UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer And Lawmakers Debate In House Of Commons | UK Parliament LIVE | N18G

e order the host is direct to the speaker to make a statement at the beginning of each session about the duties and responsibilities of honorable members the house has directed the speaker to make a statement at the beginning of each session as I say about the duy responsibility of honorable members it will be starting with the code of conduct for members and the behavior code I begin by reminding honorable members of their duty to observe the code of conduct the behavior code agreed by the house and to behave with Civility and firness in all their dealings unacceptable Behavior will be dealt with seriously independently and with effective sanctions freedom of speech the house asserts its privilege of freedom of speech that privilege is enjoyed by members of pond only in their work in in this house as private individuals we are equal under the law with those whom we represent it is there to ensure that our constituents can be represented by others without fear or favor it is an obligation upon all of us to exercise the privilege and responsibility accuracy of members contributions it is incumbent of members to be accurate in what they say in this house and to correct any mistakes as soon as possible all members can now submit written correspondences directly to Hansard to amend errors a fact of their contributions as well as being able to correct the record by a point of order the speaker does not have and I reflect this to the metor as well the speaker does not have the power to police theaccuracy of members contributions if only I could I know come to curtesy and temperate language I draw the house attention to the guidance of rules of behavior and courtesies in This House of Commons members must be mindful of the impact of what we say not only to other members but on others who follow our proceedings and members should be heard courteously whatever their views in particular members should address the chur rather than each other directly and I say to honorable Gentlemen please where it's ey you just might not catch my eye a members should remain in the chamber for at least two speeches or if it's questions at question time it will be two substantive questions after their own show the respect to other members of course I understand that new members may need a bit of time to familiarize themselves with the conent conventions and courtes of the house and I will take that into account when I'm in the chair but I would urge every member to study the guidance carefully and please I do say to members mobile phones are a privilege to be used in this house please try and think about when you need them when you use them members should be able to ask a question without reading it please let show the ability of this house let's show what we can do by working together I say members would need a bit of time and I will work with all new members we must ensure and I take into account when I'm in the chair but I would urge every member to study as I say the guidance please read it any advice that's needed come and check with me of the Clarks criticism of other members in this place we are honorable members and the language we use about each other should reflect that if a member falls short of the standards expected of us all there are ways of dealing dealing with that but not by accusations made as sideswipes during questions or debates if we fail to treat each other with respecting debate this diminishes our work also risks raising the temperature of discussions outside this place particularly on social media which already too often descend into online abuse against honorable members my job is to look after all members so please if we show respect to each other here I believe the public should also show the respect to members so please let us get it right and let's work together I don't want people to agree with each other this could be the most boring chamber I've ever seen that wouldn't be good for me either but it's about tolerance and it's about respect so please let's make that our main aim confidentiality of speakers correspondence with members it's important that honorable members are able to raise matters with me freely and for that reason I keep such correspondence confidence credential this includes applications for Urgent questions I remind honorable members it is equally important that my response particularly on matters of privilege are treated with the same respect speaking in the chair I also wish to give some my bias about seeking to speak in the chamber I take into account the number of factors when determining who to call one of those is how often a member speaks in other words if you spoke much more than colleagues then others will be brought before you and treated and I've got to say to Jim Shan remember that I don't think it's I think that falls on the ears but I would say that colleagues it's more likely to be called in the next debate for which you apply if you missed out on the last one I know it can be frustrating not to be called in a debate or to be called very late prioritizing the debates and question times urgent question and statements in which you seek to prate is one way of trying to avoid that happening stuff in my office are always offer further AB bi what the old says and I say no it'll be very frustrating for the government side as there's so many so just remember that don't take it out on my office please blame me at any time when we now come to security and safety finally I want all members and everyone in the Parliamentary Community to be able to go about their work safely both online and here in Westminster the security of this building and those who work here depends on all us all we have a duty to be vigilant to assist those whose job it is to maintain this place as a safe place of work but I also know it is about being a constituency MP it is about meeting constituents and it's about being able to represent those constituents within our constituencies that I take seriously two members lost their lives wasn't in this house but in their constituency so whatever I can do to support you I will make sure you follow all the security missions I never ever want to receive another phone call like I've done previously so please look after yourselves follow the advice your families matter your staff matter and this house matters security is the top of my agenda before moving to the first business of the new session I would like to express my best wishes to all honorable members and to all those who work in the house and I got to say well I can thank you to all the staff who's made this transition this so I really do appreciate it please let's enjoy the next session now then we start with the clock out lwes bill before I call leader of the house I can now formally announce that the arrangements the election of the Deputy speakers the ballot will be held on Tuesday the 23rd of July between 10:00 a.m. and 1 :30 p.m. in the committee room8 nominations must be submitted to the table office between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on Monday the 22nd of July nomination forms and an updated briefing note with information about the election are available in the vote office leader of the house to move the motion on temporary Deputy speakers I beg to move that for the period up to the first sitting day following the election of the Deputy speakers standing order 2A sir Edward Lee be chairman of ways and means Dame Shor McDonna be first Deputy chairman of ways and means and Sir Christopher choke be the second Deputy chairman of ways and means the question is that for the period up to the first sitting day following the election of the Deputy speakers understanding order number 2A sir Edward Lee be chairman of ways and means Dame shabono McDonna to be the first Deputy chairman of ways and means and S Sir Christopher chop to be second Deputy chairman of ways and means as many of that opinion say I I of the country know I think the eyes have it the eyes have it I know have to equate the house that the house has this day attended his majesties in the house of peers and that his majesty was pleased to make the most gracious speech from the throne to both House of Poland of which I have the great accuracy obtained a copy I shall direct that the terms of the speech be printed in votes and the preceding copies are available in the vote office before I call the move in the second of the debate I want to announce the proposed pattern of debate during the remaining days of the loyal address today debate of the address tomorrow Foreign Affairs and defense Friday planning green belt and Rural Affairs Monday economy welfare and public Services Tuesday immigration Anda first I now have the privilege I shall call Peter D to move and then Florence s shobi to Second the address Peter [Applause] D uh thank you Mr Speaker I beg to move most gracious Sovereign we your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects the commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Parliament assembled beg leave to offer our humble thanks to your Majesty for the gracious speech which your majesty has addressed to both houses of Parliament Mr Speaker happy birthday to her majesty the queen today Mr Speaker it is an honor to be asked to give thanks to his majesty so can I start by congratulating you Mr Speaker on your re-election and a warm welcome to New and returning members including my honorable friend the late uh member for Staley bridge and Hyde and congratulations to the Prime Minister and members of his new government and Mr Speaker I think it's worthwhile putting into context how I came to REM moving the motion on The King's Speech this afternoon uh last Thursday morning I was standing outside the library uh minding my own business watching somewhat bewildered honorable members wandering up and down corridors tentatively popping their head heads into the odd room that may or may not have been a broom cupboard um and Mr Speaker they were actually the retaining members um I can't imagine what it must have been like for the hundreds of new members and of course it brought back memories of when I undertook similar meanderings in the corridors of power then came the call from the chief whip uh my first thoughts were oh dear oh yeah what I've I done or not done as the case may be fortunately uh those thoughts soon dissolved when he kind last me if I would undertake the uh humble address to which I was delighted to accept and relieved Mr Speaker unfortunately I'm not the most competitive sort which is just as well as I'm afraid I can't claim to be the first to achieve virtually anything in my family it started at Birth as I was the last born child and although I was a counselor at a relatively young age alas I was not the first by long measure from my family I was the leader of a council but not the first leader of a council in my family nor nor even the first for example to unveil a plaque on a new public building that was pretty much routine amongst my four Bears nor nor will I be able to look for forward to being the first person to reach 100 years of age in my family and my late grandmother nin ticked that particular box in 1984 and drove the point home by living until she was 105 as for being the first MP in my family well I can't claim that a li either as there were two before me one was the member no surprises for guessing Mr Speaker for Bole constituency and until today my position in the back of the family queue has held sway for decades so thanks to a Good Samaritan in the form of the chief whip I am the first in my family to move the humble address to his I am I am as we say in Mery side made up it goes well saying that being a member of parliament is an honor but I think being an MP representing town I was born in is the icing on the cave for those who don't know where my constituency is it used to be a small fishing Village then a bathing Resort for wey Merchants just north of Liverpool how times change today my constituency comprises of a number of closed Nick communities which until after the war were Farmland Ford litherland netherton and old Rome they comprised of the areas that housed thousands of families after the challenges of the war and I think that vision can be renewed another part of my constituency se4 is home to the port of Liverpool and I'll come back to that in future debates the country home of glad of the gladston family was based in sea4 indeed gladston wrote how he had seen quote Wild Roses growing growing up on the very ground that is now the center of Bole another Community oral expanded as as time went by then of course there's the lovely Coastline on Liverpool Bay which has waterloop and Crosby running along its Shoreline with beautiful views across to the hills of North Wales and home to another place housing Anthony gle's ironment statues and of course B Town Center itself is now the home to many government offices the charity commission the health and safety regul executive and even the office for nuclear regulation amongst others and given its location and its major dock system during the war Bole was a major Target of the lwaa it was left badly scarred with as many as 85% of buildings destroyed or damaged it paid more than its fair share during that conflict so I'm proud of my communities in their history so I want the contents of the gracious beat to be part of its future now Mr Speaker as much as I will like to thank that built constituency with the largest majority in the country so I'm told is is is down to my character charm and Charisma well known to my colleagues I really know it's down to the ambitious program trailed in the general election campaign and now formally set out in the gracious speech I welcome a legislative program based on security fairness and opportunity for all investment stability and reform that's not a reference to the members over there and perhaps above all service service to our communities our constituencies and our country it's about securing economic growth raising living standards getting Britain building again with planning reform and quality infrastructure recognizing the challenges of climate change harnessing technology a clean energy transition and Great British energy advancing investment into renewable energy is fundamental if you like Mr Speaker a sort of new social contract that delivers attainment and education challenges antisocial Behavior refreshes support for the victims of crime protects our borders enhances the rights of renters a new deal for working people and the reinvigoration of R NHS amongst many of the proposals Mr Speaker A Renewed local Democratic settlement through the Devolution proposal set out in the gracious speech is welcome in short Mr Speaker Westminster and whiteall don't always know better best yeah on a day-to-day basis I'm looking forward to getting back to work especially with new members hundreds of them and I will continue to work on various apgs that I'm involved in but the gracious spee speech includes a proposals for a bill to Champion our armed forces and their families families being a key element in that proposal I use that therefore as a prompt to mention the Armed Forces APG of which I'm a member I also do this because as an associate member of my local Crosby Royal Naval Association having links with local veterans of whom there are over 12,000 in my constituency as having members of my far family in the armed forces in addition to my mother and grandmother both being both having received War widows pensions for decades I feel the least I could do was to participate in the Arm Forces APG and in the last year I participated in the armed forces Parliament scheme the RAF cohort until it was so rudely interrupted by the general election whilst I'm always impressed I have to say with inter saa's collaboration I have to say as well I'm even more impressed with the Rivalry between them but before I bring the Veil Down on this part of my contribution Mr Speaker I want to relate the house uh an anecdote just one of the many I relate I could relate since participating in the scheme about the nonchalant and inuent rivalry between the services when a member joins the scheme and it's well worth joining they will be asked to go for the to the Wellington Barracks nearby to be measured up for a uniform yeah when I arrived I was led through the barracks to the stores the conversation went as follows with a member of personnel who it must be noted was from the Army good morning sir how can I help you he greeted me good morning I'm here to be measured up for a uniform I replied and which service will you be serving with sir the Royal Air Force I answered in that case sir he said you'll be needing a set of silk pajamas and a smoking jacket they um they uh they felt like a dream Mr Speaker Mr Speaker our country faces so many challenges and I believe the wide ranging proposals in the King speech will go a good deal of the way to tackling those challenges both home and abroad finally Mr Speaker only on Saturday evening I was at a function for one of my local charities sefon Women and Children's Aid at Liverpool FC's anfield Stadium which is a real stretch as I'm an evident supporter but whilst there I paid a visit to the Memorial to the 97 victims of Hillsboro so I want to pay particular attention to the inclusion of what has become known as a hillsbury law in the gracious I also want to thank the many individuals families survivors and the Coalition of other organizations who have campaigned selfishlessly for decades to achieve this outcome including members of this house it means so much to the families of the victims of those who died and the survivors from our City region and beyond that the government will be fulfilling its promise to ensure a duty of cander on public services Justice and respect at last thank you Mr Speaker it's also a privileged to call the seconder Florence s thank you Mr Speaker may I start by congratulating my friend The Honorable member forb on his fantastic speech and as the eldest of three girls we like the last borns cuz we blame them for everything and it's an honor to follow to Second this loyal address not only for me but for my constituents across foxall and Campo green and Mr Speaker when I was asked by the chief whip my excitement was quickly replaced by fear because I then remembered my attempt to make a big Shack reference during the second reading of the procurement act bill which went completely over the head of the member for Brentwood and Ona and indeed many members in this chamber see I nearly backed out but then I remember that this is my opportunity to get on record that neran jellof is the best jellof before the member for irant tend me has other ideas it's it's nearly 15 years since the last Labor member seconded a loyal address and it was my good friend the right honorable member for Islington South and Finsbury and I have to say the notices I receive when she's visiting my constituency are perhaps my favorite I once remember receiving a note from her office saying she was going to tour the beef eater gin distillery in my constitu the next evening and that I should join her now sadly I don't dream but I know that she drank my Sher I can only say that I look forward to welcome in other members to my constituency many more times during this Parliament and can I remind all of you that it is your duty to let me know if you are attending one of the many fabulous parties in Vox Hall and Campbell green otherwise I will be complaining to Mr speaker and it truly is a wonderful constituency we had the National Theater the BFI the South Bank Center The Young and the old Vick the Old Vic which is currently hosting a play about the life of an MP where James Cordon turns out to be one of your constituents although I believe he lives in California so maybe he should get in touch with the leader of the opposition we also have the London Eye which I'm sure the whole house will be delighted to know reive permanent planning status earlier this year in May that keeps it safe even from the clutches and planning reforms of the chancellor and the Deputy Prime Minister we have communities from all over the world and even amongst the Sea of England shirts on Sunday they were a few Brave Spanish friends proudly wearing their colors although Mr Speaker there may have been just the SNP MPS and we're also home and we're also home to a number of MPS adversity groups journalists which means sometimes when I'm trying to avoid a journalist or politely decline an invitation I often get hit with a dreaded line oh but I'm a constituent as well I do warn journalist and members that I'll continue with my policy of giving no special treatment when you come up to me with any case workk like many continuing MPS the area I represent has changed significantly in this election following the boundary review this means that I sadly no longer represent one of the bricks and Estates I grew up on as well as my church in my old Primary School the church is Central to my life and it's a microcosm of Lamberth after Mass I can see the impatience on my family's face as I often discuss varied casework from the congregation and I just want to reassure my honorable friend the member for clap in Brixton Hill you are going to receive multiple blessings with all those varied case and I know the Ws that I'll lose will be represented by her but then again Mr Speaker based on past experience not all the journey lobbies will notice that anything's actually changed if the house will indulge me I wish to briefly speak to a couple of policy issues close to my heart and those of my constituents which I'm most forward looking forward to working with the new labor government on now as an MP one of the hardest conversations any of us will have are with the victims of violent crime I've sat in many friend front rooms holding griev in mothers and fathers and they tell me about their loved ones who have been taken too soon and with every hug and tear wiped away I can feel their pain and the impact that this has on a wider siblings and other family members crime rips communities apart leaving too many people vulnerable and open to exploitation and one of the areas I'm proud of working on is on preventing abuse of gang Associated girls whose mistreatment is sadly just one example of why our streets need to be safer yeah yeah the home secretary's commitment to harving rates of violence against women and improving the support for victims should be welcomed across the house over the last couple of years I've seen firsthand the impact of the cost of living crisis and this has had on my constituents in vool and Campo green and communities right across the country we all know that tackling climate change is one of the most urgent issues faced in our world and we cannot delay any meaningful action on this any longer I'm therefore very pleased that the government is committed to addressing both these issues with an investment in clean energy transition that will lower energy bills for households as well as restoring the UK's reputation as a climate leader but Mr Speaker for millions of working people real change will not come without action on housing that's why I welcome the Deputy Prime Minister's plans to build 1.5 million new homes across the country including a new wave of council houses like the one that gave me and my family that security yeah yeah you see Mr Speaker I still remember that daily commute from a B&B in King's cross and the excitement on my mom's face when we receed the keys to permanent housing yes we no longer had to Lug our belongings in a black bag but sadly this is the case for so many people still in 2024 Vox Hall and Campbell green is home to a high number of people many of whom are private renters the power that section 21 gives immoral landlords to evict tenants for no reason is an outrage I'm glad that this government will finally ban no F evictions for good lastly I'm proud to be an advocate for the eradication of HIV in AIDS an issue on which we have made so much progress in the recent months as my fellow co-chairs of the all party parliamentary group on HIV and AIDS in November last year we had the honor of hosting a reception in Mr speaker's house to thank Sir Elton John for his work in this field over the last 40 years it was a fantastic event and our new prime minister reaffirmed his commitment to ending new HIV transmissions in the UK by 2030 coincidentally also means that today's Royal event I've had the privilege of speaking and it's the second one in the last 12 months because we can all agree Sir Elton is music royalty this Parliament sees a large turn of MPS and may I take this opportunity to congratulate and welcome new members literally do not worry if you get lost I've been here almost 5 years and I still get lost my one piece of advice is this make sure you know where West Minister Hall is because you'll always find the member for strangford there on hand to point you in the right direction although this is after his finish speaking in whatever debate's going on that day and Mr Speaker while it was wonderful seeing so many labor MPS winning on the fourth of July it was mixed with a slight sadness that we have to say goodbye to colleagues who went across this house with great dedication for their constituents I'm delighted to see the member for cities of London and West Minister in her place on these benches but I'd like to reference the importance of the work I did with her predecessor my friend Nikki Akin as the two MPS responsible for West Minister Bridge we worked together in the last Parliament not only to commemorate the horrific West Minister Bridge attack which happened in 2017 where six people sadly lost their lives including the late PT Keith Palmer we also worked to improve the safety of what is a very busy and active part of London Nikki also worked tirelessly to make sure the Pedic cads Act was brought into law despite the persistent objections of the member for Christ Church which again I'm sure many new members will get used to I also pay tribute to the outgoing father of the house sir Peter bottomley like new MPS and members I remember walking in as a new MP into a meeting of the all party parliamentary group for votes at 16 the room was buzzing with excitement and energy in all these young people and to my surprised that Peter was in the chair he really proved that age is just the number I must mention my good friend and former constituency neighbor the new baroness Harriet Harman her 42 years in office blazed the trail for the rights of women in politics and wi the society when Harriet was elected just 3% of MPS were women and now this figure stands at 40% yeah yeah so while there's some way to go that rise is a testament to unding work and drive from Harriet to never take no for an answer and while I'm daunted to have the responsibility of representing part of her former constituency in Cambo green I could not have had a better example to learn from my pledge to her and to the new constituents is that I will do my best to carry on her Legacy and being a strong voice in Parliament for those communities lastly I cannot think of a more fitting replacement as the mother of the house than my good friend our Auntie the right honorable member for Hackney South north and Stoke Newton yeah yeah she was elected when I was just 6 years old and seeing her in the media making a voice of black women heard in Parliament gave me the confidence that I could stand here and make sure that people in my community could have a voice in the decisions that impact them we stand on your shoulders and we respect and salute you thank you I welcome the government's plan to introduce draft race equalities legislation to build on this work and I look forward to working with ministers to develop it we should not underestimate the difficulties that both baroness Harmon and the right honorable member for hacking nor and Stoke Newton have gone through to make their voices heard and the challenges they face even now but their trailblazing examples means that those of us elected today face far fewer challenges in representing our communities and we have more friends to go through those challenges with and because of them Mr Speaker it means that a black workingclass girl from a South London estate can stand before you today with the honor of seconding this loyal address the question is that the humble address be presented to his majesty as follows most gracious Sovereign we your Majesty's most beautiful and loyal subjects the commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Parliament assembled beg leave to offer our humble thanks to your majesty for the gracious speech which your majesty has addressed to both houses of parli I know call the leader of the opposition well thank you Mr Speaker and before I turn to the address I'm sure the whole house would like to join me in paying tribute to his majesty the king it is typical of his dedication to duty that despite the medical challenges he has recently faced he was here today to open Parliament and will travel to the Commonwealth hubs of government meeting in Samoa and to Australia this Autumn the king is a true model of Public Service I know that the Prime Minister will value his audiences with his majesty as much as I did and I think we all recognize that the king is aided by the constant support of her majesty the queen and I know the whole house will join me in wishing her a very happy birthday today we also pay tribute to Tony Lloyd Tony served the people of Greater Manchester for 45 years and for 36 of those as a member of this house he was a great parliamentarian kind and wise his family should have enormous pride in the contribution he made to this place and to the community that he loved and served they are in all our thoughts today I'd also like to welcome all new members to their places being elected as a member of parliament is a great honor and a great responsibility we serve our communities and our United Kingdom I know that whatever our political differences might be we are all motivated by a desire to make life better for our constituents and our country stronger and I know that the whole house will join me in deploring the assassination attempt on President trump our thoughts are with the victims violence and intimidation have no place in the Democratic process now Mr Speaker I commend the proposer on his excellent speech I know that the whole house will agree with me that the honorable member for Bole has set a very high bar for speeches in this new Parliament now my little sister always reminds me that being the youngest means you have to learn how to make yourself heard well well The Honorable member is the youngest of eight and it really shows and I had the Good Fortune of getting to know the honorable member when he was Shadow Chief secretary to the treasury and he was always courteous and pleasant as an opposite number to me and as he outlined The Honorable member for comes from a family committed to public service both of his great uncles were members of this house and he himself even though he was very modest about it has been in public service for more than 40 years the new members of this house have much to learn from The Honorable gentleman and I know I speak for the whole house in saying how much we all admire his personal bravery in campaigning for more victim support following the tragic death of his daughter in a hit-and run accident now not only is he one of the most popular members of this house as we heard he is also the most popular constituency MP enjoying the biggest majority of any member of this place and and in a recent election he even won an astonishing 84% of the vote he might be he might be the only person who can persuade King jnun of the benefits of democracy although the People's Republic of ble doesn't quite have the same ring to it now I wonder I wonder though I wonder whether he was chosen to speak today actually to head off him reintroducing his 10-minute rule bill I speak of course of the honorable member's bill for a 4-day week now I'm not sure if he's consulted with his whips on how compatible that would be with their desire to make Fridays a new Norm sitting day I'll say this to The Honorable gentleman if they won't let him have his 10-minute rule Bill he should work to rule although I suspect the labor member for Mery side needs no tips from this former Banker on Trade union organizing Now The Honorable member for voxal and cell green spoke with typical Verve she is someone inspired by a desire to serve and her strong faith but she never lets any of this go to her head today she was chosen because of the high regard she has held in but she is also one of the kindest members of this house regularly baking Victoria sponges for her staff and others although post the election result perhaps red velvet might be now on the menu and The Honorable lady has campaigned bravely against Gan violence both in the London assembly and in this house and she is so right that we must not become desensitized to knife crime she represents the place where she grew up and does so with passion and determination and now that I have a lot more time on my hands I intend to be a regular visitor to her constituency especially in the summer months one of my favorite places to watch cricket is of course the oval and as prime minister I had the privilege of playing there with the wonderful Emily reinford Brent and the young black cricketers on the Ace Program I applaud The Honorable lady for her work with that scheme I can reassure her though that I won't go as far as the last conservative prime minister to speak from this dispatch box who proposed removing that part of her constituency to a desert island along with his eight favorite records Now The Honorable lady story is truly an inspirational one to go from caring for your mother as a teenager to this house shows what is possible in our country but the online abuse that The Honorable member has received an experience that is far too often common in this house shows one of the challenges facing our democracy the intimidation that some candidates received in this election both physical and digital was completely unacceptable and is a threat to our electoral process there can be no excuse Mr Speaker for threats of physical