On July 17, King Charles III, wearing the imperial crown and state robe, read the King's Speech on the throne of the monarch, together with Queen Camilla wearing the King George IV crown, in the House of Lords Chamber of the British Parliament. year in London, England.
Wpa Pool | Getty Images News | Getty Images
LONDON – Britain's new Labor government on Wednesday outlined a raft of proposed legislation, including the nationalization of rail operators and the creation of a publicly owned clean power company.
In a speech delivered by King Charles III on behalf of the government, the government said it was “committed to a clean energy transition that will lower bills for consumers over time”, adding that a Scotland-based company, Britannia Energy, would be established to help accelerate Investment in renewable energy sources such as offshore wind power.
The speech laid out a wide range of proposals, many of which have already been announced. Labor says it will reform planning rules to speed up infrastructure projects and house building, strengthen the powers of Britain's water regulator, give police greater powers to deal with anti-social behavior and scrap the existing private school tuition fee exemption to fund new teachers .
The promise of economic growth was once again central to the speech, described in opening remarks as a “fundamental mission” that would help the country emerge from a cost-of-living crisis.
Charles said the government would “seek to put in place appropriate legislation to impose requirements on those working to develop the most powerful artificial intelligence models”, referring to the general artificial intelligence systems being developed by companies such as Microsoft-backed OpenAI.
Members of the House of Lords wear red dresses and wait for the Opening of Parliament at the House of Lords on July 17, 2024 in London, England.
Wpa Pool | Getty Images News | Getty Images
Following a long tradition, the monarch sets out the new government's policy agenda after a grand opening of parliament. In the early morning, the King and Queen Camilla traveled from Buckingham Palace to Westminster in a carriage.
The speech is written by the government and delivered by the monarch, the British head of state who in modern times holds only symbolic political power. The speech is a statement of intent and is not legally binding.
Earlier this month, the centre-left Labor Party won a landslide majority in parliament, taking control from the right-wing Conservatives for the first time in 14 years.
The government also said it remains committed to proposals to gradually raise the legal smoking age and crack down on the sale of e-cigarette products.
Members of the Household Cavalry arrive at Buckingham Palace before the opening of Parliament on July 17, 2024 in London, England.
Jeff Spicer | Getty Images News | Getty Images
Other policies mentioned in Wednesday's speech include a bill to promote sustainable aviation fuel production, action to reduce NHS waiting times, a ban on “exploitative working practices” and stronger auditing and corporate governance.
The speech described devolution – the independent powers given to each country in the UK – as “at the heart of a modern, dynamic economy”.
London's Metropolitan Police said on Wednesday morning that it had arrested 10 people on suspicion of planning to disrupt the event.
—CNBC’s Ryan Browne contributed to this article.