By Mike CrooksWednesday 8 Nov 2023NewsReading Time: 3 minutes
For the first time in more than 70 years, there has been a King’s Speech in the UK Parliament.
On Tuesday, King Charles delivered the traditional Monarch’s speech for the State Opening of Parliament.
The ceremony, which takes place around once a year, marks the beginning of Parliament in the UK, and the speech outlines the government’s priorities for the year ahead.
Nod to the Queen
After arriving at the Palace of Westminster with Queen Camilla in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach, Charles began the speech by acknowledging that his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, had been delivering the speech since 1953.
“It is mindful of a legacy of service and devotion to this country set by my beloved mother, the late Queen, that I deliver this, the first King’s Speech in over 70 years,” said Charles, dressed in full royal regalia on a throne in the House of Lords.
The King then listed the pandemic and the war in Ukraine as creating significant challenges for the UK.
“That is why my government’s priority is to make the difficult but necessary long-term decisions to change this country for the better,” he said.
Economy
Like Australia, the UK is grappling with rising cost-of-living pressures and high inflation, and the King acknowledged this in his speech.
“My ministers’ focus is on increasing economic growth and safeguarding the health and security of the British people for generations to come,” he said.
“My government will continue to take action to bring down inflation, to ease the cost of living for families and help businesses fund new jobs and investments.”
Environment
He also mentioned the government’s drive to create new energy sources, and His Majesty touched on clean energy and climate change – an issue Charles holds close to his heart.
“My government will continue to lead action on tackling climate change and biodiversity loss, support developing countries with their energy transition and hold other countries to their environmental commitments,” he said.
Health
The King also revealed the government’s proposal to “cut waiting lists” at hospitals and deliver the “NHS Workforce Plan”.
The plan will be the first long-term initiative, under the National Health Service, to “train the doctors and nurses the country needs,” said the monarch, adding, “Record levels of investment are expanding and transforming mental health services to ensure more people can access the support they need.”
Housing
In light of exorbitant housing costs throughout the world, King Charles said the British government will “bring forward a bill to reform the housing market by making it cheaper and easier” for people to buy their own home.
Further, “Renters will benefit from stronger security of tenure and better value,” he said, “while landlords will benefit from reforms to provide certainty that they can regain their properties when needed.”
Other issues
On behalf of government ministers, the King pledged to strengthen education in Britain.
His Majesty also said the government would introduce legislation to stop children having access to cigarettes and vapes.
And in the wake of the ongoing Israeli-Hamas conflict, Charles said the UK was “committed to tackling anti-Semitism and ensuring that the Holocaust is never forgotten.”
In conclusion, King Charles said his government would seek to make decisions in the interests of future generations, citing inflation and security as crucial issues.
“By taking these long-term decisions, my government would change this country and build a better future,” he said.
To see the speech in full, visit here.