violence or intimidatory protests outside politicians homes Now The Honorable lady will have been picked to Second the loyal address because the Whip's office have got her down as one who will go far if I may offer some words of advice to members opposite on the government benches life comes at you fast soon you might be fortunate enough to be tapped on the shoulder and offered a junior ministerial role then you'll find yourself attending cabinet then in the cabinet and then when the prime minister's position becomes untenable you might you might end up being called to the highest office and before you know it you have a bright future behind you and and you were left wondering whether you can credibly be an elder Statesman at the age of 44 now it is right to begin by congratulating the Prime Minister on his decisive victory in the election he deserves the Goodwill of all of us in this house as he takes on the most demanding of jobs in the increasingly uncertain World in which we now live now the party opposite has successfully tapped into the Public's desire for change but they now must deliver change and we on this of the house will hold them accountable for delivering on the commitments that they made to the British people in the National interest we will not oppose for the sake of it but when we disagree with the government it is our responsibility as the opposition to say so and what will guide us will be our principles sound public finances a belief that people know how to spend their own money better than governments do that private Enterprise not State intervention is the key to delivering growth and prosperity public services that work for those who need them an education system that gives everyone the best start in life secure borders and a strong National Defense now I welcome the government's decision to bring forward Martin's law I'm sure that the Prime Minister will find as I did that one of the most humbling parts of the job is seeing people whose lives have been touched by tragedy and seeing how they don't turn to anger or bitterness but campaign to ensure that other families do not have to endure the same pain that they did and I particularly commend fan Murray for her work to get this law onto the statute book I can assure her that this measure will command consensus in this house and we will work with the government to make sure that it becomes law as soon as possible I'm also glad that the government will continue with plans for a smoke free generation I know there are deeply held views on both sides of this issue and I have deep respect for those especially on my own benches who disagree with me on this question measures that enact access to products are never easy but I do believe that ensuring that our children can be the first generation that doesn't have to suffer the false choice to quit smoking or not because they will have never started is a truly worthy aim it will make us a healthier fairer country where people live longer and better lives now the first duty of government is the defense of the realm and we're fortunate in our country to be to be protected by Armed Forces who are unrivaled in the world for their their professionalism bravery and skill and I know the whole house will agree with me that they are truly the best of us every month in my previous job I became more concerned about the threats to our country's security we live in an increasingly uncertain world we need greater investment in our military if we are to deter our enemies and defend our interests and as I warned earlier this year there is an axis of authoritarian States who are a threat to our values freedom democracy and the rule of law and we must collectively stand up to them the world is more dangerous now than it has been at any time since the end of the Cold War so I would urge the prime minister to commit to boosting defense spending to 2 and a half% of GDP by 2030 and if we lead the way on this we can make 2 and a half% the new NATO Benchmark for defense investment this is the single best way to strengthen the alliance it will show The Americans that we do not expect them to Bear every burden and it would show President Putin that NATO is serious about bolstering its defenses and will also be the most effective way to deter further acts of Russian aggression now in the last few years there has been an impressive amount of consensus across the house on foreign policy on the importance of supporting Ukraine on the centrality of NATO to our National Defense and in that spirit I commend the Prime Minister on his work at the NATO Summit and I'm glad that he and the Secretary of State for defense have taken such rapid steps to demonstrate that while the government has changed this country's commitment to Ukraine security remains constant and I also welcome the right honorable member for tottenham's visit to the Middle East it is of fundamental importance to this country that as we make real progress towards a two-state solution our friend and Ally Israel has a right to defend itself and to live in peace and let me turn next to another crucial issue facing not just our country but the broader Western World illegal migration now the fundamental question is what to do with people who arrive here illegally but cannot be returned to their own home country now our approach was to send them to a safe Third Country the Prime Minister was clear scrap those plans and I acknowledge that and our fear remains that without such a deterrent the country will end up having to accept that a large number of those who cross the channel illegally will end up remaining here and how to prevent that that is something that the government I know will soon look to address and when it comes to Legal migration I urge the Home Secretary to retain the measures that we implemented which have forecast to hav net migration in the next 12 months now if I may turn next to the economy I understand well that the chancellor is Keen to paint oblique a picture as possible but I would just gently point out that this is not exactly what the facts say yeah in inflation at 2% unemployment 4% and the fastest growing economy in the G7 so far the party opposite has inherited an economy that is already on an upward trajectory now the government the government have set out plans the government has set out plans to strengthen the role of the office for Budget responsibility and we will examine those proposals carefully but the work of the OB already means that the party opposite did have the full details of the public finances when they set out their Manifesto now the OB has rightly taken away from governments the ability to make forast say what they want them to but they have also taken away from oppositions coming into government the ability to say that they did not know the true state of public as Paul Johnson of the institute for fiscal studies has said the books are wide open fully transparent in his words trying to pretend that things are worse than expected really won't wash now the party opposite promised no tax Rises on working people and no plans for tax Rises Beyond what's in their Manifesto in full knowledge of the public finances it would be difficult for them to claim that things are worse than they thought and then Rene on those pledges and we will hold the government to its own promises come the budget yeah yeah I note plans for new employment legislation now in this country our employment rate is far lower than the European average and that is thanks in part to our flexible labor market I would urge the party opposite not to impose new burdens on businesses that Business Leaders themselves have warned of the unintended consequences of those plans that they could lead to firms being less likely to invest less likely to hire and so increasing unemployment in the long term and I further note government's desire to impose new potentially rigid legislation on Technologies like artificial intelligence now we are third only to the US and China in the size of our fast growing technology sector and lead the world when it comes to AI safety and we should all in this house be careful not to endanger this country's leading position in this field which will drive growth and prosperity for decades to come and while today's speech did contain a slew of bills what was missing was a concrete plan to tackle the unsustainable postco rise in the welfare bill without action the cost of providing benefits to the working age population with a disability or health condition will rise to 90 billion more than we spend on our National Defense schools or policing now that's not only unsustainable but also unfair to taxpayers and that's why in government we had laid out a plan to significantly reduce the welfare bill but crucially to support support all those that could back into work now I hope the government looks at those proposals when it has the time to study them in detail on this side of the house we will continue to advocate for a welfare system that is both compassionate and fair to those who need it but also fair to those who pay for it now the government has set out plans to change the planning system we will of course study these thoroughly as well as we all wish to see more homes built and the planning process speed it up but I would say that a system that does not allow local people to have a say will damage public consent for more housing in the long term exactly and I regret I regret that there was no mention of rural communities and farming in the King speech much like my own but I hope in time the government will bring forward proposals now turning to Net Zero this country has decarbonized quicker than any other major country and we have managed to do that while growing the economy as a country and across this whole house I know we will all be proud of that achievement now the government plans to decarbonize the grid by 2030 but there is a real danger but if the government puts the speed of doing this ahead of family finances and our energy security then we will again lose public consent for the measures necessary to ensure that we actually reach our 2050 Net Zero Target a Target on which there is genuine consensus between our two parties as even one of the prime minister's own support qus has warned this 20 plan will and I quote just mean we will have to import our energy strategically we become more vulnerable vulnerable we will pay more money for our energy so I hope that the Energy Secretary reflects on those thoughts now lastly Mr Speaker the government has set out plans for reforms to the other place looking at the benches opposite there can be no doubt about the government's ability to get them through this house but the effects of these changes will last long Beyond this part long beyond our tenures in these jobs I would suggest that when it comes to constitutional reform it would be good to proceed on a cross-party basis rather than to use a simple majority in this house to push things through and that consensus should include should include the crossbenchers whose convenor would be removed by the government's proposals yeah I also suspect that the public would prefer the government to prioritize practical real world issues over constit wrangling however however I welcome the news that the government has paused on their plan to force members of the other place to retire at 80 now this proposal always felt like it would be a blunt instrument and indeed in the dissolution honors the Prime Minister nominated rightly the former right honorable member for Darby South who will be a strong addition to the other place despite the right honorable lady being already over the retirement age that the labor Manifesto proposed so Mr Speaker let me close by saying that we of course recognize that the British people have entrusted the party opposite with the task of governing our country on our side of the house we will fulfill our duties as the loyal opposition professionally and effectively and across this house we are all first and foremost Patriots we all wish to see our country and our people flourish and succeed and in that spirit I wish the new prime minister and the new government well I know called the Prime Minister saki St thank you Mr Speaker before we begin may I join the leader of the opposition in his tribute to his majesty the king it is so heartening to see him in his rightful place delivering the gracious speech and I'm sure the whole house will not mind once again wishing him a speedy recovery yeah yeah can I also join in wishing her majesty the queen a happy birthday Mr Speaker we also wish president Trump a speedy recovery from the appalling attempt on his life at the weekend I spoke with President Trump on Sunday night to pass our best wishes but also to share our revulsion at the senseless violence which has no place in democracy last time this address took place and I stood at that dispatch box I could see for the first time that their new plaque now behind me commemorating the memory of s David amamos and I know how hard that loss was for members on the opposite benches and now standing on this side I Can See For The First Time in front of me the plaque to our dear friend Joe Cox with her words that catch the air of this chamber even more at A Moment Like This more in common so while our thoughts at this time are of course with President Trump and the American people we cannot think that this some this is something that only happens elsewhere we must heed the words of President Biden to lower the temperature of our democracy work across our disagreements and find other's common decency Mr Speaker I also want to congratulate the England football team for their achievements in the Euro something the leader of the opposition and I were talking about uh this morning yes the trophy eluded us again but the team can be proud of another exceptional performance something I'm sure the whole house would be only too pleased to recognize and we pay tribute to Gareth Southgate who shouldered the burden of national leadership with such dignity Mr Speaker this government has been elected to deliver nothing less than National renewal to stop the chaos of the past 14 years Turn the page on an era of Politics as noisy performance and return it to public service and start the work of rebuilding our country a determined rebuilding a patient rebuilding a calm rebuilding a rejection in this complicated and volatile world of those who can only offer the easy answer the snake oil charm of populism Mr Speaker as the last 14 years has shown that road is a dead end for this country it does nothing to fix our foundations and the British people have rejected it as they have throughout our history what people really want is change and change is what this government of service will deliver a King speech that takes the breaks off our economy and shows to the British people that politics can be a force for good the vehicle for improving lives of millions no matter who you voted for Mr Speaker it's a day when we get on with the serious business of government and yet a house with no time for levity would go against the grain of our Traditions so it's fantastic to hear my honorable friend the member from Bole in such fine fetal today when proposing the humble address he spoke with great Passion as he always does for his constituency famous as he himself mentioned for the Anthony Gourley sculptures on Crosby Beach that's a work of art that's entitled another place a collection of gently rusting figures For Whom The Tide Is perpetually coming in a a solid grounding should he ever consider a career in the other place but I'm sure this house will agree he is also one of the warmest and most generous members a generosity that ahead of a previous election extended to an offer to hand deliver conservative leaflet a commitment to the Democratic process that should be applauded not least because it resulted in a stoning increase in his majority for labor but Mr Speaker as anyone who knows my honorable friend will confirm while he does like to relax with a a glass of wine and listen to Engelberg huming for him family always comes first and the leader of the opposition referred to his daughter and growing up he was cared for by his four sisters and now he is never happier than when he's with his grandchildren who are convinced that he knows Mary Poppins personally a belief I note he has never discouraged he has been a tremendous servant to our family the labor family and we thank him for his outstanding speech today Mr Speaker the address was seconded by The Honorable friend the member for voxel and camberwell green A fitting tribute for a royal occasion as I'm told she is known as Queen Flo on Instagram the house will know her as a IR list Champion for her community as well as a founding member of one of our most vital Affiliates the labor friends of karaoke in fact Mr Speaker I'm reliably told that Queen flow does a mean queen bee which we look forward to hearing at Labor conference but Mr Speaker truly it was a fantastic speech another demonstration that my honorable friend is a shining example of our movement a young carer when growing up a fighter for their causes on AIDS and HIV on the health inequalities which still deliver poor outcomes for black women and on Sickle Cell which her late mom suffered from I know what it's like to watch your mom move in and out of hospital as a child and so I respect and admire the way she now Champions young people from poor households and fights for the opportunities that they deserve perhaps most powerfully of all she's spoken about her own experience arriving at the scene of a stabbing and as rightly demanded that we never allow ourselves to become desensitized to the tragedy of knife crime as a fellow in a London MP I know how much this is hurting our city as it is towns and cities across the country I know how much potential is lost and how many families fear that their child could be next so be under no doubt turning the tide on this violence is absolutely Central a key mission that this government of service will take on Mr Speaker both speeches were in the finest traditions of this house let me also follow the leader of the opposition and mark the passing of our colleagues in the traditional way because since the last gracious address the labor party has lost a stalwart of our movement with the passing of Tony Lloyd who served in 36 years of Distinction the communities of Rochdale Manchester Central and stretford I had the chance to speak to Tony just days before he left us uh that was when he was leaving hospital to go home and he knew it was for the last time and that he wouldn't see a day like this and without being partisan I can tell you he would have loved to see the house set up as it is today he would have told us using his experience to use every precious moment that we have to serve those communities that he held so dear because that is what he stood for the best of our movement a champion of politics is a Force for good and Mr Speaker that is the great test of our times the fight for trust is the battle that defines our political era and it's a task not just for this government but for the whole Parliament we are all responsible for the tone and standards that we set and I want to thank the right honorable gentleman in every exchange that we've had since the the election and in his words today he has gone well beyond the usual standards of generosity and I thank him for that and in that spirit this King speech picks up some of the important business not concluded in the last session and so on football governance and the reduction of smok smoking we hope to proceed in a manner that recognizes the previous consensus we will also carry forward the Holocaust Memorial bill so we build that Memorial next to this Parliament and make sure every generation reaffirms our commitment to never again and we will also honor the promises that I made and the leader of the opposition made to the family of Martin het and all the families affected by the horrific events in Manchester that day fan Murray Martin's mom walked 200 miles to tell us that Britain needs that law quickly I told her then that she would get that from a labor government and we honor that promise today and I'm very grateful for the indication of the Cross Party Support we will have on that very important provision because the security of the British people is the most fundamental priority of any government and whether our fight is against terrorists the vile criminal smuggling gangs that weaken our Borders or foreign powers which threaten the security of this nation we will live no stone unturned when it comes to keeping the British people safe and we will recognize The Bravery of those on the front line of keeping us safe with a new Armed Forces commissioner that's not just a name or a role but a strong and independent Champion for those who have committed to the Tim Service as a way we can show our respect we will also move quickly on the lessons from the infected blood Scandal that the house debated in almost the Final Act of the last session a day when we undertook all of us a solemn responsibility not just to deliver Justice to those people but also to take on the work of prevention to make sure that those lessons shape the future of Public Service in our country because scandals like infected blood wind Rush Horizon Hillsboro are united not just by the scale of the Injustice but also by the indignity that the victims and their families have been put through merely for standing up for truth and Justice so it is night time to bring in a duty of kander the hillsbor law because a government of service must also be a government of accountability and Justice that is what service means uh yes I will I thank the Prime Minister for giving way during his excellent speech outlining The Hope and renewal within this King's Speech much needed in constituencies like mine in Luton North where over 45% of children children are growing up in relative poverty what reassurances can the Prime Minister give me and my constituents that he personally takes this issue very seriously and that his government will address it prime minister well I'm grateful for that intervention and I give my Assurance to her and to the whole house that I do take child poverty extremely seriously I'm proud of the record of the last Labor government in reducing child poverty it clearly had a strategy and we will have a strategy and I'm very pleased to have announced today the task force that will lead our strategy to reduce child poverty no child should be growing up in poverty and and we will work across the house on that issue and I will take an intervention I'm very grateful thank you Mr Speaker I'm very grateful to the Prime Minister for giving way on his newly announced task force which of course be Beth Rigby was announcing on Twitter as we were all within this this chamber Mr Speaker can the Prime Minister outline how many children will remain in poverty whilst that task force undertakes the work which will ultimately lead to the same conclusion we are proposing to scrap the two child benefit cap well look I I do welcome this I know this is an issue across the whole house I don't think there's a single member that doesn't care about child poverty the point of the task force is to devise a strategy as we did last in government to drive those numbers down it can't be a single issue it's across a number of strands and we will work with people across the house in order to do it what matters what matters is the commitment to do it and to drive those numbers then that is what we did last in government and we will do it again but Mr Speaker I'll just make some progress and then I will Mr Speaker whilst I respect the tone of the leader of the opposition's contribution I can't stop my mind wandering back to 9 months ago go when he was at this dispatch box his great political hero Nigel Lawson once said to govern is to choose and everyday serving the people of this country is a chance to make a difference for them yet Mr Speaker the last King's Speech was the day when the veil of his choices slipped and we all saw a party his party content to let our countries problems Fester content to push aside the national interest as they focused almost entirely on trying to save their own skins Mr Speaker we will have time over the weeks months and years to debate the measures in this King speech and the choices of this government but I defy anyone on those benches or elsewhere to look at the ambition and purpose of our intent and not to receive a return to the serious business of government no more wedge issues no more gimmicks no more party political strategy masquerading as policy this is an agenda focused entirely on delivering for the people of this country legislation for the national interest that seeks only to fix our foundations and make people better off solve problems not exploit them because I'll just make some progress in the RO because Mr Speaker with each day that passes my government is finding new and unexpected marks of their care scars of the last 14 years where politics was put above the national interest decline deep in the marrow of our institutions we've seen that in our prisons large we've seen it in our rivers and seas even worse than we thought and we've seen it in our councils pushed to the brink by the previous government now unable even to deliver basic services to children with special educational me and Mr Speaker we've already taken first steps on so many of the priorities we put before the British people the work of change has begun but we know and as they do that National renewal is not a quick fix the rot of 14 years will take time to repair nonetheless I I will that I'm grateful to the Prime Minister for giving way and he talks about priorities well of course people in rural communities around the country see the vast majority which the right honorable gentleman has assembled and they're afraid they see a Manifesto in which just 87 words are used about farming they see they see a King's Speech they see a King's speech with no mention of rural communities or rural priorities will the Prime Minister please take this opportunity to reassure people in re in Rural and farming communities that his labor government will take notice of prime minister just to say prime minister just to say l intervention one thing but to actually make your speech is not the best time to do it prime minister well let me take this opportunity to reassure those in rural communities I grew up in a rural community myself um and I think that if you look at the places that are now represented on these Benes you see the reassurance that has been given that will s also be given Again The King's Speech we have brought to this house today is a marker of our intent not only a certain destination for the future of this country but a new way of governing a government of service Guided by clear missions with a long-term plan to fix the foundations a plan which starts as it must with our economy under his watch the last Parliament was the first in modern history to leave living standards in a worse place than they found them the consequence the consequence not just of Tory IR responsibility but of a more pervasive inability to face the future a ducking of the heart choices eyes fixed always on the horse trading of Westminister policy I will in a moment rather than the long-term National interest absolutely Mr Speaker we don't just turn the page on that today we close the door on it forever a budget responsibility bill that will protect the living standards of working people from the chaos they endured under the last government a commitment no matter how Fierce the storms to economic stability as the foundation we build on that is a change labor party at work and then on that Foundation we take the breaks of Britain go further and faster on measures to generate higher economic growth workers and business United in the cause of wealth creation we will reform the planning rules a choice ignored for 14 years to build the homes and infrastructure that Britain needs we will level up rights at work a choice ignored for 14 years to deliver security and dignity at work we will create a new industrial strategy invest in cleaner cheaper British energy harness the power of artificial intelligence improve our public transport confront our historic challenges on technical education transform our skills agenda imp partnership with business and push forward Devolution to the cities regions and councils of England a plan for wealth creation that will finally lead us out of the pay more get less Doom that is their legacy and let me be clear we will work with anyone invested in the future of our country I have said I just completely I said that we would serve everyone whether they voted for us or not and I meant it so let me say directly to the bench's opposite if you're invested in the the success of your community we will work with you this is a new era we are turning the page returning politics to service because that is what the people of this country want to see from their politicians and service is a stronger Bond than political self-interest that is what country first means the only way we can restore trust and the reason this government of service was elected Mr Speaker we were also elected to repair our public services with investment and reform to make them once again beacons of justice for the communities that they serve a signal to our country of the cause that fires National renewal my determination for everyone in our country England Scotland Northern Ireland Wales no matter where they started in life to feel that success belongs to them it is a cause Mr Speaker that I do believe unites this house and indeed the people of this great nation so I [Music] will Mr Speaker can I command the Prime Minister there are many within this house both sides of this chamber both uh in opposition but also in your party who welcome your your election as prime minister and look forward to the delivery of some fill good factors for all of us great nation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland always better together is what I always say and even those in the chamber who maybe have different ideas perhaps think the same as well prime minister in in the paper of my provinal paper two weeks ago we we recognize that Northern irand was very much part of your 10-year plan can I ask the Prime Minister can you perhaps outline exactly what that plan will be for Northern IR to ensure our position will never weaken and always get stronger say Jim you'll be definitely bottom of the list but don't worry prime minister I I'm grateful for that intervention it it was very important to me um and to my government that within days of being elected I went to Scotland to Northern Ireland and whales with the message that I did about working together as he will know I worked in Northern Ireland for 5 years on reforms to the Police Service in Northern Ireland it matters to me that we make progress on all matters across all of our Nations and that is the way that we will operate as a government that was a statement of intent going as I did in those early days and I will continue in that vein in direct answer to his question Mr Speaker so as well as our plan to cut waiting times we will modernize the mental health act and and finally drag it into the 21st century and we will raise standards in our schools improve the confidence the well-being and the happiness of our children because that is so often the barrier that holds them back we will also work on Landmark legislation on Race equality tackle the structural Injustice of unfair discriminatory pay now Britain has come a long way on matters like this one look at this Parliament shows that we're moving forward and I recognize the efforts of so many in this house on all sides to tackle this Injustice but Mr Speaker we can still do more and therefore we must and we will we will also begin work on Banning conversion practices and bring forward tough new protections for renters promises that have lingered in the lobby of Good Intentions for far too long and Mr Speaker we will signal our intent to transform Society with measures on crime and Justice that will not only rid our streets of antisocial Behavior but also la launch a new mission to reduce violence against women and girls by 50% in this we're inspired by the work of unbelievable campaigners Mina smallman CLA Waxman Melanie Brown and my friends John and Penny clu Mr Speaker I will never forget the day that John and Penny came to my office and told me what they had been through just to get jus ice for their daughter Jane murdered in the car park of the Blackpool hospital where she worked by the man awaiting trial on multiple charges of raping her I gave them my word then that I would do what I could not just for John and Penny and Jane but for all the John's pennes and Janes in our country Mr Speaker it's an enous undertaking I I wish it wasn't but it is just listen to the contribution made every year in this house by my honorable friend the member for Birmingham Yardley a grim reminder of just how many women are killed every year by domestic violence and yet as everybody who works in public service knows government can make or break a life I've seen it myself as a public servant and I also know from those campaigners what service can do when it listens and empowers people far beyond the walls of the state so Mr Speaker this is how we will go about our business Mission driven focused on ambitious goals bringing together the best of our country committed to the Practical difference big and small that we can make together that is the reward and the hope of service the business of change and the work of this government of service that we will take on we will stop the chaos fix our foundations and take the breaks of Britain a King speech that returns politics to Serious government that returns government to public service and the returns public service to the interest of working people that is the path of national renew the rebuilding of our country and we take another step today thank you Mr Speaker order I know call the leader of the order please let's show respect to each other let's not set up on the B fo we want to be on the right foot I know call the leader of Lids Ed David thank you Mr Speaker and on behalf of the liberal Democrats I