism is foreign to us (being tough on immigration and reducing taxes is not extremism). Whether extremism of the left (French Revolution / Russian) or the right.
May 15, 2026
Is it extreme to want justice for the underage victims of the rape gangs? That campaign is what has put Tommy Robinson beyond the pale.
May 15, 2026
Strong-moderate as opposed to extremist looks at the broad picture and solving all the big problems that way. There are soooo many serious issues in our country (and others) that need sorting out. But we’re not superman. With superman powers to fix each one on own.
And the problem with superman is that extremists begin to think they are superman, cutting corners to attain power for themselves which eventually leads to huge abuses of power. Look at extremists throughout history, and so often, they weaponise some cause to put themselves on the map and make a power grab. Something like that.
Extremism is tempting for sure. But resist! Opt for Strong moderate.
May 15, 2026
I meant the police are about PREVENTING CRIME not just part of the judiciary. And others working along with the police to protect vulnerable people.
You just focus on JUSTICE. But NOT PREVENTION. As well.
(And Liberals don’t want to discuss prevention either because of PC attitudes of ‘upsetting’ communities).
You need a comprehensive tough approach. Not just tough in one way. And the sum of prevention + justice is much more effective than just justice alone.
May 14, 2026
How lucky we are to have such experienced people in Government. Just like we were lucky to have experienced people during the 14 years of Not-a-Conservative-Party Government.
The state of the country with a collapsing economy; rampant criminality; mass immigration, including “Establishment approved” but illegal immigration and increasingly violent sectarianism is a consequence of all that experience we have benefited from since Mrs Thatcher was ousted. If the Prime Liar goes, we will have another wonderfully experienced puppet to replace him and the UK’s trip to hell in a handcart will continue unabated.
The sole aim of the Establishment, since 2016, has been to get us back into the EU as Associate Members …. which is what Cameron proposed to Merkel and she rejected. And that aim applies to the NaCP as well as Labour which is why Johnson’s “deal” was so weak; Sunak watered it down with the Windsor Treachery and Badenough (yes let’s not forget her) REFUSED to repeal 4000 pieces of EU Regulations which were scheduled to go.
What the people voted for in 2016 is irrelevant and the only positive is that the Establishment can no longer hide its disdain for democracy and contempt for “the little people.”
May 14, 2026
@Donna – and those with power still fight that daily. They hate Democracy, they hate the idea of us loaning them power
May 14, 2026
Rod: The melody of your no change points echoes the 1976 Tammy Wynette song ‘No charge’. Check the lyrics, which are over-sentimental yet can make grown men cry. The contrast is the very heavy charge Labour costs taxpayers to pay for their nonsense.
If the government cared for its citizens any way near the child’s mother did, we would write ‘Paid in Full’ on the note in appreciation.
May 14, 2026
Well spotted, that Bloke. 🙂
May 14, 2026
There has been change.
The prospects of anyone considering starting or growing their UK business has darkened.
The size of the National Debt and interest payments on it has gone up.
The options for young people leaving school to get employment are fewer.
Gilt yields have gone up.
The number of illegal migrants in the country has gone up.
The cross channel taxi service is still working though, no change from the last lot.
May 14, 2026
Yes, Dave, indeed. The oft repeated assertion that people voted for change is infuriating. And lazy. 20% of the electorate voted for this communist regime. Others voted at Farage’s behest to destroy the Conservative Party without a second thought about what would come in its place. Farage said it would make no difference, and that Brexit was done and Brexit was safe. It is time he was held partly accountable for all this horrid damage done to the country.
May 14, 2026
Things can only get better, can only get better
But not if left wingers over legislate as usual.
May 14, 2026
From the launching of that refrain on almost all things have got worse.
I am reminded of George Harrison’s All things must pass.
Sunrise doesn’t last all morning
A cloudburst doesn’t last all day
Seems my love is up
And has left you with no warning
It’s not always gonna be this grey
All things must pass
All things must pass away
Sunset doesn’t last all evening
A mind can blow those clouds away
After all this my love is up
And must be leaving
But it’s not always going
To be this grey.
May 14, 2026
Morning my Lord.
Does the House of Commons have to vote on the King’s Speech?
If they do and the House votes against it, what would happen then?
Reply Yes, Commons votes on the Speech. If it votes it down the government cannot govern as it wishes so it would be like losing a Confidence vote.Either they would have to change PMs or the PM would have to come back with a programme they would vote for.
May 14, 2026
@Cliff.. Wokingham. – as with everything that goes through that House the MPs get to ‘own’ the results, personally ‘own’ , they are the ones culpable for the direction and outcomes.
Just very few of them understand that, what the ‘Gang Boss’ says goes, and not what those that elected,paid and empowered want. Its Parliament that is corruption democracy
May 14, 2026
Reply to Reply: But surely, with collective responsibility, the King’s Speech is the programme of the whole Government, not just the PM, so the proper way forward would be for the whole Government to resign followed by a general election, not just a change of PM?
