All of the new laws which could feature in King’s speech on May 13 2026
The address will mark the state opening of Parliament on Wednesday
King Charles will deliver a speech in Parliament this week as part of the state opening of Parliament.
The monarch's address to MPs, which is due to take place on Wednesday afternoon (13 May), comes at a moment of acute political peril for the Prime Minister. Sir Keir Starmer is facing growing calls to resign from within Labour ranks following a series of damaging local election losses.
Despite the uncertainty, Downing Street is moving forward with an ambitious legislative agenda designed to pivot from immediate manifesto pledges toward long-term structural reform.
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Tomorrow's session will prioritise economic intervention, infrastructure overhauls, and significant changes to public services. Below are the primary bills expected to be introduced or revived:
Economic & Industrial Reform
British Steel Nationalisation Bill: Grants powers to take the firm into public ownership under a national interest test involving security and the economy.
Late Payments Bill: Aims to recoup £11bn annually lost to delayed business-to-business payments, cited as a cause for 14,000 business closures a year.
National Wealth Fund Bill: Provides a statutory footing for the UK Infrastructure Bank to streamline support for business and investors.
The Leeds Reforms: A massive regulatory overhaul intended to cut "arbitrary rules" and paperwork, estimated to save firms £6bn annually.
Housing & Social Justice
Leasehold & Commonhold Reform: A move to "end the feudal system" by banning leaseholds on new flats and capping annual ground rents.
Draft Equality (Race and Disability) Bill: Introduces mandatory reporting on ethnicity and disability pay gaps for large employers.
Remediation of Cladding Bill: Legislation intended to accelerate the repair and safety of properties following last year's announcements.
Public Services & Home Affairs
NHS Restructuring: Following the abolition of NHS England, functions will be absorbed into the Department of Health - a 10-year plan will govern local care boards.
National Police Service: A proposed consolidation of regional forces and the National Crime Agency into a single body, involving the abolition of elected Police and Crime Commissioners.
Asylum & Human Rights: New restrictions on the use of Article 8 of the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) and the creation of an independent body to hear immigration appeals currently handled by judges.
Energy, Water, and Foreign Policy
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband is expected to champion the Energy Independence Act, intended to combat rising bills through increased windfall taxes and easier installation of electric vehicle chargers. Meanwhile, a radical overhaul of the water sector will see Ofwat replaced by a single body with stronger powers to enforce pollution standards and household bill caps.
In the wake of the May 2025 UK-EU summit, the King is expected to mention legislation aimed at reducing border checks on food - a move seen as a critical step in Starmer’s post-Brexit alignment strategy.
Constitutional Shifts
The government is also moving to finalise the Representation of the People Bill, which will officially lower the voting age to 16 for general elections. Additionally, following recent scandals, new powers will be introduced to allow for the removal of peerage titles from disgraced members of the House of Lords.
"This speech is more than a list of bills; it is a fight for survival," one political analyst told the PA news agency. "The Prime Minister is betting that a focus on 'technical' economic growth and infrastructure can drown out the noise of internal dissent."