want to add Alon CER thanks to his majesty King Charles for his gracious speech and like other party leaders wish him to continue on his recovery and also join them in sending our best returns happy returns on the birthday of her majesty um and as we remember members who were killed in service and condemn the appalling assassination attempts on uh president Trump we should all commit ourselves to a New Politics where we respect where we disagree with respect and we listen to each other and we try to bring the dialogue on politics in our country together from the divisions we've seen and can I join others in paying tribute to the late Tony Lloyd he had many campaigns and many issues that he championed in this house I had the huge privilege of joining him on an all party trip to Israel and Gaza because one of his Comm commments was to peace in the Middle East for justice for the Palestinians and for a two-state solution and let us all commit ourselves to that again and I would also like to pay tribute Mr Speaker to The Honorable members for and voxel and camwell Green for their accomplice speeches proposing and seconding the loyal address I know the member futle comes from a political family he explained that in some detail and I believe his great uncle Peter once the labor MP for Preston South later became a liberal counselor in in Liverpool so uh may I say to The Honorable gentleman if he does follow in his great uncle's footsteps he won't be the first his family to see the liberal light and our door is always open The Honorable member for voxel and camberwell green made an impressive Mark in her first Parliament as she campaigned on things like knife CME time uh on the NHS uh and on housing and also spoke uh very eloquently on an issue that's close to her heart and mine care uh she spoke movingly about how she cared for her mom when she was just a very young child learning at a young age about all the different painkillers needed to treat her mom and as someone who believes we need to hear the voice of carers in this chamber far more often it was a pleasure to listen to Her speech today and I'm left in no doubt that she will make an even bigger Mark in her second Parliament and while I'm paying tribute uh Mr Speaker let me add our thanks to the three limes who captivated the whole nation and came so agonizingly close to ending all those years of hurt uh they did us proud and let's hope the lionesses will retain their European Crown next year yeah and so may welcome the prime minister to his place and congratulate him and his party on their election Victory as he says they now have an enormous undertaking and we wish them well I read somewhere that the Prime Minister apparently surfed to power on a wave of conservative failure but can I say to him gently with a a Pang of Envy water sports are my thing but but Mr Speaker the challenge awaiting this new government are certainly great and set against that challenging backdrop there is much to welcome in the program set out today not least the government's focus on getting our economy growing strongly again and the prime minister is right to say that building more homes is an essential part of that as you can see from the work of many brilliant Democrat councils from Cumbria to eastley and in my own area the Royal burough of Kingston the best way to build the many extra homes we need especially those extra social and affordable homes is to properly engage local people and communities and bring them along with you and that is the community-led approach that we on these benches will continue to Champion very happy to give way I'm delighted to see that the leader of the liberal Democrats seems to be openly advocating the work of eastle Bar Council can I just remind him that he is that that council is only building double the number of houses required because his party leadership has got them into £800 Million worth of debt to pay off the debts that they ACR well um I'm delighted to say that today we welcome the new honorable member for eastley to the liberal Democrat Ventures and I'm sure she will have all the answers The Honorable gentleman needs but growth and house building are not the only challenges crucial though they are I'm sure of us all of us across the house as we knocked on doors during the election campaign heard the same from so many people a common refrain from people of all backgrounds and all walks of life that nothing seems to be working as it should from the Health and Care crisis to the sewage Scandal to the cost of living the British people have overwhelmingly rejected the past outof touch conservative government that has gone but after so many years are being taken for granted many people have simply lost faith in our political system to solve their problems so we on these benches do recognize the scale of the challenge now facing the new government they have a big job to do and so do we we will work hard on behalf of our constituents we will scrutinize the government's plans carefully and strive to improve them and Mr Speaker we will oppose them when we think they've got it wrong absolutely but where they act in the National interest to solve these problems and improve people's lives we will support them one issue came up more than any other on door after door and I'm sure it's the same for members in all parties the issue of Health and Care patients waiting weeks to see a GP or an NHS dentist if they could find one more than 6 million people waiting on NHS waiting lists tens and thousands of cancer patients waiting months to start urgent treatment patients stuck in hospital ready to leave wanting and waiting to leave sometimes for weeks but unable to because the care home place wasn't there the care worker and support for the family career wasn't in place and Mr Speaker fixing this crisis in our NHS is essential not only for People's Health and well-being but also for our economy for growth only if we get people off these waiting lists and into work can we get our economy growing strongly again I happy to give away he mentions the delays and the was inside gener and social care so how much does he regret his role in the five years he spent in Coalition with the conservatives creating that situation well um I do appointed in The Honorable gentleman's uh intervention because we could all go back to things that other parties did in government and say that they were wrong and I would just say to the gentlemen uh I come to this task now uh in a spirit of of constructive opposition to work through for the best for our country and I hope he and other members will too um and it's why I welcome in the King speech a number of measures for the NHS for reduc reducing waiting times and particularly on Mental Health we want to work with the government to improve those they are long overdue but I would also urge the government of course to look at the proposals in our Manifesto uh on the NHS boosting GP numbers so that everyone can get an appointment within 7 days or 24 hours if it's urgent improving access to dentists and crucially to local pharmacists too because if more people can get the care they need early and locally fewer people go into Hospital giving cancer patients the care they deserve with a cast iron guarantee that they will start treatment within 2 months after diagnosis this is the scale of the ambition we need Mr Speaker for our NHS right now and I hope the government will show it but there is another part of this crisis uh that needs to be fixed and it needs urgent attention and that's care I spoke about my own caring Journey during the election for first for my mom when I was a teenager then for my dear Nana and now as Emily and I care for our severely disabled son John and Mr Speaker I've been incredibly touched by the response from colleagues from across the house who've reached out to tell me how important it is that we speak out on care for people who need care and for their carers both professional social care workers and for family carers people looking after their loved ones I've had a chance to hear from carers all over the country of all ages as they shared their personal stories with me like the couple who care for a son with similar care needs uh to John who reached out to say they know what it's like to worry about what happens when you're not longer there to look after your disabled son and they offered me advice I was so touched by their kindness and generosity Mr Speaker each care story is so different and yet in many ways they have much in common we all share in the special wonderful Bond we have with the ones we care for and we all share in that feeling like no one else understands us caring has been in the shadows for far too long let this be the parliament when carers voices are heard when we become the caring Nation because caring is actually people doing extraordinary things every day for the ones they love often in the face of difficult circumstances physical challenges no breaks mountains of paperwork countless appointments endless phone calls trying to navigate a broken system that is simply not designed to work for carers so we on these benches will do our very best to get a fair deal for carers whether on issues like carers allowance or the Big Challenge of fixing social care so that our loved ones get the support they need when and where they need it now this of course will not be easy Mr Speaker after years of neglect fixing social care will be incredibly complicated but we cannot shy away from it so although it wasn't in The King's Speech today I'm encouraged by report the government is planning a cross-party commission on social care we urgently need that to find a solution that will stand the test of time so I hope we'll hear more about that from the government very soon fixing social care is essential not just to give people the care and dignity they deserve to support family carers but also to fix our NHS without it we can't now if Health and Care was the only major crisis facing the government uh that would be a big enough task but clearly it's not inflation may have finally come down to normal levels but the cost of living crisis persists families and pensions are still facing record energy bills Sky High housing costs and food bills they need support and understanding and that begins with the government's promise to be fiscally responsible it would Mark a big and welcome shift from the previous government's rather Reckless approach to the budget but with energy bills forecast to rise by 10% in October clearly we need bold action to bring cost down from home installation to expanding Renewable Power liberal Democrats have a proud record of investing in Renewable Power almost quadrupling it when we ran energy policy and our policy drove the cost of renewable electricity below fossil fuel gener ated power so I hope this government will act with the same level ambition to tackle not only the cost of living crisis but climate change too because urgent action is needed now to prevent catastrophic climate change and we've shown how it can be done and that if you do it well it benefits consumers the economy and the environment too so we welcome the focus the government has placed on this challenge we will push them to meet it as we will when it comes to another environmental challenge ending the sewage crisis the election campaign showed clearly for anyone who still doubted the strength of public anger about the pollution being put into our Rivers into our lakes and onto our beaches the government has made some initial welcome noises about holding the water companies to account about making sure they put these environmental issues ues before profit but we on these benches will be pushing ministers to act as quickly and decisively as possible to put an end to this appalling Scandal Health and Care the cost of living climate change sewage these are big crisis that just got worse and worse over the last years of the last government and that government's failure to address them is a big part of why people's trust in politics is so low this year's British social attitudes survey found that 45% of people 45% almost never trust the government to put the national interest first a record high I'm sure I speak for everyone in the house when I hope this government will prove that wrong but restoring public trust and confidence in our politics is a major task for us all right across this house no matter our party and I think there are two parts of how we restore that trust the first is by tackling the root causes of so many scandals that have caused so much harm and done so much damage to public trust from hillsbor to Horizon to infected blood we therefore welcome the promised hillsbor law with its staty duty of cander on public officials but we would urge the government to go further in this area given the vital role that whistleblowers have played in exposing these scandals can I urge ministers to look at our proposals for stronger protections for whistleblowers including a new office of The Whistleblower the second way to restore trust is by transforming our politics so it is relevant engaging and responsive to people's needs and to their dreams the measures that the government have promised to strengthen Democratic rights and participation are therefore welcome also welcome is the principle of Shifting more power out of Westminster and whiteall so local decisions are made by the people for them and the communities they live in but I'm sure the Prime Minister will know that the devil is in the detail so we will scrutinize these plans carefully when they come we fear they won't go far enough for it won't surprise anyone in this house Mr Speaker to hear that we on these benches believe that political reform must include electoral reform proportional representation giving everyone equal power to hold members of parliament properly to account and maybe even the conservatives support that these days and I note that according to the same social attitude survey a majority of the public agree with us Mr Speaker I focused on many big domestic challenges facing us but I want to conclude by touching on the enormous challenging intern naal picture to from Vladimir Putin's appalling war in Ukraine to the Dreadful conflict in Israel and Gaza with the terrible humanitarian catastrophe there and hostages still being held by Hamas These are tumultous times indeed they demand that we work together with our allies through International institutions and yes that means working constructively with our European neighbors to rebuild the ties of trust trade and friendship with our European friends so badly damaged by the conservatives as liberals we believe that the UK can be an incredible Force for good when we stand tall on the world stage champing the vital British values of democracy Liberty human rights and the rule of law so when the government does that they will have our full support Mr Speaker I would like to close by paying tribute to those on the front lines of that effort our Armed Forces deployed around the world whether securing NATO's flanks in Eastern Europe combating dish terrorists in the Middle East or supporting peacekeeping missions in Africa they serve our country with Incredible courage and professionalism and we all owe them an eternal debt Dave Bia thank you Mr Speaker and Mr Speaker it's a pleasure to follow the honorable gentleman for Kingston and seron but I have to confess Just DE be H thank you uh Mr Speaker I have to confess I'm a little disappointed with the honorable gentleman because today he walked into the chamber and I think he could have at least tried aund jump or maybe freewheeling on a bicycle but I comped him for his efforts in The Campaign which kept us all entertained and clearly paid some dividends looking at the size of his benches today uh I also uh welcome and thank the honorable members proposing and seconding seconding the humble address but I have to say to The Honorable member from ball he may be the youngest of eight but I'm the second of 10 and I can tell other members of this house who are new that you hear a lot about big brother but let me tell you that one big sister here is here to support you as indeed I'm sure the honorable M for Bo will as well after 19 years in this place I know my way around a bit though I still too get lost so don't be worried about that and I'm really was delighted to hear The Honorable member my friend the member for voxel and camberwell green I first came across her when she was a member of the London assembly and I knew then she had something special about her and I think we saw that here today and I draw uh The house's attention Mr Speaker to my register in the members uh register of interests I spent nearly a decade chairing the Public Accounts Committee in this place in the last parliament in the previous two and in that role I saw many egregious examples of incompetence bungling and waste whether it's water companies school buildings falling down with reinforced concrete and other things rail infrastructure a running sore defense procurement and National embarrassment and the scandal of PPE procurement during Co again and again government bungles poorly drafted contracts lack of oversight dodged responsibility endless excuses and the taxpayer picking up the tab no wonder people were so angry at the election no wonder they voted for Change and for my right on Warf end the Prime Minister here yet now the true extent of the Tory mess is coming to light as my right honorable friend the chancellor has revealed it is even worse than we thought she's opened the books looked under the Bonnet and seen that true extent the mess that is now for a labor government to clear up the previous government partied they squabbled they helped their mates but they did not fix the roof when the sun Shone they trashed the joint from austerity to the PPE Scandal to truss onomics remember that they weakened the fundamentals of our economy and stretched our public services to Breaking Point and one of my last uh reports as a as a chair of the Public Accounts committee was my annual report where I listed what I called the big nasties some of which the chancellor is revealing to us now that 700,000 pupils are in schools that are not fit for purpose that our hospitals are falling that the 40 much vaunted 40 new hospitals was in fact far fewer and never going to be delivered on the timetable promised and the gaping hole in our defense budget and I certainly applaud the approach of this government and it seems some consensus from the other side that we do need to see an increase in defense spending but the consequences of this mess that have been left behind by the previous government are human according to the House of Commons Library nearly one fif of children in my burrow of Hackney live in absolute poverty and Mr Speaker four in 10 children in Hackney live in poverty after housing costs are taken into account according to the Joseph rree foundation's recent figures and my constituency is in the top 5% of English constituencies with children who are Income deprived this is the shameful Legacy of 14 years of failure in one of the world's greatest and richest cities a bus ride from the financial Powerhouse of Liverpool Street no child should be cold or hungry hungry or lack a winter coat or decent shoes schools in Hackney have Kit rooms for the children who turn up without the requisite uniform and lend it for the day in return for a a token like their oyer card and no parent should be having to skip meals to feed their kids which is what's happening too often in Hackney and elsewhere in the country no child should be arriving at school with a rumbling tummy which is why I welcome the breakfast clubs we already have in Hackney and the fact that one of the first acts of this labor government will be to make sure that every child in primary school has a de decent breakfast and when we talk about stagnant wages low productivity flattening growth lack of investment in skills and schools and the abolition of sh start and the gig economy there is this human cost right now in a Hackney school there is a hungry child whose P huge potential is being wasted whose opportunities are stunted and whose life chances are hobbled and a lot of people when I first arrived in this place 19 years ago I had to tell people about the good things going on in hne because people had written off my burrow as a poor and deprived area where things didn't happen now people think of the shage Hipster the tech companies the city Fringe but underneath that there is this huge poverty and this opportunity being stunted for our children and this is the mess that this government now has to clear up and another example of this is the housing crisis a safe warm affordable place to live should be and is a basic right we all need a roof over our heads before we can do anything else in our life whether it be study or work or bring up our families and yet after 14 years my constituents face a housing crisis whatever the tenure the median household income in Hackney is 36 just under £ 365,000 a year according to Hackney Council yet the median house price in my constituency is 610 £1,000 and this has doubled since 2010 this means for those of you who haven't caught up on the maths yet that a house costs more than 16 times the median household income and the average first-time buyer in Hackney paid just under £600,000 according to the land registry over half a million for a first time buyer well that's not most firsttime buyers is it that's the lucky few who've got a help on either a very good job or help from the bank of mom and dad or other family members I don't deny them that help but that should be an opportunity available to all it is utterly ridiculous that we're in this situation young professionals with double incomes are simply unable to afford a deposit to get a place of their own being stuck often with family members into their 30s forcing people into a rented accommodation with no security of tenure rents so high that there is no spare money to save to get on the housing letter and according to the Public Accounts committee's work around 133% of privately rented properties pose a serious threat to health that's 589 th000 properties so landlords are getting the rent but landing their tenants in hospital with lung diseases mental illness or physical injury and the Public Accounts committee estimated and I hope the chance is pricking her ears up on this but this costs the NHS 340 million a year so this makes the broader Point economic inefficiency child poverty the housing crisis and failing Public Services all cost us more money the economics of decline is an expensive business but and we see a hope now with this labor government investment in jobs homes schools skills roads the NHS tackling crime save the public money down the line here here here and as I was very often saying as chair of the Public Accounts committee when I had the honor of holding that role a penny of waste is theft from working people's pockets and a fair economy is also an efficient economy so Mr Speaker I really really warmly welcome the measures contained in this labor King's Speech how nice it is to say those words after 14 years and the move as well since the 5th of July from my colleagues in the C cabinet I was about to say the shadow cabinet old habits die hard from colleagues in the cabinet labor secretaries of State who've moved into action from the inertia of what went before means we are on the road to recovery it's going to be a long haul but I welcome the measures to support startups and tech companies particularly as I represent shage where so many are based the measures to revive skills to modernize our health services particularly prioritizing mental health and get more teachers into hacky schools and crucially to build more affordable homes and we need many of those homes in inner London in constituencies like mine where social housing is the only option for so many people and only last week at my surgery a woman came to see me four children in a two a one-bedroom flat her elderly sick father had had to come to live with them that's how the family live four children in a one-bedroom flat and that is not uncommon at all so we need to really drive that change to deliver not just the housing around the country but particularly in the inner city and I also recognize the the lead and a step change in tackling Net Zero to decarbonize our economy with investment in Renewables insulation carbon capture and green jobs something I've examined a lot over the last decade and we've seen the previous government fail on so often and above all I welcome the commitment of his Majesty's government our labor government to Kickstart growth in our economy without steady sustainable economic growth with the proceeds of growth fairly shared Across the Nation we will continue our national decline but instead in this King's Speech we're offered a hopeful prospectus for change the prospect of progress a new sense of national renewal and hope after 14 years we know it won't be easy nor will it be as quick as we all impatiently wanted to be and as a former Minister and having been a member of the Public Accounts committee for 13 years I know that Modern Nation modernization and reform can be frustratingly slow I've seen many good Ambitions be frustrated by poor delivery so if I may profer a word of advice for those on the treasury B finding themselves newly surrounded by eager officials many of whom came in front of my committee and red boxes please stay focused look up at that Horizon think of the people who sent us here who voted for that change you want to deliver and we all want to see keep an eye on that guiding goal of growth test every proposition that comes across your desk against that simple question does this promote or hinder growth because successful government as the Prime Minister said is Mission Le so we want to course tackle poverty build homes transform our NHS but the main mission is growth because without that we cannot deliver any of the others I no to Steven Flynn thank you Mr Speaker let me Begin by congratulating the the prime minister on his first King speech I'm sure it's an incredibly important moment for both him and his family and I do wish him well over the months to come I'm sure it's going to be an incredibly challenging time but I do again repeat my best wishes to him and indeed all of his new colleagues on the benches beside him I I just want to firstly reflect though Mr Speaker on the fact that the day the election was called there was a prime minister's questions and I perhaps goed the former prime minister in respect of calling a general election I think indeed I think AR ref faer to has being feared should he not do that I'm not sure entirely who feared worse from his decision to do so out of the two of us but maybe something we can both reflect upon in due course but Mr Speaker Mr Speaker the the opportunity that is now in front of this labor government is enormous they have a parliamentary majority which will go down in history and that majority affords them something incredibly important it affords them the ability to deliver change and what that change looks like and perhaps more importantly what that change feels like for people in their homes is so important now my colleagues and I on the SNP benches will try to do everything that we possibly can to be as constructive as we can we will however I was was a little bit disappointed today by not necessarily some of the things that were within The King's Speech but some of those things that W and in that regard I just want to bring the House's attention to the amendment which my colleagues and I ay supported by other members from across the chamber in relation to the two child benefit cap this is a policy an iniquitous heinous policy which was introduced by the former conservative government in 200 and 15 each and every one of us in this chamber knows that it retains children in poverty hundreds of thousands of children across these aisles in Scotland alone it impacts 27,000 households it's estimated that 14,000 children would immediately be taken out of poverty where it to be scrapped but it was not mentioned in the government's program for government today instead All We Have Heard is that a task force is going to be created no time frame for that task force no indication of when that task force will conclude and all the while those children will remain in poverty surely it should be the bare minimum expectation of a labor government to seek to do everything it possibly can immed immediately to lift children out of poverty I'm particularly interested in the views of Scottish members of parliament from the labor party in this regard I would be delighted to give away could he explain to the house why the S SMP government in Scotland who have the power to do so have not yeah I would be more than happy to Enlighten the the gentleman The Honorable gentleman in that regard because as he knows in the UK we have reserved policies and we have devolved policies some 70% of welfare policies are reserved to this Parliament now what the Scottish government has sought to do over recent years is to mitigate the worst excesses of the conservatives some 800 Million worth of money that we could spend on other things we choose to mitigate T policies including of course the likes of the bedroom tax and I'm sure the honorable gentleman opposite me would be very keen to see his own front bench mitigate and end that particular policy but we do that within the confines of the financial set in a large part by this place and if the honorable gentleman is suggesting as indeed I'm sure some of his Scottish colleagues would agree with that the Scottish government should mitigate this place that he should outline as they should where that money should come from should it come from Scotland's NHS should it come from our schools should it come from our police should it come from our young people's budget the reality is the constraints placed upon Scotland by this place do not afford US the opportunity to mitigate and quite frankly I find it absurd and deeply disingenuous to suggest that the remit of Scotland's Parliament should be to mitigate Westminster our Horizons should be so much greater than that so I would return to the point that I was making the labor members in Scotland supposedly agree with the Scottish national party that the two child cap should and must be scrapped so how will they vote will they follow the leads of their prime minister in London or will they follow the lead of the leader in Scotland and indeed respect the views of the people that they were sent here to represent but of course whilst my disappointment is very much in that regards there is one area where I hope the Prime Minister can put a smile on my face and that's in relation to GB energy because I'm moderately surprised that we haven't had an announcement yet that is due to be headquartered in abine perhaps of course in the abine South constituency that I represent indeed AB the grand Chamber of Commerce H van today which has been patrolling the streets outside Parliament calling for it to come home and that is the only time I will ever use those words and it should come home Mr Speaker straight to the energy capital of Europe but whilst I would welcome its placement in Aberdine I also want to see much more detail about what GB energy is going to deliver because if I've read correctly 8.3 billion cumulatively over the course of the next 5 years will go towards GB energy some 1.6 billion each and every year well one hydrop pump storage project in Scotland would almost blow that entire budget apart we know that GB energy isn't going to sell energy we know it's not going to distribute energy we appear to know it's not going to generate energy it's suggested that it will be an investment vehicle for projects to go forward but if it's going to be capped at 1.6 billion per year I have to question the ambition of members opposite how does that deliver the change that is required the change which they previously agreed to would actually require some 28 billion each and every year what a contrast what a contrast to the ambitions that they once had and of course Net Zero is going to be absolutely crucial to our economic future the growth and prosperity that we all want to see but ultimately that growth can only also come about through productivity and I would like to hear more from an incoming labor government a government which now has a significant majority as to what they are going to do to reverse some of the policies of the conservative party in relation to migration migration which is dramatically and drastically impacting Scotland's higher education institutions which will be impacting higher education institutions in each and every one of the members opposites constituencies and we know that universities are a key driver of productivity but on that point of migration I wish to seek consensus in this house which might be moderately difficult given some of the people who now sit behind me we need to stand stand up and be bold and brave in the face of those who seek to demonize migration who seek to other those people who come and work in our public sector and in our private sector who care for us in our hospitals and who teach our children we should be seeking to increase migration to increase our economic output and to grow our our economy and indeed to enhance our communities Brave politicians would do that and I hope that members opposite share that bravely but of course our economy isn't just about Net Zero it's not just about productivity it's not just about migration it's also intrinsically linked to our relationship with the European Union and I look forward to seeing what the government comes forward with in respect of its proposed new relationship with our friends and allies in Europe we should have of course be seeking to rejoin the European single Market we should of course be seeking to rejoin the European Customs Union it makes sense to all of us the politicians in this house they're afraid of doing so well they're going to come to realize that the only way to achieve the aims that they want to achieve is to do just that so on all those issues and so many more we will seek to be a voice of reason in this house and to work constructively with members opposite and I look forward over the