May 14, 2026
The Labour Party’s friends in HMRC have decided that Rayner’s dodging of her Stamp Duty was all just a silly mistake and she did nothing wrong. Just in time for the Labour Leadership contest.
What a surprise (not).
May 14, 2026
Very different to how they treated Zahawi.
May 14, 2026
I see Rayner has paid HMRC the additional part (£40k) of the stamp duty originally missing from her purchase of a £800k Hove flat. HMRC has not called for a £8k penalty.
That seems to be HMRC’s standard response when people can argue they had originally acted in good faith (as shown by differing takes on her affairs by different solicitors, a conveyancer and a trust’s lawyer).
What more do you want Donna? Do you want her hanged drawn and quartered or only thumbscrews applied to her?
May 14, 2026
The last line might reasonably expect restriction on her progress in government activity.
May 14, 2026
Her experience with hmrc is certainly quite different from that of most people who haven’t paid tax correctly, including people who are accused of failure to pay far smaller amounts. I do not think she will be exonerated in the court of public opinion, and rightly so
May 14, 2026
You are correct Richard.
I know of cases where taxpayers have “acted in good faith” yet faced penalties and interest in addition to just paying what HMRC demanded.
Being badly advised or not fully understanding the very complex tax rules were said to be no excuse.
My opinion is that Ms Rayner is fourtunate to be treated so kindly by HMRC.
May 14, 2026
It’s quite simple really. Starmer hates Britain but loves the EU and Islam.
May 14, 2026
Kemi was on form yesterday and goes from strength to strength in my view. I could certainly vote for her. I’m still not sure about the Conservatives though and seeing Baroness May (in her ermine) reminded my why.
May 14, 2026
Such a shame she has so many in the party who don’t really want what she does! Typical of the former 2 main parties who both have such division in their ranks.
May 14, 2026
Two ghastly things she did when a lame duck: Net Zero and the UN compact on mass immigration. Did she also give away our army to the EU?
May 14, 2026
So putting into law closer alignment with the EU is going to improve any negotiating position we might find ourselves in just as well as Hillary Benn’s law that we couldn’t leave the EU without a deal.
Stupid really is as stupid does.
May 14, 2026
I would go further, its Parliament that is in a mess its been wrecked from within, its purpose as part of the UK Democracy has been diminished. Its purpose of holding the Excitative to account due to the syndrome of ‘Gangs’ & ‘Gang Boss’ system of rule, they our elected representatives, that are anything but(our), no longer have a place as they have handed their(our) authority and powers on to others that have no interest in the UK.
There is a lot more destruction to come its just got started.
May 14, 2026
My concerns are that in their manifesto Labour ruled out major tax increases, to be business friendly, not doing an about turn on Europe, smashing the gangs etc.
Their manifesto has been so clearly compromised that an observer would probably deduce that they were obfuscations/ porkies.
So is this the death of the manifesto? Any party could promise anything to win, but once voted in, just do what they want for 5 years.
This is our path to penury and being a failed ex-democratic state.
May 14, 2026
It is clear that starmers love of the eurocracy is down to the fact that it would mean his role in government would not involve decision making. We’ve all seen how inadequate starmer is in making good decisions and sticking by them.
It’s sad that he is willing to deny our democratic choice to leave just so he can put his comfort blanket on and blame the “system” for the inevitable failures to come.
May 14, 2026
Steel nationalisation is necessary because in this increasingly troubled world we have to ensure we can manufacture for war if called upon – we cannot leave it to foreigners or luck.
Next we need to sort the water – some things should never have been privatised.
Lastly as regards the re set – ideological arguments won’t stand in the way of sound reasoning – in this Trump age and with so much trouble in the world we are not equipped anymore for long distance trading we have to do what we can.
May 14, 2026
The state of play, Starmer and his team likes to condemn to rule, there is no listening and no hearing the room. This weekend Starmer will put 4000 police officers on the streets of London with special armoured attack trucks, why because people will be complaining about him and his rule.
As 2TK often repeats when those speak out against him, are far right-wing thugs, right-wing terrorists. This is the same label he gave Lucy Colony, the UK Farmers, Farage and all the labour voters that switched camps. 2TF is an intolerant individual that divides by persecution.
The left-wing demonstrations and rants against ‘Trump’, against Israel, yet are for Palestine, for Iran these are all OK, as these are my people.
All people should be heard equally, treated equally you cant have a counter argument if you block out those you ‘hate’
May 14, 2026
The EU reset Bill/surrender and the Bill to stop any new drilling in the North Sea show why the PM and his Labour Government are hated and held in contempt by voters. They are doing the exact opposite of what is needed for the UK. If the results last week have no effect on them, then we are not a democracy because they refuse to listen to the voters.
Everything in the King’s speech was negative for the UK. Labour will never learn that overtaxing, more regulations, and trying to drive people the wrong way will never succeed.
If Starmer is going to go, let it be soon, although any replacement will be as bad, if not worse.
