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Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is set to unveil the agenda for the next phase of his government in the immediate aftermath of May’s crucial elections.<\/p>\n
The King’s Speech has been pencilled in for May 12 or 13 next year, the BBC has been told, just days after elections across Britain on 7 May.<\/p>\n
The elections in May cover the Scottish parliament and the Welsh Senedd as well as thousands of council seats in England and a handful of directly elected mayoralties.<\/p>\n
Labour is braced for a bad night at the polls, which many Labour MPs believe could precipitate a challenge to Sir Keir’s leadership.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
One government source told the BBC: “It will be much harder for somebody to challenge the PM and say we need to go in a different direction when the King is about to come to parliament to announce what we’re doing for the next year.”<\/p>\n
Others dispute that there is any connection between the threat to Sir Keir’s leadership and the date selected for the King’s Speech, pointing out that in some recent years – most recently 2022<\/a> – the speech has taken place in May, when local elections are always held. <\/p>\n The speech also took place very soon after local elections in 2021 and in 2016.<\/p>\n The King’s Speech is part of the state opening of Parliament, a ceremonial event marking the start of a parliamentary session, which typically lasts for a year but can run for much longer. <\/p>\n The current session is on the long side, having begun after the general election in July 2024.<\/p>\n The speech is written by the government but read by the Monarch from a throne in the House of Lords. <\/p>\n It sets out the government’s agenda for the coming session, specifying what pieces of legislation the government intends to pass.<\/p>\n Cabinet ministers began the process of formally “bidding” for legislation they want to be included in the King’s Speech around early October. <\/p>\n Most ministers now know which bills Sir Keir wants to include in his post-May agenda, a source said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n