coming hours and coming days to hearing their contributions and what they intend to bring to our national discourse as we all try to better improve the lives of the people that we are so fortunate to represent thank you Mr can I just gently say to members that we've got a lot to get in today so if you can look to try and keep it below or up to 8 minutes I'd be very grateful John McDonald thank you thank you Mr Speaker um can I add my commendations to the those of others with regard to the speeches that introduced this debate um I have only one anecdote with regard to The Honorable member futle who was in my treasury team he's a fan of Shostakovich and one occasion we went to the Royal Albert Hall to listen to Shostakovich Symphony it was the symphony to me Sho which upset Stalin by and it almost cost him his life but we thought the performance was superb but there were two grumpy old men in front of us and at the end of this Symphony one turned to the other and said Stalin may have had a point we enjoyed it I thought his the speeches today were superb um I want to get to the business of the next few days really of examining the Examining The King's Speech we all come to it we all come to this house with a mandate from our own constituents and therefore it's important that we bring to the house the experience of our constituents and I just say that when that when the exit pole landed that night in my community there was almost like a collective breath of relief a sigh of relief that we were ending 14 years of a conservative government because mine like many others and The Honorable member for Hackney South has said that my committee couldn't take anymore to be frank and like her I've got one in three of the children in my constituency are living in poverty some of them are living in destitution according to statistics I've got a housing crisis I've got a housing crisis even though there's 4,000 properties being built in the center of my constituency but most of my constituents can't afford them and those ones that have scraped together and have got a leaseholder access to those properties now being hit by Massive increases in service charges some of them wanting to hand the keys back I've got rents spiring out of all control and I've got slum housing reappearing the back to back has been reinvented in my constituency where one family will rent the front another will rent another floor or the back of a normal house and in terms of employment for M's wages have virtually been frozen for the last 14 years I've got heat thr my constituency people would fight to get a job at Heath because the wages were so good not anymore we're running low pay campaigns and insecure work is endemic in my constituency it was Heath that started fire and rehire it was heo limited and the same could be said we'll all say this in public services the nhsm is on its knees I I I just do not know how the staff have coped and in terms of teachers the stress is such that we cannot retain teachers no matter how committed they are they don't survive under this sort of pressure and social care for many of our areas where it's almost non-existent and you meet family members who are caring for other family members nonp paid cares it's inevitable if you're looking after someone in your family that person of a disability or whatever it's almost inevitable you're now living in poverty as a result of the lack of support so I think yes people voted for change but I think we have to be also realistic on this side as well and be I think have some humility about the assessment in which we relate to that election only one in five of the population actually voted for it and what worried me in my constituency our turnout has gone from 70% when I was elected in the 1990s to 51% in this election we need to be wary of that and we need to understand the reason for it the the more in common poll that was published this week confirms the sort of scale of disillusionment that there is with politics overall and that sort of been reflected in some of the debate today and what my fear is is we now have others on this political scene in this country and elsewhere that will feed on that disillusionment and it is the far right mobilizing again and we should guard against what's happened in Germany and France and Italy with the mobilization on the far right so we have to as a labor government we have to deliver I think like all governments um the honeymoon will inevitably be shortlived I I welcome The King's Speech because actually it does set out the elements of a program for rebuilding our country can I just say and I just there's elements I have to smile over um there is much you know there is much that's drawn I have to say from the 2017 and 2019 but maybe manifestos but maybe we shouldn't mention that like employment rights the New Deal rail nationalization on buses the G GB energy the national investment fund which reflects the national Investment Bank that we put forward then in fact a lot of the work that was put in by the right honorable member for Middlesboro into this um King's Speech almost made sections of it his own so people I think wanted and expect delivery sooner rather than later and I just want to focus on four areas of policy that I'm desperate to see change on it does start with poverty um people have mentioned child poverty it has to be a it has to be our priority 15 million 14 million people living in poverty 4.3 million children 1 million in destitution I never thought in my lifetime would ever debate destitution again in this house but destitution there is I welcome the announcement today of the task force that will now look at poverty overall but I have to say setting up a task force is one thing acting is another there is a simple act and we all know it there is one simple act that could lift 300,000 children out of poverty this month and it would be the scrapping of two child limit I was in this house when the toys introduced it it was introduced as part of the stigmatizing of all those on benefit I did a speech I actually I think I said I'd swim through vomit to vote against this piece of legislation and some of the nause speeches from the toies at the time almost meant I would have to it was appalling form of attack on the poorest within our community I think we just need to lift that that stigma lift that impact but we need to do it quickly so yes set up as task forth by all means but produce a timetable that within weeks we will scrap the two child limit the argument is that we can we afford it and will it be within our fiscal rules many of you will have known that over this last few weeks the OB have lifted it and revised its growth figures upwards the IMF has dramatically increased the growth figures upwards and that's nothing to do with the Tories building a new economy or anything like that that's the natural business cycle and actually I do think is well it is part and part of some companies recognizing a labor government was com so let's take the benefit of that it's not a no longer offense against the fiscal rule the resources are there and we can lift those poor children out of out of poverty with this simple simple act so I appeal to I appeal to my own party to the labor front bench by all means get the task force working but let's now commit ourselves to scrapping the two Tri limit and doing it rapidly unemployment I have to say as well the New Deal for workers which we developed in when we're in opposition is now going to be legislated on I want no more watering down and at the same time I do not want it delayed by endless consultations we've consulted at length for 5 years nearly it's there and it's ready we want to scrap fire and rehi we want to scrap zero contracts but I tell you also one of the most important ingredients of that legislation should be the extension of sectoral collective pay Barling now so far we're committed to doing that in the social care sector and I welcome it I welcome it because that's where poverty wages really are being paid but actually now we need to start as we promised before extend that right the way ac across the economy so in the legislation we can build into the bill the mechanisms for doing that stage by stage yes with discussions Etc but it can be done effectively and you know some areas of that seal colletive bargain only got scrapped a few years ago for example in agriculture one of the areas I'd like to see that in in this to ensure that we have that within transport in particular then we'd have no more pnos that we've had in the past with regard to Public Services um I I think we need to be honest about the state of our Public Services both in terms of their delivery but also in terms of the finances I did a report last September with Andrew fiser on Labor's in the calculation of how much between 2010 now it's been cut by the conservators is 80 billion no one's expecting that 80 billion to be discovered overnight or whatever but we need a plan for reinvestment over the length of this Parliament and I have to say that does mean being honest about the debate that we have to have not just about this budget but future budgets people recognize that we'll need to find the money and yes we'll get some from growth but 1% of growth brings in about 122 billion P to achieve 1% growth I tell you is hard work it requires investment and it takes time and if we can get back up to 2% fine but that will take time but in the meantime we need the resources for our public services and that means we have to have an honest debate about Taxation and the distribution of wealth in our country and it does mean for example we need to grasp the netal of leveling capital gains tax with income tax making sure our tax relief the corporate welfare that's going on is effective and not simply subsidizing profits and in addition to that I believe we will have to have a discussion at some stage about what we do about wealth distribution overall finally the with regard to Public Service there's been a lot of discussion about reform I agree but I want reform to be based and placed in the hands of the Frontline staff themselves those ones who are the experts in delivering this service but then working with the recipients of those service the patients the others so there's co-production in the dis stability movement we've developed that theme of nothing about us without us and that should be in every sector of public service so that we are working with those not just Who deliver the service but also those who receive it and I agree with what's been said also with regard to unpaid cares and the way in which we treat disabled people who now I'm afraid live in poverty and under the last government are still stigmatized we can come to these debates as we run to the next budget so I actually think the my conclusion is carpedm sees the mement we've got a large majority we've got to beware the danger of the far right mobilizing if we fail but recognize the potential that we now have final point from me is that overhanging I don't know what was like in other constituencies but overhanging my our whole debate was the issue of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza night after night coming in seeing more children being slaughtered and war crimes being committed so I just say this I don't think we'll solve this problem unless we seek an immediate ceasefire that will enable us to have the hostages release but I think we can make some immediate steps and that's stopping the armed sales to Israel and it's also respecting the ICC and ensuring that we recognize that war crime should be punished one final thing I've been trying to do since January is I've been trying to mobilize the last government as other governments across the world have been doing is to accept seriously injured children in Gaza to come here for treatment not One Visa has been issued to a Palestinian child for that respect I've written to the foreign secretary and also the Home Secretary and I'm hoping our government can welcome those children here so that they can receive the treatment they need and hopefully then be returned to a Palestinian state that we recognize and lives in peace thank you s Jenkin Mr Deputy speaker it's a pleasure to see you in the chair this afternoon um and it's an honor to speak so early in this debate and to follow the right honorable gentleman for Hazen Harlington um and I would remark that his speech preceded by uh two others we heard from the opposition benches from the party leaders uh is demonstrating that you can't keep a good Parliament down Mr Deputy speaker um we've already got the liberal Democrats trying to rerun the referendum on proportional representation the SNP want to rerun the referendum on brexit and of course on Scottish independence and I would encourage the right honorable gentleman to continue a healthy debate about matters such as the two child policy because the idea that the bigger majority the more control you have over your party has just been demonstrated uh by The Honorable gentleman's speech and um uh I look forward to an entertaining parliament in that respect but um I wish to concentrate um my remarks this is my first opportunity Mr speak Mr Deputy speaker to draw The house's attention to a report produced by the uh liaison Committee in its dying moments in the last Parliament which was this was actually published after Parliament had uh risen um before final dissolution and um uh it's about strategic thinking in government and I ask myself whether this King's Speech really reflects comprehensive strategic thinking in government I think it does in Parts but certainly not in others and it's a significant moment when a newly elected government's King speech is delivered because that is when the rhetoric of the campaigning hits the reality of government so how strategic is this government much of the speech is good budget responsibility prioritizing wealth creation these are good but how is this to be achieved with enhanced employment rights which we know is a um a threat to the flexibility of the labor market which uh businesses already warning will destroy jobs and what about all these new super quangos which are rather an echo of Labor government's past a new Great British Railways like the failed strategic rail Authority Under John Prescot or a a new Great British energy I don't suppose that's going to be quite like the old Central electricity generating board but I thought the limits on its uh Authority and spending power make it rather less significant as the um leader of the SNP pointed out or the new industrial strategy Council uh rather like the unlimed National Enterprise board set up by Tony Ben in 1975 uh this is the prime minister claimed that this is nothing less than National renewal but I would suggest that these are little more than the recycling of old failed ideas um and lordge reform I thought that was going to be not a firsttime priority for a labor government uh that's probably just red meat for a few labor MPS and um a new House of Commons modernization committee um I mean that's 25 years out of date uh the house of commment modernizes itself without having a modernization committee but is that really deser in of such prominence in a King's Speech as a strategic priority of the government and the government appears deaf to its the ironies of its conflicts within its own program it it talks of Greater Devolution of decision- making is at the heart of a modern dynamic economy and I welcome that but it's only to do things like take control of buses um it's certainly not to take control of where the houses are built and what the housing targets are in different areas I welcome the commitment to speed up infrastructure investment and um uh to that extent I hope the government will welcome the inheritance of the free ports uh from the previous government and particularly the one inh herit and Felix Stone in my constituency an initiative which the government should be pleased to advance uh it has the support of all the political parties in harage who are committed to its success with the new government's commitment to find fund infrastructure I look forward to meeting the new minister to discuss uh how we can develop the bside bay uh to generate industry and jobs for local people but the Norwich to Tilbury pylons proposal is a less welcome inheritance I think the government will find um I welcome the government's objective quotes to unlock investment in energy infrastructure but I would like to assist with that and it does not mean that the government must blindly approve of anything that National Grid produces at first flush and thinks is a good idea the Norwich to Tilbury pylons proposal uh has been much in the National use because of the local campaign against the desecration of unspoiled Countryside but this is not opposition for its own sake the submission which I will be uh making in response to the present consultation later this week will set out how Norwich to tilbury's objectives cannot be achieved with the present scheme and can be achieved more quickly and at at less lifetime cost than the present Norwich St proposals despite what the prime minister is trying to insist his program is it is still dominated by short term the tactics of gaining power and retaining it you heard it in his um in his jibes at the conservative party rather than uh addressing the fundamental challenges which threaten our national survival and I put it at no less than that what are those challenges they can be summarized as the six big Big D's debt digitization which is transforming the way we live our lives decarbonization deglobalization uh which has um thrown globalization into reverse as a result of the pandemic and as a result of rising International tensions demographics which are afflicting every oecd country and defense I very much welcome the appointment of Lord Robertson uh that to help oversee a bipartisan defense review uh it will find we need to commit far more than 2 and a half% of GDP to defense to help prevent another major war and just keep thinking about Ukraine and I'm very glad that the Prime Minister mentioned it in his remarks if Russia succeeds in Ukraine we can say goodbye to European and transatlantic security one of the findings of the liaison committee report on strategic thinking of government is that long-term strategy can only be truly sustained if it lasts across successive parliaments and periodic changes in government what comes to mind the continuous C deterrence counterterrorism strategy the operation of gchq indeed the survival and continuation of the National Health Service or the achievement of Net Zero and I hope this government will use its considerable majority to offer to make the radical reforms the NHS needs for example by finding the cross party consent and consensus that will be needed to drive those reforms through which will undoubtedly create divisions in both parties and on social care this government has an unrivaled opportunity finally to tackle the social care question but if we want it to stick it must be something that is agreed across the house our report covers the capacity of whiteall for strategic thinking how the center of government can lead strategy more effectively how strategy must engage the public particularly younger Generations uh for the for the governing for the future and how scrutiny by select committees can promote can promote strategic thinking uh in government and I very much hope that um honorable and right honorable members if they haven't already just read the first chapter of this report they will do so because it is a Manifesto of how Parliament and government should work together uh to help promote um the kind of country that we want that is so threatened by the international events we see and uh while ministers are sagely nodding on the front bench and I appreciate that they have the the government has yet to respond to this report and there are two particular proposals in it which I very much hope they will adopt one is that they will recreate a national school for government to train our civil servants and spads and even members of parliament in what strategic thinking really is instead of just scrabbling around uh with focus groups and um opinion polls to tell us what to do and the other is that this house should establish a committee for the future which is the same as is happening in other parliaments around the world we drawn a lot on International experience and a committee of the future should be looking much further ahead than most select committees have time to do and I think that would be a great reform for this government to bring in Derek twig thank you Mr uh it's it's a real pleasure to be speaking in the king speaks debate today setting out Labor's new program uh for governments after 14 years of disastrous Tory governments it's also an honor for me to be taking part in this debate as the MP for the new constituency of witness and Hil wood I constituency I was born and bred in the Prime Minister has made it clear that label will government of service with a clear mandate to deliver the change the country desperate needs the K speech shows that lab have a plan to govern with ser serious Solutions labor will make difficult decisions needed to fix basic problems facing this country and I'm really pleased that we've made grow a central plank of government's policy and of course the development of a incredible industrial strategy we we must also address the serious and long-term problem of productivity that this country has faced and I hope that a new government will get onto that very very quickly because it's something that is a real hold on this country and holding us back now the new new labor government has a don't in this this government of ours has a daunting job in tackling the many challenges facing the country after 14 years of mismanagement of our economy timized by the disastrous Li trust budget but also the running down and underfunding of our Public Services the NHS and social care are in crisis people are dying because of delays in treatment waiting in a corridor in a hospital now is the norm and local authorities are struggling to remain financially viable rather than stick our heads in the sand I'll pull a w over people's eyes as the Tories did label will be straight with people about the problems we inherit the truth is there isn't a switch we can we can flick to fix the country's problems overnight this is a packed uh King speech and there's limited time to speak so I'll focus on just a few areas I really welcome uh the decision to bring rail Services back into public ownership and improve passenger Journeys and deliver better value for taxpayers and establish the Great British Railways anyone who's traveled on aany West Coast we'll know of the many many problems faced over a long period of time now whether it's the fact that they're late cancelled Wi-Fi doesn't work haven't got any hot water or whatever there are continual problems we know it's been a failure so I welcome the decision on that on on the on the announcement to implement a Hillsboro law i i i i this is something I think is really really important and it'll place a legal duty of cander on public servant and Authority and will travel to the Commonwealth hubs of government meeting in Samoa and to Australia this Autumn the king is a true model of Public Service I know that the Prime Minister will value his audiences with his majesty as much as I did and I think we all recognize that the king is aided by the constant support of her majesty the queen and I know the whole house will join me in wishing her a very happy birthday today we also pay tribute to Tony Lloyd Tony served the people of Greater Manchester for 45 years and for 36 of those as a member of this house he was a great parliamentarian kind and wise his family should have enormous pride in the contribution he made to this place and to the community that he loved and served they are in all our thoughts today I'd also like to welcome all new members to their places being elected as a member of parliament is a great honor and a great responsibility we serve our communities and our United Kingdom I know that whatever our political differences might be we are all motivated by a desire to make life better for our constituents and our country stronger and I know that the whole house will join me in deploring the assassination attempt on President trump our thoughts are with the victims violence and intimidation have no place in the Democratic process now Mr Speaker speaker I commend the proposer on his excellent speech I know that the whole house will agree with me that the honorable member for Bole has set a very high bar for speeches in this new Parliament now my little sister always reminds me that being the youngest means you have to learn how to make yourself heard well well The Honorable member is the youngest of eight and it really shows and I had the Good Fortune of getting to know the honorable member when he was Shadow Chief secretary to the treasury and he was always courteous and pleasant as an opposite number to me and as he outlined The Honorable member for comes from a family committed to Public Service both of his great uncles were members of this house and he himself even though he was very modest about it has been in public service for more than 40 years the new members of this house have much to learn from The Honorable gentleman and I know I speak for the whole house in saying how much we all admire his personal bravery in campaigning for more victim support following the tragic death of his daughter in a hit and run accident now not only is he one of the most popular members of this house as we heard he is also the most popular constituency MP enjoying the biggest majority of any member of this place and and in a recent election he even won an astonishing 84% % of the vote he might be he might be the only person who can persuade King jnun of the benefits of democracy although the People's Republic of Bol doesn't quite have the same ring to it now I wonder I wonder though I wonder whether he was chosen to speak today actually to head off him reintroducing his 10-minute rule bill I speak of course of the honorable members bill for a 4-day week now I'm not sure if he's consulted with his whips on how compatible that would be with their desire to make Fridays a new Norm sitting day I'll say this to The Honorable gentleman if they won't let him have his 10-minute rule Bill he should work to rule although I suspect the labor member for Mery side needs no tips from this former Banker on Trade union organizing Now The Honorable member for voxel and cell El green spoke with typical Verve she is someone inspired by a desire to serve and her strong faith but she never lets any of this go to her head today she was chosen because of the high regard she has held in but she is also one of the kindest members of this house regularly baking Victoria sponges for her staff and others although post the election result perhaps red velvet might be now on the menu and The Honorable lady has campaigned bravely against Gan violence both in the London assembly and in this house and she is so right that we must not become desensitized to knife crime she represents the place where she grew up and does so with passion and determination and now that I have a lot more time on my hands I intend to be a regular visitor to her constituency especially in the summer months one of my favorite places to watch cricket is of course the oval and as prime minister I had the privilege of playing there with the wonderful Emily reinford Bren and the young black cricketers on the Ace Program I applaud The Honorable lady for her work with that scheme I can reassure her though that I won't go as far as the last conservative prime minister to speak from this dispatch box who propos removing that part of her constituency to a desert island along with his eight favorite records Now The Honorable lady story is truly an inspirational one to go from caring for your mother as a teenager to this house shows what is possible in our country but the online abuse that The Honorable member has received an experience that is far too often common in this house shows one of the challenges facing our democracy the intimidation that some candidates received in this election both physical and digital was completely unacceptable and is a threat to our electoral process there can be no excuse Mr Speaker for threats of physical violence or intimidatory protests outside politicians homes now the honorable lady will have been picked to Second the loyal address because the Whip's office have got her down as one who will go far if I may offer some words of advice to members opposite on the government benches life comes at you fast soon you might be fortunate enough to be tapped on the shoulder and offered a junior ministerial role then you'll find yourself attending cabinet then in the cabinet and then when the prime minister's position becomes untenable you might you might end up being called to the highest office and before you know it you have a bright future behind you and and you are left wondering whether you can credibly be an elder Statesman at the age of 44 now it is right to begin by congratulating the Prime Minister on his decisive victory in the election he deserves the Goodwill of all of us in this house as he takes on the most demanding of jobs in the increasing inly uncertain World in which we now live now the party opposite has successfully tapped into the Public's desire for change but they now must deliver change and we on this side of the house will hold them accountable for delivering on the commitments that they made to the British people in the national interests we will not oppose for the sake of it but when we disagree with the government it is our responsibility as the opposition to say so and what will guide us will be our principles sound public finances a belief that people know how to spend their own money better than governments do that private Enterprise not State intervention is the key to delivering growth and prosperity public services that work for those who need them an education system that gives everyone the best start in life secure borders and a strong National Defense now I welcome the government's decision to bring forward Martin's law I'm sure that the Prime Minister will find as I did that one of the most humbling parts of the job is seeing people who lives have been touched by tragedy and seeing how they don't turn to anger or bitterness but campaign to ensure that other families do not have to endure the same pain that they did and I particularly commend fan Murray for her work to get this law onto the statute book I can assure her that this measure will command consensus in this house and we will work with the government to make sure that it becomes law as soon as possible I'm also glad that the government will continue with plans for a smoke free generation I know there are deeply held views on both sides of this issue and I have deep respect for those especially on my own benches who disagree with me on this question measures that end access to products are never easy but I do believe that ensuring that our children can be the first generation that doesn't have to suffer the false choice to quit smoking or not because they will have never started is a truly worthy aim it will make us a healthier fairer country where people live longer and better lives now the first duty of government is the defense of the realm and we're fortunate in our country to be to be protected by Armed Forces who are unrivaled in the world for their professionalism bravery and skill and I know the whole house will agree with me that they are truly the best of us every month in my previous job I became more concerned about the threats to our country's security we live in an increasingly uncertain world we need greater investment in our military if we are to deter our enemies and defend our interests and as I warned earlier this year there is an access of authoritarian States who are a threat to our values Freedom democracy and the rule of law and we must collectively stand up to them the world is more dangerous now than it has been at any time since the end of the Cold War so I would urge the prime minister to commit to boosting defense spending to 2 and a half% of GDP by 2030 and if we lead the way on this we can make 2 and a half% the new NATO Benchmark for defense investment this is the single best way to strengthen the alliance it will show The Americans that we do not expect them to Bear every burden and it would show President Putin that NATO is serious about bolstering its defenses and will also be the most effective way to deter further acts of Russian aggression now in the last few years there has been an impressive amount of consensus across the house on foreign policy on the importance of supporting Ukraine on the centrality of NATO to our National Defense and in that spirit I commend the Prime Minister on his work at the NATO Summit and I'm glad that he and the Secretary of State for defense have taken such rapid steps to demonstrate that while the government has changed this country's commitment to Ukraine security remains constant and I also welcome the right honorable member for tottenham's visit to the Middle East it is of fundamental importance to this country that as we make real progress towards a two-state solution our friend and Ally Israel has a right to defend itself and to live in peace and let me turn next to another crucial issue facing not just our country but the broader Western World illegal migration now the fundamental question is what to do with people who arrive here illegally but cannot be returned to their own home country now our approach was to send them to a safe Third Country the Prime Minister was clear scrap those plans and I acknowledge that and our fear remains that without such a deterrent the country will end up having to accept that a large number of those who cross the channel illegally will end up remaining here and how to prevent that that is something that the government I know will soon look to address and when it comes to Legal migration I urge the Home Secretary to retain the measures that we implemented which have forecast to Har net migration in the next 12 months now if I may turn next to the economy I understand well that