May 14, 2026
Add to your list the bill to prevent further development in the North Sea.
By far the worst is the EU Reset bill, and there seems little chance of it’s being amended or watered down, given the considerable Remainer majority on both sides of the House of Commons, and in the House of Lords.
May 14, 2026
Labour is to enshrine North Sea drilling ban in law. Their Energy Independence Bill will legally prohibit new North Sea oil and gas licences and ban fracking. In other sectors they will continue to talk to those businesses they are on the verge of destroying to better understand their challenges ! They just continue with their constant legal ropes about our necks. Whoever succeeds in 2029 will have a heck of a job after this lot. What I can’t fathom is that opposing politicians tend to say that PM Starmer has no plan and no vision. I think it has been pretty clear all along what his vision & plan is for us and is becoming clearer by the week. We can see it and we don’t want it. ( We: a vast number of us as displayed last week. ) We have very limited opportunity to voice our opinion, and last week was a chance to opine and was given, as anticipated, rightly or wrongly, largely on the National as opposed to the Local.
May 14, 2026
Let me give you an example of how Streeting met his ambitious targets: it is now very difficult to make an appointment with one’s doctor. The receptionists say it is not the fault of the doctors but that the government makes them do it. Making an appointment over the telephone is now forbidden. Even the 8 am queue has gone. Calling in person to make an appointment is also forbidden. Instead one must put in an application on-line with a description of symptoms etc. which one should not have to do because it is private. There are several hoops to jump through before one is triaged and finally fobbed off with someone who is not a doctor, at least two weeks later. Some people don’t even manage to get through all the electronic hoops. Of course the initial exhortation to ring 999 or 101 or go to A and E remains.
May 14, 2026
Rose, exactly how to hide the real and massive waiting queue from the Public.
The fallout from this becomes visible when you go to A&E where folks often wait in all night queues and some just give up!
May 15, 2026
Sorry, I meant 111 not 101.
May 14, 2026
This poll leads us to believe we may have been dreaming of something that wont happen
A vote among 1,123 Labour members in a head-to-head contest against Starmer, he would cruise to victory of at least 53% of the vote against all comers, such is the depth of talent in the Labour Party
https://order-order.com/2026/05/14/poll-streeting-would-lose-labour-leadership-race-against-starmer/
May 14, 2026
Economist Dan:trade between UK and EU member states results(and always has done since EEC days)in a huge
balance of trade deficit.I am not taking into account the other costs of what we signed into but am confident that
we were shelling out.UK balance of trade with all countries outside of the EU is in surplus even allowing for “non –
exchange of goods and services obligations”.If I can do the sums why can’t you?
May 15, 2026
Sidney, you Brexiters seem to believe that reducing trade with the EU means we trade more with the rest of the world. It doesn’t. Reducing trade with the EU reduces trade with the EU. It has no effect at all on trade with the rest of the world. A better plan would be to rejoin the EU and increase trade with it, while also continuing to trade with the rest of the world. If it’s good enough for Germany and France, it’s good enough for us
Reply You clearly do no read or understand what we are saying
May 14, 2026
Its wrong for any party to parachute a candidate into a constituency …its just undemocratic
May 14, 2026
Off Topic.
Japanese car giant Honda made its first annual loss in 70 years as its investments in the electric vehicle (EV) market failed to pay off. Demand for EVs has not been as strong as the company forecast, with Honda reporting a total operating loss for the year ending March 2026 of ¥423bn ($2.68bn: £1.99bn.). The firm said it was scrapping some of its EV production targets and would source parts from China, where prices are lower, to keep costs down.
May 15, 2026
Ed would probably say that they didn’t go ‘faster and harder’ at developing EV …..and forcing customers to buy them …..I see that VW group might get a ev-mandate bill of $1.7 billion https://www.motor1.com/news/794879/vw-group-missing-emissions-target/
May 14, 2026
Have you checked where Makerfield is? And for how many years A.Burnham has lived there?
May 15, 2026
I do think that politicians need to start considering the effect on the UK as a whole of having leadership elections so regularly rather than the welfare of their own party especially where a replacement for Starmer with any of the current likely contenders would either make no change or be worse than before.
The UK’s economy and image is weakened by this constant in-fighting which is usually based on an MP’s ego, vanity,selfishness or his/her feeling that they alone can turn the countries fortunes ’round only to find within a year or two that they too are failing to deliver what they promised because either it was impossible to deliver what they promised in the first place or their lack of judgement, ability ,knowledge, management style, charisma lets them down.
I think it would be catastrophic for the UK to change leaders; “better the devil you know than the one you don’t”
Starmer if nothing else brings a degree of certainty, and stability and although he may be unpopular as PM that doesn’t mean he cant turn the fortunes of the UK around with the right people behind him, but he has to listen and take advice and be determined to change Labours stupid policies on resetting with the EU, illegal immigration, net zero, business taxes, drilling for oil/gas,and defence and stop travelling abroad worrying about other countries which gives no benefit to the UK and pay attention to what’s happening at home.