LIVE: MPs to debate King’s Speech as Charles delivers Starmer’s agenda

Downing Street has insisted the King’s Speech reflects the scale of Sir Keir Starmer’s ambition and the Government’s ‘commitment to change’.

Asked about how Sir Keir has responded to criticism that he is too incrementalist with his plans, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said:

What you’ve heard from the Prime Minister over the last few days is his commitment to change. He said ‘change cannot come quickly enough for millions of people who’ve been failed by the status quo over many decades’.

The Prime Minister has set out a serious vision about how we can become a stronger and fairer Britain.

He said the 34 Bills and three draft Bills in the King’s speech show the ‘scale of that ambition’.

This is about sustained delivery, not short-term fixes, but long-term change, and that is what the Prime Minister is committed to getting on with.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said Sir Keir Starmer has ‘full confidence’ in Wes Streeting as Health Secretary.

The spokesman was asked for details of the meeting between Mr Streeting and the Prime Minister held on Wednesday morning.

‘As I said, I am not going to get into the content of internal meetings, but the Prime Minister has full confidence in the Health Secretary,’ he replied.

The spokesman was asked if Mr Streeting would remain Health Secretary for the rest of the week, amid rumours he is set to mount a leadership challenge.

He replied again that Sir Keir has ‘full confidence’ in Mr Streeting, and described the Prime Minister’s mood as determined to ‘deliver the change’ that people want.

by Christian Calgie, Senior Political Correspondent-at-Large

The Government does not know when Peter Mandelson will be removed from the House of Lords, despite bringing in a new bill to sack disgraced peers.

Speaking from the House of Lords throne this morning, the King said ministers will ‘introduce legislation to enable peerages to be removed’.

The government pledged to bring the change in following the rows about both Peter Mandelson and former spin doctor Matthew Doyle.

But while the new ‘Removal of Peerages Bill’ will now be brought in, Government sources confirmed they do not know how long it will take to remove Lord Mandelson and others.

Under current rules, to remove a member of the House of Lords the government must bring in bespoke legislation for each person it wants to remove, unlike in the Commons, where there are more modern mechanisms for kicking out an MP.

by Sophie Church, Political Reporter

Labour’s new ‘tourist tax’ will price many Brits out of going on holiday – causing yet further pain for those already struggling with the rising cost of living.

The Government’s new ‘Overnight Visitor Levy Bill’, announced in today’s King’s Speech, will allow English regional mayors to hit tourists with an extra charge on overnight stays.

The surcharge is expected to be five per cent of accommodation costs, and will go towards funding local infrastructure and tourism.

Labour’s metropolitan mayors have heaped praise on the tax – with London Mayor Sadiq Khan saying it is ‘great news for London’.

But Rachel Reeves’ levy will only cause more misery for Brits already struggling with their household finances, and comes despite Labour saying it is doing all it can to ease the cost of living.

New polling reveals one in five Brits would choose not to book a holiday in England if it were introduced.

by Sam Merriman, Political Correspondent

Labour will introduce a long-delayed ban on conversion therapy in the King’s Speech – despite concerns it risks criminalising parents and doctors.

The Draft Conversion Practices Bill, which will cover England and Wales, will outlaw attempts to change someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

A ban on conversion therapy was included in the 2024 King’s Speech but had not been introduced – with Labour only saying it remained committed to publishing a draft Bill ‘as soon as possible’.

But new legislation will honour Labour’s manifesto pledge to deliver a ‘full trans-inclusive ban’ on behaviour described as ‘abuse’.

The Draft Conversion Practices Bill would ban practices that aim to change someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

Andy Burnham is understood to have met with mutinous Labour MPs to drum up support for his leadership hopes after making a surprise visit to London yesterday.

Sir Keir Starmer has been told that the Mayor of Greater Manchester – who was spotted at Euston – must be allowed to return to the Commons and the Cabinet.

Mr Burnham already has a seat lined up for a return to Parliament, and is ready to launch a leadership bid any day now.

The politician’s next big moment comes on May 30, when he is set to give a speech at an event by the centre-Left caucus Compass.

Now you can have your say in the Daily Mail’s latest poll – would he make a good PM? To vote click here:

Andy Burnham was mocked over his plans to return to Westminster to replace Sir Keir Starmer as Prime Minister at today’s State Opening of Parliament.

Mr Burnham, currently the Greater Manchester Mayor, has been linked to a challenge against Sir Keir but has to find a Commons seat first.

At the State Opening this morning, per tradition, the door to the Commons chamber was slammed in Black Rod’s face, leaving him to bang the door three times before being given permission to enter.

As he banged on the door, a backbench MP inside shouted: ‘Not now Andy.’

Three backbench MPs said the heckle was made by Torcuil Crichton, a former journalist who is Labour MP for the Scottish seat of Na h-Eileanan an Iar.

Mr Burnham was spotted in London yesterday, reportedly to hold talks with MPs about standing down to facilitate the man dubbed ‘the King of the North’.

A Cabinet minister said Sir Keir Starmer has his ‘full support’ and that colleagues should ‘think about what really matters for the future of the country’.

Asked about Health Secretary Wes Streeting’s apparent plan to resign and trigger a leadership contest, Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn told Sky News:

My view is very clear, I think we should rally behind the Prime Minister. We should let him get on with doing his job, because he is a serious politician and these are very, very serious times.

He added:

I don’t think, in my view, this is the moment for a leadership challenge. I think we should back the Prime Minister and I will remain of that view.

Allies of Wes Streeting say they have enough support to trigger a leadership challenge against Sir Keir Starmer, The Guardian is reporting.

The Health Secretary is apparently preparing to resign tomorrow.

Downing Street insiders are understood to have believed Mr Streeting had not gathered enough support from MPs but sources told the newspaper at least 81 members are backing him for the leadership.

A senior Government source told the Daily Mail: ‘Yes, it’s happening. Wes is definitely going for it.’

Daily Mail columnist Dan Hodges says Kemi Badenoch can land a ‘serious blow’ to Sir Keir Starmer during the debate on the King’s Speech.

The Conservative leader is due to address the Commons as the Prime Minister finds himself embroiled in a fight for his survival.

Here’s Dan’s thoughts below:

Sir Keir Starmer appeared downcast as the State Opening of Parliament coincided with his premiership in crisis.

The Prime Minister is facing the biggest threat to his leadership following four ministerial resignations while 90 of his own MPs want him to step aside.

As the pomp and pageantry got under way, it was reported Wes Streeting is preparing to resign tomorrow to trigger a leadership contest.

by David Wilcock and Rory Tingle

Keir Starmer appears to have moved to avoid a potential new flashpoint with volatile Labour backbenchers on immigration after hardline plans to make it harder to stay in Britain legally were left out of the King’s Speech.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood unveiled proposals in March to double the time it will take immigrants to qualify for indefinite leave to remain (ILR), from five to 10 years.

Controversially, the plans would apply retrospectively to migrants already here – affecting 2.2million people who have arrived since 2021.

It prompted a minor revolt among Labour MPs, with Angela Rayner, the former deputy Prime Minister and potential challenger to Sir Keir, labelling it ‘un-British’.

The Speech given by the King today included plans for an Immigration and Asylum Bill that would ‘restore order and control to the immigration system’, but documents released alongside it make no mention of the move to harden criteria for ILR.