the chancellor is Keen to paint o bleak a picture as possible but I would just gently point out that this is not exactly what the facts [Applause] say in inflation at 2% unemployment 4% and the fastest growing economy in the G7 so far this year the party opposite has inherited an economy that is already on an upward trajectory now the government the government have set out plans the government has set out plans to strengthen the role of the office for Budget responsibility and we will examine those proposals carefully but the work of the OB already means that the party opposite did have the full details of the public finances when they set out their Manifesto now the obr has rightly taken away from governments the ability to make forast say what they want them to but they have also taken away from oppositions coming into government the ability to say that they did not know the true state of the public finances as Paul Johnson of the institute for fiscal studies has said the books are wide open fully transparent in his words trying to pretend that things are worse than expected really won't wash now the party opposite promised no tax Rises on working people and no plans for tax Rises Beyond what's in their Manifesto in full knowledge of the public finances not it would be difficult for them to claim that things are worse than they thought and then Rene on those pledges and we will hold the government to its own promises come the [Applause] budget I note plans for new employment legislation now in this country our employment rate is far lower than the European average and that is thanks in part to our flexible labor market I would urge the party opposite not to impose new burdens on businesses that Business Leaders themselves have warned of the unintended consequence quences of those plans that they could lead to firms being less likely to invest less likely to hire and so increasing unemployment in the longterm and I further note the government's desire to impose new potentially rigid legislation on Technologies like artificial intelligence now we are third only to the US and China in the size of our fast growing technology sector and lead the world when it comes to AI safety and we should all in this house be careful not to endanger this country's leading position in this field which will drive growth and prosperity for decades to come and while today's speech did contain a slew of bills what was missing was a concrete plan to tackle the unsustainable postco rise in the welfare bill without action the cost of providing benefits to the working age population with a disability or health condition will rise to 90 billion pounds more than we spend on our National Defense schools or policing now that's not only unsustainable but also unfair to taxpayers and that's why in government we had laid out a plan to significantly reduce the Weare bill but crucially to support all those that could back into work now I hope the government looks at those proposals when it has the time to study them in detail on this side of the house we will continue to advocate for a welfare system that is both compassionate and fair to those who need it but also fair to those who pay for it now the government has set out plans to change the planning system we will of course study these thoroughly as well as we all wish to see more homes built and the planning process speed it up but I would say that A system that does not allow local people to have a say will damage public consent for more housing in the long term exactly and I regret I regret that there was no mention of rural communities and farming in the King speech much like my own but I hope in time the government will bring forward proposals now turning to Net Zero this country has decarbonized quicker than any other major country and we have managed to do that while growing the economy as a country and across this whole house I know we will all be proud of that achievement now the government plans to decarbonize the grid by 2030 but there is a real danger but if the government puts the speed of doing this ahead of family finances and our energy security then we will again lose public consent for the measures necessary to ensure that we actually reach our 2050 Net Zero Target a Target on which there is genuine consensus between our two parties as even one of the prime minister's own supporters has warned this 20 plan will and I quote just mean we will have to import our energy strategically we become more vulnerable vulnerable we will pay more money for our energy so I hope that the Energy Secretary reflects on those thoughts now lastly Mr Speaker the government has set out plans for reforms to the other place looking at the benches opposite there can be no doubt about the government's ability to get them through this house but the effects of these changes will last long Beyond this Parliament long beyond our tenures in these jobs I would suggest that when it comes to constitutional reform it would be good to proceed on a cross-party basis rather than to use a simple majority in this house to push things through and that consensus should include should include the crossbenchers whose con Vena would be removed by the government's proposals I also suspect that the public would prefer the government to prioritize practical real world issues over constitutional wrangling however however I welcome the news that the government has paused on their plan to force members of the other place to retire at 80 now this proposal always felt like it would be a blunt instrument and indeed in the dissolution honors the Prime Minister nominated rightly the former right honorable member for Darby South who will be a strong addition to the other place despite the right honorable lady being already over the retirement age that the labor Manifesto proposed so Mr Speaker let me close by saying that we of course recognize that the British people have entrusted the party opposite with the task of governing our country on our side of the house we will fulfill our duties as the loyal opposition professionally and effectively and across this house we are all first and foremost Patriots we all wish to see our country and our people flourish and succeed and in that spirit I wish the new prime minister and the new government well I know called the Prime Minister Sak uh thank you Mr Speaker before we begin may I join the leader of the opposition in his tribute to his majesty the king it is so heartening to see him in his rightful place delivering the gracious speech and I'm sure the whole house will not mind once again wishing him a speedy recovery can I also join in wishing her majesty the queen a happy birthday Mr Speaker we also wish president Trump a speedy recovery from the appalling attempt on his life at the weekend I spoke with President Trump on Sunday night to pass our best wishes but also to share our revulsion but the senseless violence which has no place in democracy last time this address took place and I stood at that dispatch box I could see For the First Time The their new plaque now behind me commemorating the memory of s David amamos and I know how hard that loss was for members on the opposite benches and now standing on this side I Can See For The First Time in front of me the plaque to our dear friend joox with her words that catch the air of this chamber even more at A Moment Like This more in common so while our thoughts at this time are of course with President Trump and the American people we cannot think that this some this is something that only happens elsewhere we must heed the words of President Biden to lower the temperature of our democracy work across our disagreements and find each other's common decency Mr Speaker I also want to congratulate the England football team for their achievements in the Euro something the leader of the opposition and I were talking about uh this morning yes the trophy eluded us again but the team can be proud of another exceptional performance something I'm sure the whole house would be only too pleased to recognize and we pay tribute to Gareth Southgate who shouldered the burden of national leadership with such dignity Mr Speaker this government has been elected to deliver nothing less than National renewal to stop the chaos of the past 14 years turn the page on an era of Politics as noisy performance and return it to public service and start the work of rebuilding our country a determined rebuilding a patient rebuilding a calm rebuilding a rejection in this complicated and volatile world of those who can only offer the easy answer the snake oil charm of populism Mr speaker as the last 14 years has shown that road is a dead end for this country it does nothing to fix our foundations and the British people have rejected it as they have throughout our history what people really want is change and change is what this government of service will deliver a King speech that takes the breaks off our economy and shows to the British people that politics can be a force for good the vehicle for improving lives of millions no matter who you voted for Mr Speaker it's a day when we get on with the serious business of government and yet a house with no time for Levy would go against the grain of our Traditions so it's fantastic to hear my honorable friend the member from Bole in such fine fettle today when proposing the humble address he spoke with great Passion as he always does for his constituency famous as he himself mentioned for the Anthony gorley sculptures on Crosby Beach it's a work of art that's entitled another place a collection of gently rusting figures For Whom The Tide Is perpetually coming in a a solid grounding should he ever consider a career in the other place but I'm sure this house will agree he is also one of the warmest and most generous members a generosity that ahead of a previous election extended to an offer to hand deliver conservative leaplet a commitment to the Democratic process that should be applauded not least because it resulted in a stoning increase in his majority for labor but Mr Speaker as anyone who knows my honorable friend will confirm while he does like to relax with a glass of wine and listen to Engelberg huming for him family always comes first and the leader of the opposition referred to his daughter and growing up he was cared for by his four sisters and now he is never happier than when he's with his grandchildren who are convinced that he knows Mary Poppins personally a belief I note he has never discouraged he has been a tremendous servant to our family the labor family and we thank him for his outstanding speech today Mr Speaker the address was seconded by The Honorable friend the member for voxel and cell wreen A fitting Tri for a royal occasion as I'm told she is known as Queen Flo on Instagram the house will know her as a tireless Champion for her community as well as a founding member of one of our most vital Affiliates the labor friends of karaoke in fact Mr Speaker I'm reliably told that Queen flow does a mean queen bee which we look forward to hearing at Labor conference but Mr Speaker truly it was a fantastic speech another demonstration that my honorable friend is a shining example of our movement a young carer when growing up a fighter for their causes on AIDS and HIV on the health inequalities which still deliver poor outcomes for black women and on Sickle Cell which her late mom suffered from I know what it's like to watch your mom move in and out of hospital as a child and so I respect and admire the way she now Champions young people from poorer households and fights for the opportunities that they deserve perhaps most powerfully of all she's spoken about her own experience arriving at the scene of a stabbing and has rightly demanded that we never allow ourselves to become sensitized to the tragedy of knife crime as a fellow in a London MP I know how much this is hurting our city as it is towns and cities across the country I know how much potential is lost and how many families fear that their child could be next so be under no doubt turning the tide on this violence is absolutely Central a key mission that this government of service will take on Mr Speaker both speeches were in the finest traditions of this house let me also follow the leader of the opposition and mark the passing of our colleagues in the traditional way because since the last gracious address the labor party has lost a stalwart of our movement with the passing of Tony Lloyd who served in 36 years of Distinction the communities of Rock Manchester Central and stretford I had the chance to speak to Tony just days before he left us uh that was when he was leaving hospital to go home and he knew it was for the last time and that he wouldn't see a day like this and without being partisan I can tell you he would have loved to see the house set up as it is today he would have told us using his experience to use every precious moment that we had have to serve those communities that he held so dear because that is what he stood for the best of our movement a champion of Politics as a Force for good and Mr Speaker that is the great test of our times the fight for trust is the battle that defines our political era and it's a task not just for this government but for the whole Parliament we are all responsible for the tone and standards that we set and I want to thank the right honorable gentleman in every exchange that we've had since the election and in his words today he has gone well beyond the usual standards of generosity and I thank him for that and in that spirit this King speech picks up some of the important business not concluded in the last session and so on football governance and the reduction of smok smoking we hope to proceed in a manner that recognizes the previous consensus we will also carry forward the Holocaust Memorial bill so we build that Memorial next to this Parliament and make sure every generation reaffirms our commitment to never again and we will also honor the promises that I made and the leader of the opposition made to the family of Martin head and all the families affected by the horrific events in Manchester that day fan Murray Martin's mom walked 200 miles to tell us that Britain needs that law quickly I told her then that she would get that from a labor government and we honor that promise today and I'm very grateful for the indication of the Cross Party Support we will have on that very important provision because the security of the British people is the most fundamental priority of any government and whether our fight is against terrorists the vile criminal smuggling gangs that weaken our Borders or foreign powers which threaten the security of this nation we will live no stone unturned when it comes to keeping the British people safe and we will recognize The Bravery of those on the front line of keeping us safe with a new Armed Forces commissioner that's not just a name or a role but a strong and independent Champion for those who have committed to the ultimate service as a way we can show our respect we will also move quickly on the lessons from the infected blood Scandal that the house debated in almost the Final Act of the last session a day when we undertook all of us a solemn responsibility not just to deliver Justice to those people but also to take on the work of prevention to make sure that those lessons shape the future of Public Service in our country because scandals like infected blood wind Rush Horizon hillsbor are united not just by the scale of the Injustice but also Al by the indignity that the victims and their families have been put through merely for standing up for truth and Justice so it is high time to bring in a duty of cander the hillsbor law because a government of service must also be a government of accountability and Justice that is what service means uh yes I will I thank the Prime Minister for giving way during his excellent speech outlin The Hope and renewal within this King's Speech much needed in constituencies like mine in Lon North where over 45% of children are growing up in relative poverty what reassurances can the Prime Minister give me and my constituents that he personally takes this issue very seriously and that his government will address it prime minister well I'm grateful for that intervention and I give my Assurance to her and to the whole house that I do take child poverty extremely seriously I'm proud of the record of the last Labor government in reducing child poverty it clearly had a strategy and we will have a strategy and I'm very pleased to have announced today the task force that will lead our strategy to reduce child poverty no child should be growing up in poverty and and we will work across the house on that issue and I will take an intervention very good grateful thank you Mr Speaker I'm very grateful to the Prime Minister for giving way on his newly announced task force which of course be Beth rgby was announcing on Twitter as we were all within this chamber Mr Speaker can the Prime Minister outline how many children will remain in poverty whilst that task force undertakes the work which will ultimately lead to the same conclusion we are proposing to scrap the two child benefit C well look I I do welcome this I know this is an issue across the whole house I don't think there's a single member that doesn't care about child poverty the point of the task force is to devise a strategy as we did last in government to drive those numbers down it can't be a single issue it's across a number of strands and we will work with people across the house in order to do it what matters what matters is the commitment to do it and to drive those numbers then that is what we did last in government and we will do it again but Mr Speaker I'll just make some progress and then I will Mr Speaker whilst I respect the tone of the leader of the opposition's contribution I can't stop my mind wandering back to nine months ago when he was at this dispatch box his great political hero Nigel Lawson once said to govern is to choose and everyday serving the people of this country is a chance to make a difference for them yet Mr Speaker the last King's Speech was the day when the veil of his choices slipped and we all saw a party his party content to let our country's problems Fester content to push aside the national interest as they focused almost entirely on trying to save their own skins Mr Speaker we will have time over the weeks months and years to debate the measures in this King speech and the choice of this government but I defy anyone on those benches or elsewhere to look at the ambition and purpose of our intent and not to receive a return to the serious business of government no more wedge issues no more gimmicks no more party political strategy masquerading as policy this is an agenda focused entirely on delivering for the people of this country legislation for the national interest that seeks only to fix our foundations and make people better off solve problems not exploit them because I'll just make some progress in the because Mr Speaker with each day that passes my government is finding new and unexpected marks of their care scars of the last 14 years where politics was put above the national interest decline deep in the marrow of our institutions we've seen that in our prisons great large we've seen it in our rivers and seas even worse than we thought and we've seen it in our councils pushed to the brink by the previous government now unable even to deliver basic services to children with special educational needs Mr Speaker we've already taken first steps on so many of the priorities we put before the British people the work of change has begun but we know as they do that National renewal is not a quick fix the rot of 14 years will take time to repair nonetheless I I will get I'm grateful to the Prime Minister for giving way and he talks about priorities well of course people in rural communities around the country see the vast majority which the right honorable gentleman has assembled and they're afraid they see a Manifesto in which just 87 words are used about farming they see they see a King speech they see a King's speech with no mention of rural communities or rural priorities will the Prime Minister please take this opportunity to reassure people in re in Rural and farming communities that his labor government will take notice of prime minister just a prime minister just to say l interventure one thing but to actually make a speech is not the best time to do it prime minister well let me take this opportunity to reassure those in rural communities I grew up in a rural community myself um and I think that if you look at the places that are now represented on these benches you'll see the reassurance that has been given that will also be given Again The King's Speech we have brought to this house today is a marker of our intent not only a certain destination for the future of this country but a new way of governing a government of service Guided by clear missions with a long-term plan to fix the foundations a plan which starts as it must with our economy under his watch the last Parliament was the first in modern history to leave living standards in a worse place than they found them the consequence the consequence not just of Tory irresponsibility but of a more pervasive inability to face the future a ducking of the hard choices eyes fixed always on the horse trading of Westminster politics I will in a moment rather than the long-term National interest Mr Speaker we don't just turn the page on that today we close the door on it forever a budget responsibility bill that will protect the living standards of working people from the chaos they endured under the last government a commitment no matter how Fierce the storms to economic stability as the foundation we build on that is a change labor party at were and then on that Foundation we take the breaks of Britain go further and faster on measures to generate higher economic growth workers and business United in the cause of wealth creation we will reform the planning rules a choice ignored for 14 years to build the homes and infrastructure that Britain needs we will level up rights at work a choice ignored for 14 years to deliver security and dignity at work we will create a new industrial strategy invest in cleaner cheaper British energy harness the power of artificial intelligence improve our public transport confront our historic challenges on technical education transform our skills agenda in partnership with business and push forward Devolution to the cities regions and councils of England a plan for wealth creation that will finally lead us out of the pay more get less Doom that is their legacy and let me be clear we will work with anyone invested in the future of our country I've said I'll just complete this I said that we would serve every one whether they voted for us or not and I meant it so let me say directly to the benches opposite if you're invested in the success of your community we will work with you this is a new era we are turning the page we're turning politics to service because that is what the people of this country want to see from their politici and service is a stronger Bond than political self-interest that is what country first means the only way we can restore trust and the reason this government of service was elected Mr Speaker we were also elected to repair our public services with investment and reform to make them once again beacons of justice for the communities that they serve a signal to our country of the cause that fires National renewal my determination for everyone in our country England Scotland Northern Ireland Wales no matter where they started in life to feel that success belongs to them it is a cause Mr Speaker that I do believe unites this house and indeed the people of this great nation so I will Mr Speaker can I commend the Prime Minister there are many within this house boosting of this chamber both in opposition but also in your party who welcome your your election as prime minister and look forward to the delivery of some feel good factors for all of this great nation e and will travel to the Commonwealth Huds of government meeting in Samoa and to Australia this Autumn the king is a true model of Public Service I know that the Prime Minister will van his audiences with his majesty as much as I did and I think we all recognize that the king is aided by the constant support of her majesty the queen and I know the whole house will join me in wishing her a very happy birthday today we also pay tribute to Tony Lloyd Tony served the people of Greater Manchester for 45 years and for 36 of those as a member of this house he was a great parliamentarian kind and wise his family should have enormous pride in the contribution he made to this place and to the community that he loved and served they are in all our thoughts today I'd also like to welcome all new members to their places being elected as a member of parliament is a great honor and a great responsibility we serve our communities and our United Kingdom I know that whatever our political differences might be we are all motivated by a desire to make life better for our constituents and our country country stronger and I know that the whole house will join me in deploring the assassination attempt on President trump our thoughts are with the victims violence and intimidation have no place in the Democratic process now Mr Speaker I commend the proposer on his excellent speech I know that the whole house will agree with me that the honorable member for Bole has set a very high bar for speeches in this new Parliament now my little sister always reminds me that being the youngest means you have to learn how to make yourself heard well well The Honorable member is the youngest of eight and it really shows and I had the Good Fortune of getting to know the honorable member when he was Shadow Chief secretary to the treasury and he was always courteous and pleasant as an opposite number to me and as he outlined The Honorable member for comes from a family committed to Public Service both of his great uncles were members of this house and he himself even though he was very modest about it has been in public service for more than 40 years the new members of this house have much to learn from The Honorable gentleman and I know I speak for the whole house in saying how much we all admire his personal bravery in campaigning for more victim support following the tragic death of his daughter in a hit and run accident now not only is he one of the most popular members of this house as we heard he is also the most popular constituency MP enjoying the biggest majority of any member of this place and and in a recent election he even won an astonishing 84% of the vote he might be he might be the only person who can persuade King jnun of the benefits of democracy although the People's Republic of ble doesn't quite have the same ring to it now I wonder I wonder though I wonder whether he was chosen to speak today actually to head off him reintroducing his 10-minute rule bill I speak of course of the honorable member's bill for a 4-day week now I'm not sure if he's consulted with his whips on how compatible that would be with their desire to make Fridays a new Norm sitting day I'll say this to The Honorable gentleman if they won't let him have his 10-minute rule Bill he should work to rule although I suspect the labor member for Mery side needs no tips from this former Banker on Trade union organizing Now The Honorable member for voxel and cell El green spoke with typical Verve she is someone inspired by a desire to serve and her strong faith but she never lets any of this go to her head today she was chosen because of the high regard she has held in but she is also one of the kindest members of this house regularly baking Victoria sponges for her staff and others although post the election result perhaps red velvet might be now on the menu and The Honorable lady has campaigned bravely against Gan violence both in the London assembly and in this house and she is so right that we must not become desensitized to knife crime she represents the place where she grew up and does so with passion and determination and now that I have a lot more time on my hands I intend to be a regular visitor to her constituency especially in the summer months one of my favorite places to watch cricket is of course the oval and as prime minister I had the privilege of playing there with the wonderful Emily reinford Brent and the young black cricketers on the Ace Program I applaud The Honorable lady for her work with that scheme I can reassure her though that I won't go as far as the last conservative prime minister to speak from this dispatch box who proposed moving that part of her constituency to a desert island along with his eight favorite records Now The Honorable lady story is truly an inspirational one to go from caring for your mother as a teenager to this house shows what is possible in our country but the online abuse that The Honorable member has received an experience that is far too often common in this house shows one of the challenges facing our democracy the intimidation that some candidates received in this election both physical and digital was completely unacceptable and is a threat to our electoral process there can be no excuse Mr Speaker for threats of physical violence or intimidatory protests outside politicians homes Now The Honorable lady will have been picked to Second the loyal address because the Whip's office have got her down as one who will go far if I may offer some words of advice to members opposite on the government benches life comes at you fast soon you might be fortunate enough to be tapped on the shoulder and offered a junior ministerial role then you'll find yourself attending cabinet then in the cabinet and then when the prime minister's position becomes untenable you might you might end up being called to the highest office and before you know it you have a bright future behind you and and you are left wondering whether you can credibly be Elder Statesman at the age of 44 now it is right to begin by congratulating the Prime Minister on his decisive victory in the election he deserves the Goodwill of all of us in this house as he takes on the most demanding of jobs in the increasingly uncertain World in which we now live now the party opposite has successfully tapped into the Public's desire for change but they now must deliver change and we on this side of the house will hold them accountable for delivering on the commitments that they made to to the British people in the National interest we will not oppose for the sake of it but when we disagree with the government it is our responsibility as the opposition to say so and what will guide us will be our principles sound public finances a belief that people know how to spend their own money better than governments do that private Enterprise not State intervention is the key to delivering growth and prosperity public services that work for those who need them an education system that gives everyone the best start in life life secure borders and a strong National Defense now I welcome the government's decision to bring forward Martin's law I'm sure that the Prime Minister will find as I did that one of the most humbling parts of the job is seeing people whose lives have been touched by tragedy and seeing how they don't turn to anger or bitterness but campaign to ensure that other families do not have to endure the same pain that they did and I particularly commend fan Murray for her work to get this la onto the statute book I can assure her that this measure will command consensus in this house and we will work with the government to make sure that it becomes law as soon as possible I'm also glad that the government will continue with plans for a smokefree generation I know there are deeply held views on both sides of this issue and I have deep respect for those especially on my own benches who disagree with me on this question measures that end access to products are never easy but I do believe that ensuring that our children can be the first generation that doesn't have to suffer the false choice to quit smoking or not because they will have never started is a truly worthy aim it will make us a healthier fairer country where people live longer and better lives now the first duty of government is the defense of the realm and we're fortunate in our country to be to be protected by Armed Forces who are unrivaled in the world for their professionalism bravery and skill and I know the whole house agree with me that they are truly the best of us every month in my previous job I became more concerned about the threats to our country's security we live in an increasingly uncertain world we need greater investment in our military if we are to deter our enemies and defend our interests and as I warned earlier this year there is an axis of authoritarian States who are a threat to our values Freedom democracy and the rule of law and we must collectively stand up to them the world is more dangerous now than it has been at any time since the end of the Cold War so I would urge the prime minister to commit to boosting defense spending to 2 and a half% of GDP by 2030 and if we lead the way on this we can make 2 and a half% the new NATO Benchmark for defense investment this is the single best way to strengthen the alliance it will show The Americans that we do not expect them to Bear every burden and it would would show President Putin that NATO is serious about bolstering its defenses and will also be the most effective way to deter further acts of Russian aggression now in the last few years there has been an impressive amount of consensus across the house on foreign policy on the importance of supporting Ukraine on the centrality of NATO to our National Defense and in that spirit I commend the Prime Minister on his work at the NATO Summit and I'm glad that he and the Secretary of State for defense have taken such rapid steps to demonstrate that while the government has changed this country's commitment to Ukraine security remains constant and I also welcome the right honorable member for tottenham's visit to the Middle East it is of fundamental importance to this country that as we make real progress towards a two-state solution our friend and Ally Israel has a right to defend itself and to live in peace and let me turn next to another crucial issue facing not just our country but the broader Western World illegal migration now the fundamental question is what to do with people who arrive here illegally but cannot be returned to their own home country now our approach was to send them to a safe Third Country the Prime Minister was clear scrap those plans and I acknowledge that and our fear remains that without such a deterrent the country will end up having to accept that a large number of those who cross the channel illegally will end up remaining here and how to prevent that that is something that the government I know will soon look to address and when it comes to Legal migration I urge the Home Secretary to retain the measures that we implemented which have forecast to Har net migration in the next 12 months now if I may turn next to the economy I understand well that the chancellor is Keen to paint oblique a picture as possible but I would just gently point out that this is not exactly what the facts [Applause] say in inflation at 2% unemployment 4% and the fastest growing economy in the G7 so far the party opposite has inherited an economy that is already on an upward trajectory now the government the government have set out plans the government has set out plans to strengthen the role of the office for Budget responsibility and we will examine those proposals carefully but the work of the oppr already means that the party opposite did have the full details of the public finances when they set out their Manifesto now the OB has rightly taken away from governments the ability to make forast say what they want them to but they have also taken away from oppositions coming into government the ability to say that they did not know the true state of public finances as Paul Johnson of the institute for fiscal studies has said the books are wide open fully transparent in his words trying to pretend that things are worse than expected really won't wash now the party opposite promis no tax Rises on working people and no plans for tax Rises Beyond what's in their Manifesto in full knowledge of the public finances it would be difficult for them to claim that things are worse than they thought and then Rene on those pledges and we will hold the government to its own promises come the [Applause] budget I note plans for new employment legislation now in this country our employment rate is far lower than the European average and that is thanks in part to our flexible labor market I would urge the party opposite not to impose new burdens on businesses that Business Leaders themselves have warned of the unintended consequences of those plans that they could lead to firms being less likely to invest less likely to hire and so increasing unemployment in the long term and I further note the government's desire to impose new potentially rigid legislation on Technologies like artificial intelligence now we are third only to the US and China in the size of our fast growing technology sector and lead the world when it comes to AI safety and we should all in this house be careful not to endanger this country's leading position in this field which will drive growth and prosperity for decades to come and while today's speech did contain a slew of bills what was missing was a concrete plan to tackle the unsustainable post post covid rise in the welfare bill without action the cost of providing benefits to the working age population with a disability or health condition will rise to 90 billion more than we spend on our National Defense schools or policing now that's not only unsustainable but also unfair to taxpayers and that's why in government we had laid out a plan to significantly reduce the welfare bill but crucially to support all those that could back into work now I hope the government looks at those proposals when it has the time to study them in detail on this side of the house we will continue to advocate for a welfare system that is both compassionate and fair to those who need it but also fair to those who pay for it now the government has set out plans to change the planning system we will of course study these thoroughly as well as we all wish to see more homes built and the planning process speeded up but I would say that A system that does not allow local people to have a say will damage public consent for more housing in the long term and I regret I regret that there was no mention of rural communities and farming in the King speech much like my own but I hope in time the government will bring forward proposals now turning to Net Zero this country has decarbonized quicker than any other major country and we have managed to do that while growing the economy as a country and across this whole house I know we will all be proud of that achievement now the government plans to decarbonize a the grid by 2030 but there is a real danger but if the government puts the speed of doing this ahead of family finances and our energy security then we will again lose public consent for the measures necessary to ensure that we actually reach our 2050 Net Zero Target a Target on which there is genuine consensus between our two parties as even one of the prime minister's own supporters has warned this 20 plan will and I quote just mean we will have to import our energy strategically we become more vulnerable vulnerable we will pay more money for our energy so I hope that the Energy Secretary reflects on those thoughts now lastly Mr Speaker the government has set out plans for reforms to the other place looking at the benches opposite there can be no doubt about the government's ability to get them through this house but the effects of these changes will last long Beyond this Parliament long beyond our tenures in these jobs I would suggest that when it comes to constitutional reform it would be good to proceed on a cross-party basis rather than to use a simple majority in this house to push things through and that consensus should include should include the crossbenchers whose convenor would be removed by the government's proposals I also suspect that the public would prefer the government to prioritize practical real world issues over constitutional wrangling however however I welcome the news that the government has paused on their plan to force members of the other place to retire at 80 now this proposal always felt like it would be a blunt instrument and indeed in the dissolution honors the Prime Minister nominated rightly the former right honorable member F Darby South who will be a strong addition to the other place despite the right honorable lady being already over the retirement age that the labor Manifesto proposed so Mr Speaker let me close by saying that we of course recognize that the British people have entrusted the party opposite with the task of governing our country on our side of the house we will fulfill our duties as the loyal opposition professionally and effectively and across this house we are all first and foremost Patriots we all wish to see our country and our people flourish and succeed and in that spirit I wish the new prime minister and the new government well I know called the Prime Minister sec de St uh thank you Mr Speaker before we begin may I join the leader of the opposition in his tribute to his majesty the king it is so heartening to see him in his rightful place delivering the gracious speech and I'm sure the whole house will not mind once again wishing him a speedy recovery can I also join in wishing her majesty the queen a happy birthday Mr Speaker we also wish president Trump a speedy recovery from the appalling attempt on his life at the weekend I spoke with President Trump on Sunday night to pass our best wishes but also to share our revulsion at the senseless violence which has no place in democracy last time this address took place and I stood at that dispatch box I See For the First Time The their new plaque now behind me commemorating the memory of s David Ames and I know how hard that loss was for members on the opposite benches and now standing on this side I Can See For The First Time in front of me the plaque to our dear friend joox with her words that catch the air of this chamber even even more at A Moment Like This more in common so while our thoughts at this time are of course with President Trump and the American people we cannot think that this some this is something that only happens elsewhere we must heed the words of President Biden to lower the temperature of our democracy work across our disagreements and find each other's common decency Mr Speaker speaker I also want to congratulate the England football team for their achievements in the Euro something the leader of the opposition and I were talking about uh this morning yes the trophy eluded us again but the team can be proud of another exceptional performance something I'm sure the whole house would be only too pleased to recognize and we pay tribute to Gareth Southgate who shouldered the burden of national leadership with such dignity Mr Speaker this government has been elected to deliver nothing less than National renewal to stop the chaos of the past 14 years Turn the page on an era of Politics as noisy performance and return it to public service and start the work of rebuilding our country a determined rebuilding a patient rebuilding a calm rebuilding a rejection in this complicated and volatile world of those who can only offer the easy answer the snake oil charm of populism Mr Speaker as the last 14 years has shown that road is a dead end for this country it does nothing to fix our foundations and the British people have rejected it as they have throughout our history what people really want is change and change is what this government of service will deliver a King speech that takes the breaks off our economy and shows to the British people that politics can be a force for good the vehicle for improving lives of millions no matter who you voted for Mr Speaker it's a day when we get on with the serious business of government and yet a house with no time for levity would go against the grain of our Traditions so it's fantastic to hear my honorable friend the member from Bole in such fine fetal today when proposing the humble address he spoke with great Passion as he always does for his constituency famous as he himself mentioned for the Anthony Gormley sculptures on Crosby Beach it's a work of art that's entitled it another place a collection of gently rusting figures For Whom The Tide Is perpetually coming in a a solid grounding should he ever consider a career in the other place but I'm sure this house will agree he is also one of the warmest and most generous members a generous City that ahead of a previous election extended to an offer to hand deliver conservative leaflets a commitment to the Democratic process that should be applauded not least because it resulted in a stoning increase in his majority for labor but Mr Speaker as anyone who knows my honorable friend will confirm while he does like to relax with a glass of wine and listen to Engelberg huming for him family always comes first and the leader of the opposition referred to his daughter and growing up he was cared for by his four sisters and now he is never happier than when he's with his grandchildren who are convinced that he knows Mary Poppins personally a belief I note he has never discouraged he has been a tremendous servant to our family the labor family and we thank him for his outstanding speech today Mr Speaker the address was seconded by The Honorable friend the member for voxel and Campbell wgreen A fitting tribute for a royal occasion as I'm told she is known as Queen Flo on Instagram the house will know her as a tireless Champion for her community as well as a the founding member of one of our most vital Affiliates the labor friends of karaoke in fact Mr Speaker I'm reliably told that Queen Flo does a mean queen bee which we look forward to hearing at Labor conference but Mr Speaker truly it was a fantastic speech another demonstration that my honorable friend is a shining example of our movement a young carer when growing up a figh for their causes on AIDS and HIV on the health inequalities which still deliver poor outcomes for black women and on Sickle Cell which her late mom suffered from I know what it's like to watch your mom move in and out of hospital as a child and so I respect and admire the way she now Champions young people from poorer households and fights for the opportunities that they deserve perhaps most powerfully of all she's spoken about her own experience arriving at the scene of a stabbing and has rightly demanded that we never allow ourselves to become desensitized to the tragedy of knife crime as a fellow in a London MP I know how much this is hurting our city as it is towns and cities across the country I know how much potential is lost and how many families fear that their child could be next so be under no doubt turning the tide on this violence is absolutely Central a key mission that this government of service will take on Mr Speaker both speeches were in the finest traditions of this house let me also follow the leader of the opposition and mark the passing of our colleagues in in the traditional way because since the last gracious address the labor party has lost a stalwart of our movement with the passing of Tony Lloyd who served in 36 years of Distinction the communities of Rochdale Manchester Central and stretford I had the chance to speak to Tony just days before he left us uh that was when he was leaving hospital to go home and he knew it was for the last time time and that he wouldn't see a day like this and without being partisan I can tell you he would have loved to see the house set up as it is today he would have told us using his experience to use every precious moment that we have to serve those communities that he held so dear because that is what he stood for the best of our movement a champion of Politics as a Force for good and Mr Speaker that is the great test of our times the fight for trust is the battle that defines our political era and it's a task not just for this government but for the whole Parliament we are all responsible for the tone and standards that we set and I want to thank the right honorable gentleman in every exchange that we've had since the election and in his words today he has gone well beyond the usual standards of generosity and I thank him for that and in that spirit this King speech picks up some of the important business not concluded in the last session and so on football governance and the reduction of smok smoking we hope to proceed in a manner that recognizes the previous consensus we will also carry forward the Holocaust Memorial bill so we build that Memorial next to this Parliament and make sure every generation reaffirms our commitment to never again and we will also honor the promises that I made and the leader of the opposition made to the family of Martin head and all the families affected by the horrific events in Manchester that day fan Murray Martin's mom walked 200 miles to tell us that Britain needs that that law quickly I told her then that she would get that from a labor government and we honor that promise today and I'm very grateful for the indication of the Cross Party Support we will have on that very important provision because the security of the British people is the most fundamental priority of any government and whether our fight is against terrorists the vile criminal smuggling gangs that weaken our Borders or foreign powers which threaten the security of this nation we will live no stone unturned when it comes to keeping the British people safe and we will recognize The Bravery of those on the front line of keeping us safe with a new Armed Forces commissioner that's not just a name or a role but a strong and independent Champion for those who have committed to the ultimate service as a way we can show our respect we will also move quickly on the lessons from the infected blood Scandal that the house debated in almost the Final Act of the last session a day when we undertook all of us a solemn responsibility not just to deliver Justice to those people but also to take on the work of prevention to make sure that those lessons shape the future of Public Service in our country because scandals like infected blood wind Rush Horizon Hillsboro are united not just by the scale of the Injustice but also by the indignity that the victims and their families have been put through merely for standing up for truth and Justice so it is high time to bring in a duty of kander the hillsbor law because a government of service must also be a government of accountability and Justice that is what service means uh yes I will I thank the Prime Minister for giving way during his excellent speech outlining The Hope and renewal within this King's Speech much needed in constituencies like mine in Luton North where over 45% of children are growing up in relative poverty what reassurances can the Prime Minister give me and my constituents that he personally takes this issue very seriously and that his government will address it prime minister well I'm grateful for that intervention and I give my Assurance to her and to the whole house that I do take child poverty extremely seriously I'm proud of the record of the last Labor government in reducing child poverty it clearly had a strategy and we will have a strategy and I'm very pleased to have announced today the task force that will lead our strategy to reduce child poverty no child should be growing up in poverty and and we will work across the house on that issue and I will take an intervention very grateful thank you Mr Speaker I'm very grateful to the Prime Minister for giving way on his newly announced task force which of course be Beth Rigby was announcing on Twitter as we were all within this chamber Mr Speaker can the Prime Minister outline how many children will remain in poverty whilst that task force undertakes the work which will ultimately lead to the same conclusion we are proposing to scrap the two child benefit cap well look I do welcome this I know this is an issue across the whole house I don't think there's a single member that doesn't care about child poverty the point of the task force is to devise a strategy as we did last in government to drive those numbers down it can't be a single issue it's across a number of strands and we will work with people across the house in order to do it what matters what matters is the commitment to do it and to drive those numbers down that is what we did last in government and we will do it again but Mr Speaker I'll just make some progress and then I will Mr Speaker whilst I respect the tone of the leader of the opposition's contribution I can't stop my mind wandering back to nine months ago when he was at this dispatch box his great political hero Nigel Lawson once said to govern is to choose and everyday serving the people of this country is a chance to make a difference for them yet Mr Speaker the last King's Speech was the day when the veil of his choices slipped and we all saw a party his party content to let our country's problems Fester content to push aside the interest as they focused almost entirely on trying to save their own skins Mr Speaker we will have time over the weeks months and years to debate the measures in this King speech and the choices of this government but I defy anyone on those benches or elsewhere to look at the ambition and purpose of our intent and not to receive a return to the serious business of government no more wedge issues no more gimmicks no more party political strategy masquerading as policy this is an agenda focused entirely on delivering for the people of this country legislation for the national interest that seeks only to fix our foundations and make people better off solve problems not exploit them because I'll just make some progress in the RO because Mr Speaker with each day that passes my government is finding new and unexpected marks of their care scars of the last 14 years where politics was put above the national interest decline deep in the marrow of our institutions we've seen that in our prisons r large we've seen it in our rivers and seas even worse than we thought and we've seen it in our councils pushed to the brink by the previous government now unable even to deliver basic services to children with special educational needs but Mr Speaker we've already taken first steps on so many of the priorities we put before the British people the work of change has begun but we know as they do that National renewal is not a quick fix the rot of 14 years will take time to repair nonetheless I I will give I'm grateful to the Prime Minister for givingway and he talks about priorities well of course people in rural communities around the country see the vast majority which the right honorable gentleman has assembled and they're afraid they see a Manifesto in which just 87 words are used about farming they see they see a King's Speech they see a King speech speech with no mention of rural communities or rural priorities will the Prime Minister please take this opportunity to reassure people in re in Rural and farming communities that his labor government will take notice of them prime minister just to say prime minister just to say l intervention one thing but to actually make a speech is not the best time to do it prime minister well let me take this opportunity to reassure those in rural communities I grew up in a rural community myself um and I think that if you look at the places that are now represented on these bench you see the reassurance that has been given that will also be given Again The King's Speech we brought to this house today is a marker of our intent not only a certain destination for the future of this country but a new way of governing a government of service Guided by clear missions with a long-term plan to fix the foundations a plan which starts as it must with our economy under his watch the last Parliament was the first in modern history to leave living standards in a worse place than they found them the consequence the consequence not just of Tory irresponsibility but of a more pervasive inability to face the future a ducking of the hard choices eyes fixed always on the horse trading of Westminister Poli I will in a moment rather than the long-term National interest Mr Speaker we don't just turn the page on that today we close the door on it forever a budget responsibility bill that will protect the living standards of working people from the chaos they endured under the last government a commitment no matter how Fierce the storms to economic stability as the foundation we build on that is a change labor party at work and then on that Foundation we take the breaks of Britain go further and faster on measures to generate higher economic growth workers and business United in the cause of wealth creation we will reform the planning rules a choice ignored for 14 years to build the homes and infrastructure that Britain needs we will level up rights at work a choice ignored for 14 years to deliver security and dignity at work we will create a new industrial strategy invest in cleaner cheaper British energy harness the power of artificial intelligence improve our public transport confront our historic challenges on technical education transform our skills agenda in partnership with business and push forward Devolution to the Ci's regions and councils of England a plan for wealth creation that will finally lead us out of the pay more get less Doom that is their legacy and let me be clear we will work with anyone invested in the future of our country I've said I'll just complet this I said that we would serve everyone whether they voted for us or not and I meant it so let me say directly to the bench's opposite if you're invested in the success of your community we will work with you this is a new era we are turning the page we turning politics to service because that is what the people of this country want to see from their politicians and service is a stronger Bond than political self-interest that is what country first means the only way we can restore trust and the reason this government of service was elected Mr Speaker we were also elected to repair our public services with investment and reform to make them once again beacons of justice for the communities that they serve a signal to our country of the cause that fires National renewal my determination for everyone in our country England Scotland Northern Ireland Wales no matter where they started in life to feel that success belongs to them it is a cause Mr speaker that I do believe unites this house and indeed the people of this great nation so I I will Mr Speaker can I command the Prime Minister there are many within this house both sides of this chamber both uh in opposition but also in your party who welcome your your election as prime minister and look forward to the delivery of some feel good factors for all of this great nation and will travel to the Commonwealth Huds of government meeting in Samoa and to Australia this Autumn the king is a true model of Public Service I know that the Prime Minister will value his audiences with his majesty as much as I did and I think we all recognize that the king is aided by the constant support of her majesty the queen and I know the whole house will join me in wishing her a very happy birthday today we also pay tribute to Tony Lloyd Tony served the people of Greater Manchester for 45 years and for 36 of those as a member of this house he was a great parliamentarian kind and wise his family should have enormous pride in the contribution he made to this place and to the community that he loved and served they are in all our thoughts today I'd also like to welcome all new members to their places being elected as a member of parliament is a great honor and a great responsibility we serve our communities and our United Kingdom I know that whatever our political differences might be we are all motivated by a desire to make life better for our constituents and our country stronger and I know that the whole house will join me in deploring the assassination attempt on President trump our thoughts are with the victims violence and intimidation have no place in the Democratic process now Mr Speaker I commend the proposer on his excellent speech I know that the house will agree with me that the honorable member for Bole has set a very high bar for speeches in this new Parliament now my little sister always reminds me that being the youngest means you have to learn how to make yourself heard well well The Honorable member is the youngest of eight and it really shows and I had the Good Fortune of getting to know the honorable member when he was Shadow Chief secretary to the treasury and he was always courteous and pleasant as an opposite number to me and as he outlined The Honorable member fbut comes from a family committed to Public Service both of his great uncles were members of this house and he himself even though he was very modest about it has been in public service for more than 40 years the new members of this house have much to learn from The Honorable gentleman and I know I speak for the whole house and saying how much we all admire his personal bravery in campaigning for more vict victim support following the tragic death of his daughter in a hit and run accident now not only is he one of the most popular members of this house as we heard he is also the most popular constituency MP enjoying the biggest majority of any member of this place and and in a recent election he even won an astonishing 84% of the vote he might be he might be the only person who can persuade King jnun of the benefits of democracy although the People's Republic of Bol doesn't quite have the same ring to it now I wonder I wonder though I wonder whether he was chosen to speak today actually to head off him reintroducing his 10-minute rule bill I speak of course of the honorable member's bill for a 4-day week now I'm not sure if he's consulted with his whips on how compatible that would be with their desire to make Fridays a new Norm sitting day I'll say this to The Honorable gentleman if they won't let him have his 10-minute rule Bill he should work to rule although I suspect the labor member for Mery side needs no tips from this former Banker on Trade union organizing Now The Honorable member for voxel and cell green spoke with typical Verve she is someone inspired by a desire to serve and her strong faith but she never let lets any of this go to her head today she was chosen because of the high regard she has held in but she is also one of the kindest members of this house regularly baking Victoria sponges for her staff and others although post the election result perhaps red velvet might be now on the menu and The Honorable lady has campaigned bravely against Gan violence both in the London assembly and in this house and she is so right that we must not become desensitized to knife crime she represents the place where she grew up and does so with passion and determination and now that I have a lot more time on my hands I intend to be a regular visitor to her constituency especially in the summer months one of my favorite places to watch cricket is of course the oval and as prime minister I had the privilege of playing there with the wonderful Emily reinford Brent and the young black cricketers on the Ace Program I applaud The Honorable lady for her work with that scheme I can reassure her though that I won't go as far as the last conservative prime minister to speak from this dispatch box who proposed removing that part of her constituency to a desert island along with his eight favorite records Now The Honorable lady story is truly an inspirational one to go from caring for your mother as a teenager to this house shows what is possible in our country but the online abuse that The Honorable member has received an experience that that is far too often common in this house shows one of the challenges facing our democracy the intimidation that some candidates received in this election both physical and digital was completely unacceptable and is a threat to our electoral process there can be no excuse Mr Speaker for threats of physical violence or intimidatory protests outside politicians homes Now The Honorable lady will have been picked to Second the loyal address because the Whip's office have got her down as one who will go far if I may offer some words of advice to members opposite on the government benches life comes at you fast soon you might be fortunate enough to be tapped on the shoulder and offered a junior ministerial role then you'll find yourself attending cabinet then in the cabinet and then when the prime minister's position becomes untenable you might you might end up being called to the highest office and before you know it you have a bright future behind you and and you are left wondering whether you can credibly be an elder Statesman at the age of 44 now it is right to begin by congratulating the Prime Minister on his decisive victory in the election he deserves the Goodwill of all of us in this house as he takes on the most demanding of jobs in the increasingly uncertain World in which we now live now the party opposite has successfully tapped in to the Public's desire for change but they now must deliver change and we on this side of the house will hold them accountable for delivering on the commitments that they made to the British people in the National interest we will not oppose for the sake of it but when we disagree with the government it is our responsibility as the opposition to say so and what will guide us will be our principles sound public finances a belief that people know how to spend their own money better than governments do that private Enterprise not State intervention is the key to delivering growth and prosperity public services that work for those who need them an education system that gives everyone the best start in life secure borders and a strong National Defense now I welcome the government's decision to bring forward Martin's law I'm sure that the Prime Minister will find as I did that one of the most humbling parts of the job is seeing people whose lives have been touched by tragedy and seeing how they don't turn to anger or bitterness but campaign to ensure that other families do not have to endure the same pain that they did and I particularly commend Fegan Murray for her work to get this law onto the statute book I can assure her that this measure will command consensus in this house and we will work with the government to make sure that it becomes law as soon as possible I'm also glad that the government will continue with plans for a smoke free generation I know there are deeply held views on both sides of this issue and I have deep respect for those those especially on my own benches who disagree with me on this question measures that end access to products are never easy but I do believe that ensuring that our children can be the first generation that doesn't have to suffer the false choice to quit smoking or not because they will have never started is a truly worthy aim it will make us a healthier fairer country where people live longer and better lives now the first duty of government is the defense of the realm and we're fortunate in our country to be to be protected by Armed Forces who are unrivaled in the world for their professionalism bravery and skill and I know the whole house will agree with me that they are truly the best of us every month in my previous job I became more concerned about the threats to our country's security we live in an increasingly uncertain world we need greater investment in our military if we are to deter our enemies and defend our interests and as I warned earlier this year there is an access of authoritarian States who are a threat to our values Freedom democracy and the rule of law and we must collectively stand up to them the world is more dangerous now than it has been at any time since the end of the Cold War so I would urge the prime minister to commit to boosting defense spending to 2 and a half% of GDP by 2030 and if we lead the way on this we can make two and a half% the new NATO Benchmark for defense investment this is the single best way to strengthen the alliance it will show The Americans that we do not expect them to Bear every burden and it would show President Putin that NATO is serious about bolstering its defenses and will also be the most effective way to deter further acts of Russian aggression now in the last few years there has been an impressive amount of consensus across the house on foreign policy on the importance of supporting Ukraine on the centrality of NATO to our defense and in that spirit I commend the Prime Minister on his work at the NATO Summit and I'm glad that he and the Secretary of State for defense have taken such rapid steps to demonstrate that while the government has changed this country's commitment to Ukraine security remains constant and I also welcome the right honorable member for tottenham's visit to the Middle East it is of fundamental importance to this country that as we make real progress towards a two-state solution our friend and Ally Israel has a right to defend itself and to live in peace and let me turn next to another crucial issue facing not just our country but the broader Western World illegal migration now the fundamental question is what to do with people who arrive here illegally but cannot be returned to their own home country now our approach was to send them to a safe Third Country the Prime Minister was clear scrap those plans and I acknowledge that and our fear remains that without such a deter the country will end up having to accept that a large number of those who cross the channel illegally will end up remaining here and how to prevent that that is something that the government I know will soon look to address and when it comes to Legal migration I urge the Home Secretary to retain the measures that we implemented which have forecast to Har net migration in the next 12 months now if I may turn next to the economy I understand well that the chancellor is Keen to paint oblique a picture as possible but I would just gently point out that this is not exactly what the facts [Applause] say in inflation at 2% unemployment 4% and the fastest growing economy in the G7 so far the party opposite has inherited an economy that is already on an upward trajectory now the government the government have set out plans the government has set out plans to streng Len the role of the office for Budget responsibility and we will examine those proposals carefully but the work of the obpr already means that the party opposite did have the full details of the public finances when they set out their Manifesto now the OB has rightly taken away from governments the ability to make forast say what they want them to but they have also taken away from oppositions coming into government the ability to say that they did not know the true state of the public finances as Paul Johnson of the institute for fiscal studies has said the books are wide open fully transparent in his words trying to pretend that things are worse than expected really won't wash now the party opposite promis no tax Rises on working people and no plans for tax Rises Beyond what's in their Manifesto in full knowledge of the public finances it would be difficult for them to claim that things are worse than they thought and then reneg on those pledges and we will hold the government to its own promises come the [Applause] budget I note plans for new employment legislation now in this country our employment rate is far lower than the European average and that is thanks in part to our flexible labor market I would urge the party opposite not to impose new burdens on businesses that Business Leaders themselves have warned of the unintended consequences of those plans that they could lead to firms being less likely to invest less likely to and so increasing unemployment in the long term and I further note the government's desire to impose new potentially rigid legislation on Technologies like artificial intelligence now we are third only to the US and China in the size of our fast growing technology sector and lead the world when it comes to AI safety and we should all in this house be careful not to endanger this country's leading position in this field which will drive growth and prosperity for decades to come and while today's speech did contain a slew of bills what was missing was a concrete plan to tackle the unsustainable postco rise in the welfare bill without action the cost of providing benefits to the working age population with a disability or health condition will rise to 90 billion more than we spend on our National Defense schools or policing now that's not only unsustainable but also unfair to taxpayers and that's why government we had laid out a plan to significantly reduce the welfare bill but crucially to support all those that could back into work now I hope the government looks at those proposals when it has the time to study them in detail on this side of the house we will continue to advocate for a welfare system that is both compassionate and fair to those who need it but also fair to those who pay for it now the government has set out plans to change the planning system we will of course study these thoroughly as well as we all wish to see more homes built and the planning process speeded up but I would say that A system that does not allow local people to have a say will damage public consent for more housing in the long term EXA and I regret I regret that there was no mention of rural communities and farming in the King speech much like my own but I hope in time the government will bring forward proposals now turning to Net Zero this country has decarbonized quicker than any other major country and we have managed to do that while growing the economy as a country and across this whole house I know we will all be proud of that achievement now the government plans to decarbonize a grid by 2030 but there is a real danger but if the government puts the speed of doing this ahead of family finances and our energy security then we will again lose public consent for the measures necessary to ensure that we actually reach our 2050 Net Zero Target a Target on which there is genuine consensus between our two parties as even one of the prime minister's own supporters has warned this 20 plan will and I quote just mean we will have to import our energy strategically we become more vulnerable vulnerable we will pay more money for our energy so I hope that the Energy Secretary reflects on those thoughts now lastly Mr Speaker the government has set out plans for reforms to the other place looking at the benches opposite there can be no doubt about the government's ability to get them through this house but the effects of these changes will last long Beyond this Parliament long beyond our tenures in these jobs I would suggest that when it comes to constitutional reform it would be good to proceed on a cross-party basis rather than to use a simple majority in this house to push things through and that consensus should include should include the crossbenchers whose convenor would be removed by the government's proposals I also suspect that the repu would prefer the government to prioritize practical real world issues over constitutional wrangling however however I welcome the news that the government has paused on their plan to force members of the other place to retire at 80 now this proposal always felt like it would be a blunt instrument and indeed in the dissolution honors the Prime Minister nominated rightly the former right honorable member for Darby South who will be a strong addition to the other place despite the right honorable lady being already over the the retirement age that the labor Manifesto proposed so Mr Speaker let me close by saying that we of course recognize that the British people have entrusted the party opposite with the task of governing our country on our side of the house we will fulfill our duties as the loyal opposition professionally and effectively and across this house we are all first and foremost Patriots we all wish to see our country and our people flourish and succeed and in that spirit I wish the new prime minister and the new government well I know called the Prime Minister Sak uh thank you Mr Speaker before we begin may I join the leader of the opposition in his tribute to his majesty the king it is so heartening to see him in his rightful place delivering the gracious speech and I'm sure the whole house will not mind once again with wishing him a speedy recovery can I also join in wishing her majesty the queen a happy birthday Mr Speaker we also wish president Trump a speedy recovery from the appalling attempt on his life at the weekend I spoke with President Trump on Sunday night to pass our best wishes but also to share our revulsion at the senseless violence which has no place in democ y last time this address took place and I stood at that dispatch box I could see For the First Time The their new plaque now behind me commemorating the memory of s David amamos and I know how hard that loss was for members on the opposite benches and now standing on this side I Can See For the First Time in front of me the plaque to our dear friend joox with her words that catch the air of this chamber even more at A Moment Like This more in common so while our thoughts at this time are of course with President Trump and the American people we cannot think that this some this is something that only happens elsewhere we must heed the words of President Biden to lower the temperature of of our democracy work across our disagreements and find each other's common decency Mr Speaker I also want to congratulate the England football team for their achievements in the Euro something the leader of the opposition and I were talking about uh this morning yes the trophy eluded us again but the team could be proud of another exceptional performance something I'm sure the whole house would be only too pleased to recognize and we pay tribute to Gareth Southgate who shouldered the burden of national leadership with such dignity Mr Speaker this government has been elected to deliver nothing less than National renewal to stop the chaos of the past 14 years Turn the page on an era of Politics as noisy performance and return it to public service and start the work of rebuilding our country a determined rebuilding a patient rebuilding a calm rebuilding a rejection in this complicated and volatile world of those who can only offer the easy answer the snake oil charm of populism Mr Speaker as the last 14 years has shown that road is a dead end for this country it does nothing to fix our foundations and the British people have rejected it as they have throughout our history what people really want is change and change is what this government of service will deliver a King speech that takes the breaks off our economy and shows to the British people that politics can be a force for good the vehicle for improving live lives of millions no matter who you voted for Mr Speaker it's a day when we get on with the serious business of government and yet a house with no time for Levy would go against the grain of our Traditions so it's fantastic to hear my honorable friend the member from Bole in such fine fettle today when proposing the humble address he spoke with great Passion as he always does for his constituency famous as he himself mentioned for the Anthony gorley sculptures on Crosby Beach as a work of art that's entitled another place a collection of gently rusting figures For Whom The Tide Is perpetually coming in a a solid grounding should he ever consider a career in the other place but I'm sure this house will agree he is also one of the warmest and most generous members a generousity that ahead of a previous election extended to an offer to hand deliver conservative leaplet a commitment to the Democratic process that should be applauded not least because it resulted in a stoning increase in his majority for labor but Mr Speaker as anyone who knows my honorable friend will confirm while he does like to relax with a glass of wine and listen to Engelberg huming for him family always comes first and the leader of the opposition referred to his daughter and growing up he was cared for by his four sisters and now he is never happier than when he's with his grandchildren who are convinced that he knows Mary Poppins personally a belief I note he has never discouraged he has been a tremendous servant to our family the labor family and we thank him for his outstanding speech today Mr Speaker the address was seconded by The Honorable friend the member for voxel and Campbell wellgreen A fitting tribute for a royal occasion as I'm told she is known as Queen Flo on Instagram the house will know her as a tireless Champion for her community as well as a founding member of one of our most vital Affiliates the labor friends of karaoke in fact Mr Speaker I'm reliably told that Queen flow does a mean queen bee which we look forward to hearing at Labor conference but Mr Speaker truly it was a fantastic speech a another demonstration that my honorable friend is a shining example of our movement a young carer when growing up a fighter for their causes on AIDS and HIV on the health inequalities which still deliver poor outcomes for black women and on Sickle Cell which her late mom suffered from I know what it's like to watch your mom move in and out of hospital as a child and so I respect and admire the way she now Champions young people from poorer households and fights for the opportunities that they deserve perhaps most powerfully of all she's spoken about her own experience arriving at the scene of a stabbing and has rightly demanded that we never allow ourselves to become desensitized to the tragedy of knife crime as a fellow in MP I know how much this is hurting our city as it is towns and cities across the country I know how much potential is lost and how many families fear that their child could be next so be under no doubt turning the tide on this violence is absolutely Central a key mission that this government of service will take on Mr Speaker both speeches were in the finest tradition of this house let me also follow the leader of the opposition and mark the passing of our colleagues in the traditional way because since the last gracious address the labor party has lost a stalwart of our movement with the passing of Tony Lloyd who served in 36 years of Distinction the communities of Rochdale Manchester Central and stretford I had the chance to speak speak to Tony just days before he left us uh that was when he was leaving hospital to go home and he knew it was for the last time and that he wouldn't see a day like this and without being partisan I can tell you he would have love to see the house set up as it is today he would have told us using his experience to use every precious moments that we have to serve those communities that he held so dear because that that is what he stood for the best of our movement a champion of Politics as a Force for good and Mr Speaker that is the great test of our times the fight for trust is the battle that defines our political era and it's a task not just for this government but for the whole Parliament we are all responsible for the tone and standards that we set and I want to thank the right honorable gentleman in every exchange that we've had since the election and in his words today he has gone well beyond the usual standards of generosity and I thank him for that and in that spirit this King speech picks up some of the important business not concluded in the last session and so on football governance and the reduction of smok smoking we hope to proceed in in a manner that recognizes the previous consensus we will also carry forward the Holocaust Memorial bill so we build that Memorial next to this Parliament and make sure every generation reaffirms our commitment to never again and we will also honor the promises that I made and the leader of the opposition made to the family of Martin het and all the families affected by the horrific events in Manchester that day fan Murray Martin's mom walked 200 miles to tell us that Britain needs that law quickly I told her then that she would get that from a labor government and we honor that promise today and I'm very grateful for the indication of the Cross Party Support we will have on that very important provision because the security of the British people is the most fundamental priority of any government and whether our fight is against terrorists the vile criminal smuggling gangs that weaken our Borders or foreign powers which threaten the security of this nation we will live no stone unturned when it comes to keeping the British people safe and we will recognize The Bravery of those on the front line of keeping us safe with a new Armed Forces commissioner that's not just a name or a role but a strong and independent Champion for those who have committed to the ultimate service as a way we can show our respect we will also move quickly on the lessons from the infected blood Scandal that the house debated in almost the Final Act of the last session a day when we undertook all of us a solemn responsibility not just to deliver Justice to those people but also to take on the work of prevention to make sure that those lessons shape the future of Public Service in our country because scandals like infected blood wind Rush Horizon Hillsboro are united not just by the scale of the Injustice but also by the indignity that the victims and their families have been put through for standing up for truth and Justice so it is high time to bring in a duty of cander the hillsbor law because a government of service must also be a government of accountability and Justice that is what service means uh yes sir Lord I Thank the Prime Minister for giving way during his excellent speech outlining The Hope and renewal within this King's Speech much needed in constituencies like mine in Luton North where over 45% of children are growing up in relative poverty what reassurances can the Prime Minister give me and my constituents that he personally takes this issue very seriously and that his government will address it prime minister well I'm grateful for that intervention and I give my Assurance to her and to the whole house that I do take child poverty extremely seriously I'm proud of the record of the last Labor government in reducing child poverty it clearly had a strategy and we will have a strategy and I'm very pleased to have announced today the task force that will lead our strategy to reduce child poverty no child should be growing up in poverty and and we will work across the house on that issue and I will take an intervention very grateful thank you Mr Speaker I'm very grateful to the Prime Minister for giving way on his newly announced Tas Force which of course be Beth rby was announcing on Twitter as we were all within this chamber Mr Speaker can the Prime Minister outline how many children will remain in poverty whilst that task force undertakes the work which will ultimately lead to the same conclusion we are proposing to scrap the two child benefit cap well look I I do welcome this I know this is an issue across the whole house I don't think there's a single member that doesn't care about child poverty the point of the task force is to devise a strategy as we did last in government to drive those numbers down it can't be a single issue it's across a number of strands and we will work with people across the house in order to do it what matters what matters is the commitment to do it and to drive those numbers then that is what we did last in government and we will do it again but Mr Speaker I'll just make some progress and then I will Mr Speaker whilst I respect the tone of the leader of of the opposition's contribution I can't stop my mind wandering back to 9 months ago when he was at this dispatch box his great political hero Nigel Lawson once said to govern is to choose and every day serving the people of this country is a chance to make a difference for them yet Mr Speaker The Last King speech was the day when the veil of his choices slipped and we all saw a party his party content to let our country's problems Fester content to push aside the national interest as they focused almost entirely on trying to save their own skins Mr Speaker we will have time over the weeks months and years to debate the measures in this King speech and the choices of this government but I defy anyone on those benches or elsewhere to look at the ambition and purpose of our intent and not to receive a return to the serious business of government no more wedge issues no more gimmicks no more party political strategy masquerading as policy this is an agenda focused entirely on delivering for the people of this country legislation for the national interest that seeks only to fix our foundations and make people better off solve problems not exploit them because I'll just make some progress in the RO because Mr Speaker with each day that passes my government is finding new and unexpected marks of their care scars of the last 14 years where politics was put above the national interest decline deep in the marrow of of our institutions we've seen that in our prisons great large we've seen it in our rivers and seas even worse than we thought and we've seen it in our councils pushed to the brink by the previous government now unable even to deliver basic services to children with special educational needs Mr Speaker we've already taken first steps on so many of the priorities we put before the British people people the work of change has begun but we know as they do that National renewal is not a quick fix the rot of 14 years will take time to repair nonetheless I I W I'm grateful to the Prime Minister for giving away and he talks about priorities well of course people in rural communities around the country see the vast majority which the right honorable gentleman has assembled and they're afraid they see a Manifesto in which just 87 words are used about farming they see they see a King's Speech they see a King's speech with no mention of rural communities or rural priorities will the Prime Minister please take this opportunity to reassure people in r in Rural and farming communities that his labor government will take notice of them prime minister just to say prime minister just to say l intervention one thing but to actually make a speech is not the best time to do it prime minister well let me take this opportunity to reassure those in rural communities I grew up in a rural community myself um and I think that if you look at the places that are now represented on these bench you see the reassurance that has been given that will also be given again the King speech we have brought to this house today is a marker of our intent not only a certain destination for the future of this country but a new way of governing a government of service Guided by clear missions with a long-term plan to fix the foundations a plan which starts as it must with our economy under his watch the last Parliament was the first in modern history to leave living standards in a worse place than they found them the consequence the consequence not just of Tory irresponsibility but of a more pervasive inability to face the future a ducking of the hard choices eyes fixed always on the horse trading of Westminster Poli I will in a moment rather than the long-term National interest Mr Speaker we don't just turn the page on that today we close the door on it forever a budget responsibility bill that will protect the living standards of working people from the chaos they endured under the last government a commitment no matter how Fierce the storms to economic stability as the foundation we build on that is a change labor party at work and then on that Foundation we take the breaks of Britain go further and faster on measures to generate higher economic growth workers and business United in the cause of wealth creation we will reform the planning rules a choice ignored for 14 years to build the homes and infrastructure that Britain needs we will level up rights at work a choice ignored for 14 years to deliver security and dignity at work we will create a new industrial strategy invest in cleaner cheaper British energy harness the power of artificial intelligence improve our public transport confront our historic challenges on technical education transform our skills agenda in partnership with business and push forward Devolution to the cities regions and councils of England a plan for wealth creation that will finally lead us out of the pay more get less Doom that is their legacy and let me be clear we will work with anyone invested in the future of our country I've said I'll just complete this I said that we would serve everyone whether they voted for us or not and I meant it so let me say directly to the benches opposite if you're invested in the success of your community we will work with you this is a new era we are turning the page we're turning politics to service because that is what the people of this country want to see from their politicians and service is a stronger Bond than political self-interest that is what country first means the only way we can restore trust and the reason this government of service was elected Mr Speaker we were also elected to repair our public services with investment and reform to make them once again beacons of justice for the communities that they serve a signal to our country of the cause that fires National renewal my determination for everyone in our country England Scotland Northern Ireland w fail S no matter where they started in life to feel that success belongs to them it is a cause Mr Speaker that I do believe unites this house and indeed the people of this great nation so I I will Mr Speaker can I command the Prime Minister there are many within this house both sides of this chamber both uh in opposition but also in your party who welcome your your election as prime minister and look forward to the delivery of some fil good factors for all of this great nation and will travel to the Commonwealth Huds of government meeting in Samoa and to Australia this Autumn the king is a true model of Public Service I know that the Prime Minister will value his audiences with his majesty as much as I did and I think we all recognize that the king is aided by the constant support of her majesty the queen and I know the whole house will join me in wishing her a very happy birthday birthday today we also pay tribute to Tony Lloyd Tony served the people of Greater Manchester for 45 years and for 36 of those as a member of this house he was a great parliamentarian kind and wise his family should have enormous pride in the contribution he made to this place and to the community that he loved and served they are in all our thoughts today I'd also like to welcome all new members today their places being elected as a member of parliament is a great honor and a great responsibility we serve our communities and our United Kingdom I know that whatever our political differences might be we are all motivated by a desire to make life better for our constituents and our country stronger and I know that the whole house will join me in deploring the assassination attempt on President trump our thoughts are with the victims violence and intimidation have no place in the Democratic process now Mr Speaker I commend the proposer on his excellent speech I know that the whole house will agree with me that the honorable member for Bole has set a very high bar for speeches in this new Parliament now my little sister always reminds me that being the youngest means you have to learn how to make yourself heard well well The Honorable member is the youngest of eight and it really shows and I had the Good Fortune of getting to know the honorable member when he was Shadow Chief secretary to the treasury and he was always courteous and pleasant as an opposite number to me and as he outlined The Honorable member fbut comes from a family committed to Public Service both of his great uncles were members of this house and he himself even though he was very modest about it has been in public service for more than 40 years the new members of this house have much to learn from The Honorable gentleman and I know I speak for the whole house in saying how much we all admire his personal bravery in campaigning for more victim support following the tragic death of his daughter in a hit and run accident now not only is he one of the most popular members of this house as we heard he is also the most popular constituency MP enjoying the biggest majority of any member of this place and and in a recent election he even won an astonishing 84% of the vote he might be he might be the only person who can persuade King jnun of the benefits of democracy although the People's Republic of ble doesn't quite have the same ring to it now I wonder I wonder though I wonder whether he was chosen to speak today actually to head off him reintroducing his 10-minute rule bill I speak of course of the honorable members bill for a 4-day week now I'm not sure if he's consulted with his whips on how compatible that would be with their desire to make Fridays a new Norm sitting day I'll say this to The Honorable gentleman if they won't let him have his 10-minute Ru Bill he should work to rule although I suspect the labor member for Mery side needs no tips from this former Banker on Trade union organizing Now The Honorable member for voxel and cell Gree spoke with typical Verve she is someone inspired by a desire to serve and her strong faith but she never lets any of this go to her head today she was chosen because of the high regard she has held in but she is also one of the kindest members of this house regularly baking Victoria sponges for her staff and others although post the election result perhaps red velvet might be now on the menu and the hble lady has campaigned bravely against Gan violence both in the London assembly and in this house and she is so right that we must not become desensitized to knife crime she represents the place where she grew up and does so with passion and determination and now that I have a lot more time on my hands I intend to be a regular visitor to her constituency especially in the summer months one of my favorite places to watch cricket is of course the oval and as prime minister I had the privilege of playing there with the wonderful Emily reinford Brent and the young black cricketers on the Ace Program I applaud The Honorable lady for her work with that scheme I can reassure her though that I won't go as far as the last conservative prime minister to speak from this dispatch box who proposed removing that part of her constituency to a desert island along with his eight favorite records uh The Honorable lady story is truly an inspirational one to go from caring for your mother as a teach teenager to this house shows what is possible in our country but the online abuse that The Honorable member has received an experience that is far too often common in this house shows one of the challenges facing our democracy the intimidation that some candidates received in this election both physical and digital was completely unacceptable and is a threat to our electoral process there can be no excuse Mr Speaker for threats of physical violence or intimidatory Pro outside politicians homes Now The Honorable lady will have been picked to Second the loyal address because the Whip's office have got her down as one who will go far if I may offer some words of advice to members opposite on the government benches life comes at you fast soon you might be fortunate enough to be tapped on the shoulder and offered a junior ministerial role then you'll find yourself attending cabinet then in the cabinet and then when the prime minister's position becomes untenable you might you might end up being called to the highest office and before you know it you have a bright future behind you and and you are left wondering whether you can credibly be an elder Statesman at the age of 44 now it is right to begin by congratulating the Prime Minister on his decisive victory in the election he deserves the Goodwill of of all of us in this house as he takes on the most demanding of jobs in the increasingly uncertain World in which we now live now the party opposite has successfully tapped into to the Public's desire for change but they now must deliver change and we on this side of the house will hold them accountable for delivering on the commitments that they made to the British people in the National interest we will not oppose for the sake of it but when we disagree with the government it is our responsibility as the opposition to say so and what will guide us will be our principles sound public finances a belief that people know how to spend their own money better than governments do that private Enterprise not State intervention is the key to delivering growth and prosperity public services that work for those who need them an education system that gives everyone the best start in life secure borders and a strong National Defense now I welcome the government's decision to bring forward Martin's law I'm sure that the Prime Minister will find as I did that one of the most humbling parts of the job is seeing people whose lives have been touched by tragedy and seeing how they don't turn to anger or bitterness but campaign to ensure that other families do not have to endure the same pain that they did and I particularly commend Fegan Murray for her work to get this law onto the statute book I can assure her that this measure will command consensus in this house and we will work with the government to make sure that it becomes law as soon as possible I'm I'm also glad that the government will continue with plans for a smoke free generation I know there are deeply held views on both sides of this issue and I have deep respect for those especially on my own benches who disagree with me on this question measures that end access to products are never easy but I do believe that ensuring that our children can be the first generation that doesn't have to suffer the false choice to quit smoking or not because they will have never started is a truly worthy aim it will make us a healthier Fair a country where people live longer and better lives now the first duty of government is the defense of the realm and we're fortunate in our country to be to be protected by Armed Forces who are unrivaled in the world for their professionalism bravery and skill and I know the whole house will agree with me that they are truly the best of us every month in my previous job I became more concerned about the threats to our country's security we live in an increasingly certain world we need greater investment in our military if we are to deter our enemies and defend our interests and as I warned earlier this year there is an access of authoritarian States who are a threat to our values Freedom democracy and the rule of law and we must collectively stand up to them the world is more dangerous now than it has been at any time since the end of the Cold War so I would urge the prime minister to commit to boosting defense spending to 2 and half% of GDP by 2030 and if we lead the way on this we can make 2 and a half% the new NATO Benchmark for defense investment this is the single best way to strengthen the alliance it will show The Americans that we do not expect them to Bear every burden and it would show President Putin that NATO is serious about bolstering its defenses and will also be the most effective way to deter further acts of Russian aggression now in the last few years there has been an impressive amount of consensus across the house on foreign policy on the importance of supporting Ukraine on the centrality of NATO to our National Defense and in that spirit I commend the Prime Minister on his work at the NATO Summit and I'm glad that he and the Secretary of State for defense have taken such rapid steps to demonstrate that while the government has changed this country's commitment to Ukraine security remains constant and I also welcome the right honorable member for tottenham's visit to the Middle East it is of fundamental importance to this country that as we make real progress towards a two-state solution our friend and Ally Israel has a right to defend itself and to live in peace and let me turn next to another crucial issue facing not just our country but the broader Western World illegal migration now the fundamental question is what to do with people who arrive here illegally but cannot be returned to their own home country now our approach was to send them to a safe Third Country the Prime Minister was clear scrap those plans and I acknowledge that and our fear remains that without such a deterrent the country will end up having to accept that a large number of those who cross the channel illegally will end up remaining here and how to prevent that that is something that the government I know will soon look to address and when it comes to Legal migration I urge the Home Secretary to retain the measures that we implemented which have forecast to Har net migration in the next 12 12 months now if I may turn next to the economy I understand well that the chancellor is Keen to paint oblique a picture as possible but I would just gently point out that this is not exactly what the facts [Applause] say in inflation at 2% unemployment 4% and the fastest growing economy in the G7 so far the party opposite has inherited an economy that is already on an upward trajectory now the government the government have set out plans the government has set out plans to strengthen the role of the office for Budget responsibility and we will examine those proposals carefully but the work of the OB already means that the party opposite did have the full details of the public finances when they set out their Manifesto now the obr has rightly taken away from governments the ability to make forecast say what they want the them to but they have also taken away from oppositions coming into government the ability to say that they did not know the true state of the Public Finance as Paul Johnson of the institute for fiscal studies has said the books are wide open fully transparent in his words trying to pretend that things are worse than expected really won't wash now the party opposite promise no tax Rises on working people and no plans for tax Rises Beyond what's in their Manifesto in full knowledge of the public finances it would be difficult for them to claim that things are worse than they thought and then Ren on those pledges and we will hold the government to its own promises come the [Applause] budget I note plans for new employment legislation now in this country our employment rate is far lower than the European average and that is thanks in part to our flexible labor market I would urge the party opposite not to impose new burdens on businesses that Business Leaders themselves have warned of the unintended consequences of those plans that they could lead to firms being less likely to invest less likely to hire and so increasing unemployment in the long term and I further note the government's desire to impose new potentially rigid legislation on Technologies like artificial intelligence now we are third only to the US and China in the size of our fast growing technology sector and lead the world when it comes to AI safety and we should all in this house be careful not to endanger this country's leading position in this field which will drive growth and prosperity for decades to come and while today's speech did contain a slew of bills what was missing was a concrete plan to tackle the unsustainable postco rise in the welfare bill without action the cost of providing benefits to the working age population with a disability or health condition will rise to 90 billion more than we spend on our National Defense schools or policing now that's not only unsustainable but also unfair to taxpayers and that's why in government we had laid out a plan to significantly reduce the welfare bill but crucially to support all those that could back into work now I hope the government looks at those proposals when it has the time to study them in detail on this side of the house we will continue to advocate for a welfare system that is both compassionate and fair to those who need it but also fair to those who pay for it now the government has set out plans to change the planning system we will of course study these thoroughly as well as we all wish to see more homes built and the planning process speed it up but I would say that A system that does not allow local people to have a say will damage public consent for more housing in the long term exactly and I regret I regret there was no mention of rural communities and farming in the king spee much like my own but I hope in time the government will bring forward proposals now turning to Net Zero this country has decarbonized quicker than any other major country and we have managed to do that while growing the economy as a country and across this whole house I know we will all be proud of that achievement now the government plans to decarbonize a grid by 2030 but there is a real danger but if the government puts the speed of doing this ahead of family finances and our energy security then we again lose public consent for the measures necessary to ensure that we actually reach our 2050 Net Zero Target a Target on which there is genuine consensus between our two parties as even one of the prime minister's own supporters has warned this 20 plan will and I quote just mean we will have to import our energy strategically we become more vulnerable vulnerable we will pay more money for our energy so I hope that the Energy Secretary reflects on those thoughts now lastly Mr speaker the government has set out plans for reforms to the other place looking at the benches opposite there can be no doubt about the government's ability to get them through this house but the effects of these changes will last long Beyond this Parliament long beyond our tenur in these jobs I would suggest that when it comes to constitutional reform it would be good to proceed on a cross-party basis rather than to use a simple majority in this house to push things through and that consensus should include should include the crossbenchers whose convenor would be removed by the government's proposals yeah I also suspect that the public would prefer the government to prioritize practical real world issues over constitutional wrangling however however I welcome the news that the government has paused on their plan to force members of the other place to retire at 80 now this proposal always felt like it would be a blunt instrument and indeed in the dissolution honors the Prime Minister nominated rightly the former right honorable member for Darby South who will be a strong addition to the other place despite the right honorable lady being already over the retirement age that the labor Manifesto proposed so Mr Speaker let me close by saying that we of course recognize that the British people have entrusted the party opposite with the task of governing our country on our side of the house we will fulfill our duties as the loyal opposition professionally and effectively and AC Ross this house we are all first and foremost Patriots we all wish to see our country and our people flourish and succeed and in that spirit I wish the new prime minister and the new government well I know call the Prime Minister saki uh thank you Mr Speaker before we begin may I join the leader of the opposition in his tribute to his majesty the king it is so heartening to see him in his rightful place delivering the gracious speech and I'm sure the whole house will not mind once again wishing him a speedy recovery can I also join in wishing her majesty the queen a happy birthday Mr Speaker we also wish president Trump a speedy recovery from the appalling attempt on his life at the weekend I spoke with President Trump on Sunday night to pass our best wishes but also to share our revulsion at the senseless violence which has no place in democracy last time this address took place and I stood at that dispatch box I could see for the first time that their new plaque now behind me commemorating the memory of s David Alamos and I know how hard that loss was for me MERS on the opposite benches and now standing on this side I Can See For The First Time in front of me the plaque to our dear friend joox with her words that catch the air of this chamber even more at A Moment Like This more in common so while our thoughts at this time are of course with President Trump and the American people we cannot think that this some this is something that only happens elsewhere we must heed the words of President Biden to lower the temperature of our democracy work across our disagreements and find each other's common decency Mr Speaker I also want to congratulate the England football team for their achievements in the Euro something the leader of the opposition and I were talking about uh this morning yes the trophy eluded us again but the team can be proud of another exceptional performance something I'm sure the whole house would be only too pleased to recognize and we pay tribute to Gareth Southgate who shouldered the burden of national leadership with such dignity Mr Speaker this government has been elected to deliver nothing less than National renewal to stop the chaos of the past 14 years Turn the page on an era of Politics as noisy performance and return it to public service and start the work of rebuilding our country a determined rebuilding a patient rebuilding a calm rebuilding a rejection in this complicated and volatile world of those who can only offer the easy answer the snake oil charm of populism Mr Speaker as the last 14 years has shown that road is a dead end for this country it does nothing to fix our foundations and the British people have rejected it as they have throughout our history what people really want is change and change is what this government of service will deliver a King speech that takes the breaks off our economy and shows to the British people that politics can be a force for good the vehicle for improving lives of millions no matter who you voted for Mr Speaker it's a day when we get on with the serious business of government and yet a house with no time for Levy would go against the grain of our Traditions so it's fantastic to hear my honorable friend the member from Bole in such fine FAL today when proposing the humble address he spoke with great Passion as he always does for his constituency famous as he himself mentioned for the Anthony Gourley sculptures on Crosby Beach it's a work of art that's entitled another place a collection of gently rusting figures For Whom The Tide Is perpetually coming in a a solid grounding should he ever consider a career in the other place but I'm sure this house will agree he is also one of the warmest and most generous members a generousity that ahead of a previous election extended to an offer to hand deliver conservative leaplet a commitment to the Democratic process that should be applauded not least because it resulted in a stoning increase in his majority for labor but Mr Speaker as anyone who knows my honorable friend will confirm while he does like to relax with a glass of wine and listen to engleberg huming for him family always comes first and the leader of the opposition referred to his daughter and growing up he was cared for by his four sisters and now he is never happier than when he's with his grandchildren who are convinced that he knows Mary Poppins personally a belief I note he has never discouraged he has been a tremendous servant to our family the labor family and we thank him for his outstanding speech today Mr Speaker the address was seconded by The Honorable friend of member for voxel and camberwell green A fitting tribute for a royal occasion as I'm told she is known as Queen Flo on Instagram the house will know her as a tireless Champion for her community as well as a founding member of one of our most vital Affiliates the labor friends of karaoke in fact Mr Speaker I'm reliably told that Queen flow does a mean queen bee which we look forward to hearing at Labor conference but Mr Speaker truly it was a fantastic speech another demonstration that my honorable friend is a shining example of our movement a young carer when growing up a fighter for their causes on AIDS and HIV on the health inequalities which still deliver poor outcomes for black women and on Sickle Cell which late mom suffered from I know what it's like to watch your mom move in and out of hospital as a child and so I respect and admire the way she now Champions young people from poorer households and fights for the opportunities that they deserve perhaps most powerfully of all she's spoken about her own experience arriving at the scene of a stabbing and as greatly demanded that we never allow ourselves to become desensitized to the tragedy of knife crime as a fellow in a London MP I know how much this is hurting our city as it is towns and cities across the country I know how much potential is lost and how many families fear that their child could be next so be under no doubt turning the tide on this violence is Absolut Central a key mission that this government of service will take on Mr Speaker both speeches were in the finest traditions of this house let me also follow the leader of the opposition and mark the passing of our colleagues in the traditional way because since the last gracious address the labor party has lost a stalwart of our movement with the passing of Tony Lloyd who served in 36 years of Distinction the communities of Rockdale Manchester Central and stretford I had the chance to speak to Tony just days before he left us uh that was when he was leaving hospital to go home and he knew it was for the last time and that he wouldn't see a day like this and without being partisan I can tell you he would have loved to see the house set up as it is today he would have told us using his experience to use every precious moments that we have to serve those communities that he held so dear because that is what he stood for the best of our movement a champion of Politics as a Force for good and Mr Speaker that is the great test of our times the fight for trust is the battle that defines our political era and it's a task not just for this government but for the whole Parliament we are all responsible for the tone and standards that we set and I want to thank the right honorable gentleman in every exchange that we've had since the election and in his words today he has gone well beyond the usual standards of generosity and I thank him for that and in that spirit this King speech picks up some of the important business not concluded in the last session and so on football governance and the reduction of smok smoking we hope to proceed in a manner that recognizes the previous consensus we will also carry forward the Holocaust Memorial bill so we build that Memorial next to this Parliament and make sure every generation reaffirms our commitment to never again and we will also honor the promises that I made made and the leader of the opposition made to the family of Martin het and all the families affected by the horrific events in Manchester that day Fegan Murray Martin's mom walked 200 miles to tell us that Britain needs that law quickly I told her then that she would get that from a labor government and we honor that promise today and I'm very grateful for the indication of the Cross Party Support we will have have on that very important provision because the security of the British people is the most fundamental priority of any government and whether our fight is against terrorists the vile criminal smuggling gangs that weaken our Borders or foreign powers which threaten the security of this nation we will live no stone unturned when it comes to keeping the British people say and we will recognize The Bravery of those on the front line of keeping us safe with a new Armed Forces commissioner that's not just a name or a role but a strong and independent Champion for those who have committed to the ultimate service as a way we can show our respect we will also move quickly on the lessons from the infected blood Scandal that the house debated in almost the Final Act of the last session a day when we undertook all of us a solemn responsibility not just to deliver Justice to those people but also to take on the work of prevention to make sure that those lessons shape the future of Public Service in our country because scandals like infected blood wind Rush Horizon hillsbor are united not just by this scale of the Injustice but also by the indignity that the victims and their families have been put through merely for standing up for truth and Justice so it is high time to bring in a duty of cander the hillsb law because a government of service must also be a government of accountability and Justice that is what service means uh yes Lord I thank the Prime Minister for giving way during his excellent speech outlining The Hope and renewal within this King's Speech much needed in constituencies like mine in Luton North where over 45% of children are growing up in relative poverty what reassurances can the Prime Minister give me and my constituents that he personally takes this issue very seriously and that his government will address it prime minister well I'm grateful for that intervention and I give my Assurance to her and to the whole house that I do take child poverty extremely seriously I'm proud of the record of the last Labor government in reducing child poverty it clearly had a strategy and we will have a strategy and I'm very pleased to have announced today the task force that will lead our strategy to reduce child poverty no child should be growing up in poverty and and we will work across the house on that issue and I will take an intervention I'm very grateful thank you Mr Speaker I'm very grateful to the Prime Minister for giving way on his newly announced task force which of course be Beth Rigby was announcing on Twitter as we were all within this chamber Mr Speaker can the Prime Minister outline how many children will remain in poverty whilst that task force undertakes the work which will ultimately lead to the same conclusion we are proposing to scrap the two child benefit cap well look I I do welcome this I know this is an issue across the whole house I don't think there's a single member that doesn't care about child poverty the point of the task force is to devise a strategy as we did last in government to drive those numbers down it can't be a single issue it's across a number of strands and we will work with people across the house in order to do it what matters what matters is the commitment to do it and to drive those numbers then that is what we did last in government and we will do it again but Mr Speaker I'll just make some progress and then I will Mr Speaker whilst I respect the tone of the leader of the opposition's contribution I can't stop my mind wandering back to nine months ago when he was at this dispatch box his great political hero Nigel Lawson once said to govern is to choose and everyday serving the people of this country is a chance to make a difference for them yet Mr Speaker the last King's Speech was the day when the veil of his choices slipped and we all saw a party his party content to let our country's problems Fester content to push aside the national interest as they focused almost entirely on trying to save their own skins Mr Speaker we will have time over the weeks months and years to debate the measures in this King speech and the choices of this government but I defy anyone on those benches or elsewhere to look at the ambition and purpose of our intent and not to receive a return to the serious business of government no more wedge issues no more gimmicks no more party political strategy masquerading as policy this is is an agenda focused entirely on delivering for the people of this country legislation for the national interest that seeks only to fix our foundations and make people better off solve problems not exploit them because I'll just make some progress in the RO because Mr Speaker with each day that passes my government is finding new and unexpected marks of their care scars of the last 14 years where politics was put above the national interest decline deep in the marrow of our institutions we've seen that in our prisons r large we've seen it in our rivers and seas even worse than we thought and we've seen it in our councils pushed to the brink by the previous government now unable even to deliver basic services to children with special educational Mr Speaker we've already taken first steps on so many of the priorities we put before the British people the work of change has begun but we know as they do that National renewal is not a quick fix the rot of 14 years will take time to repair nonetheless I I W with I'm grateful to the Prime Minister for giving away and he talks about priorities well of course people in rural communities around the country see the vast majority which the right honorable gentleman has assembled and they're afraid they see a Manifesto in which just 87 words are used about farming they see they see a King's Speech they see a King's speech with no mention of rural communities or rural priorities will the Prime Minister please take this opportunity to reassure people in re in Rural and farming communities that his labor government will take notice something prime minister just to say prime minister just to say l intervention one thing but to actually make a speech is not the best time to do it prime minister well let me take this opportunity to reassure those in rural communities I grew up in a rural community myself um and I think that if you look at the places that are now represented on these Ben you see the reassurance that has been given that will also be given Again The King's Speech we have brought to this house today is a marker of our intent not only a certain destination for the future of this country but a new way of governing a government of service Guided by clear missions with a long-term plan to fix the foundations a plan which starts as it must with our economy under his watch the last Parliament was the first in modern history to leave living standards in a worse place than they found them the consequence the consequence not just of Tory irresponsibility but of a more pervasive inability to face the future a ducking of the hard choices eyes fixed always on the horse trading of Westminster politics I will in a moment rather than the long-term National interest Mr Speaker we don't just turn the page on that today we close the door on it forever yeah a budget responsibility bill that will protect the living standards of working people from the chaos they endured under the last government a commitment no matter how Fierce the storms to economic stability as the foundation we build on that is a change labor party at work and then on that Foundation we take the breaks of Britain go further and faster on measures to generate higher economic growth workers and business United in the cause of wealth creation we will reform the planning rules a choice ignored for 14 years to build the homes and infrastructure that Britain needs we will level up rights at work a choice ignored for 14 years to deliver security and dignity at work we will create a new industrial strategy invest in cleaner cheaper British energy harness the power of artificial intelligence improve our public transport confront our historic challenges on technical education transform our skills agenda in partnership with business and push forward Devolution to the cities regions and councils of England a plan for wealth creation that will finally lead us out of the pay more get less Doom that is their legacy and let me be clear we will work with anyone invested in the future of our country I have said I just completely I said that we would serve everyone whether they voted for us or not and I meant it so let me say directly to the benches opposite if you're invested in the success of your community we will work with you this is a new era we are turning the page we're turning politics to service because that is what the people of this country want to see from their politicians and service is a stronger Bond than political self-interest that is what country first means the only way we can restore trust and the reason this government of service was elected Mr Speaker we were also elected to repair our public services with investment and reform to make them once again beacons of justice for the communities that they serve a signal to our country of the cause that fires National r renewal my determination for everyone in our country England Scotland Northern Ireland Wales no matter where they started in life to feel that success belongs to them it is a cause Mr Speaker that I do believe unites this house and indeed the people of this great nation so I will Mr Speaker can I command the Prime Minister there are many within this house both sides of this chamber both uh in opposition but also in your party who welcome your your election as prime minister and look forward to the delivery of some feel good factors for all of this great nation and will travel to the Commonwealth hubs of government meeting in Samoa and to Australia this Autumn the king is a true model of Public Service I know that the Prime Minister will value his audiences with his majesty as much as I did and I think we all recognize that the king is aided by the constant support of her majesty the queen and I know the whole house will join me in wishing her a very happy birthday today we also pay tribute to Tony Lloyd Tony served the people of Greater Manchester for 45 years and for 36 of those as a member of this house he was a great parliamentarian kind and wise his family should have enormous pride in the contribution he made to this place and to the community that he loved and served they are in all our thoughts today I'd also like to welcome all new members to their places being elected as a member of parliament is a great honor and a great responsibility we serve our communities and our United Kingdom I know that whatever our political differences might be we are all motivated by a desire to make life better for our constituents and our country stronger and I know that the whole house will join me in deploring the assassination attempt on President trump our thoughts are with the victims violence and intimidation have no place in the Democratic process now Mr Speaker I commend the proposer on his excellent speech I know that the whole house will agree with me that the honorable member for Bole has set a very high bar for speeches in this new Parliament now my little sister always reminds me that being the youngest means you have to learn how to make yourself well well The Honorable member is the youngest of eight and it really shows and I had the Good Fortune of getting to know the honorable member when he was Shadow Chief secretary to the treasury and he was always courteous and pleasant as an opposite number to me and as he outlined The Honorable member fbut comes from a family committed to Public Service both of his great uncles were members of this house and he himself even though he was very modest about it has been in public service for more than 40 years the new members of this house have much to learn from The Honorable gentleman and I know I speak for the whole house in saying how much we all admire his personal bravery in campaigning for more victim support following the tragic death of his daughter in a hit and run accident now not only is he one of the most popular members of this house as we heard he is also the most popular constituency MP enjoying the biggest majority of any member of this place and and in a recent election he even won an astonishing 84% of the vote he might be he might be the only person who can persuade King jnun of the benefits of democracy although the People's Republic of Bol doesn't quite have the same ring to it now I wonder I wonder though I wonder whether he was chosen to speak today actually to head off him reintroducing his 10-minute rule bill I speak of course of the honorable member's bill for a 4-day week now I'm not sure if he's consulted with his whips on how compatible that would be with their desire to make Fridays a new Norm sitting day I'll say this to The Honorable gentleman if they won't let him have his 10-minute rule Bill he should work to rule although I suspect the labor member for Mery side needs no tips from this former Banker on Trade union organizing Now The Honorable member for voxel and cell El green spoke with typical Verve she is someone inspired by a desire to serve and her strong faith but she never lets any of this go to her head today she was chosen because of the high regard she has held in but she is also one of the kindest members of this house regularly baking Victor sponges for her staff and others although post the election result perhaps red velvet might be now on the menu and The Honorable lady has campaigned bravely against Gan violence both in the London assembly and in this house and she is so right that we must not become desensitized to knife crime she represents the place where she grew up and does so with passion and determination and now that I have a lot more time on my hands I intend to be a regular visitor to her constituency especially in the summer months one of my favorite places to watch cricket is of course the oval and as prime minister I had the privilege of playing there with the wonderful Emily reinford Brent and the young black cricketers on the Ace Program I applaud The Honorable lady for her work with that scheme I can reassure her though that I won't go as far as the last conservative prime minister to speak from this dispatch box who proposed removing that part of her constituency to a desert island along Ong with his eight favorite records Now The Honorable lady story is truly an inspirational one to go from caring for your mother as a teenager to this house shows what is possible in our country but the online abuse that The Honorable member has received an experience that is far too often common in this house shows one of the challenges facing our democracy the intimidation that some candidates received in this election both physical and digital was completely unaccepted acceptable and is a threat to our electoral process there can be no excuse Mr Speaker for threats of physical violence or intimidatory protests outside politicians homes Now The Honorable lady will have been picked to Second the loyal address because the whips office have got her down as one who will go far if I may offer some words of advice to members opposite on the government benches life comes at you fast soon you might be fortunate enough to be tapped on the shoulder and offered a junior ministerial role then you'll find yourself attending cabinet then in the cabinet and then when the prime minister's position becomes untenable you might you might end up being called to the highest office and before you know it you have a bright future behind you and and you are left wondering whether you can credibly be an elder Statesman at the age of 44 now it is right to begin by congratulating the Prime Minister on his decisive victory in the election he deserves the Goodwill of all of us in this house as he takes on the most demanding of jobs in the increasingly uncertain World in which we now live now the party opposite has successfully tapped into the Public's desire for change but they now must deliver change and we on this side of the house will hold them accountable for delivering on the commitments that they made to the British people in the National interest we will not oppose for the sake of it but when we disagree with the government it is our responsibility as the opposition to say so and what will guide us will be our principles sound public finances a belief that people know how to spend their own money better than governments do that private Enterprise not State intervention is the key to delivering growth and prosperity public services that work for those who need them an education system that gives everyone the best start in life secure borders and a strong National Defense now I welcome the government's decision to bring forward Martin's law I'm sure that the Prime Minister will find as I did that one of the most humbling parts of the job is seeing people whose lives have been touched by tragedy and seeing how they don't turn to anger or bitterness but campaign to ensure that other families do not have to endure the same pain that they did and I particularly commend fan Murray for her work to get this law onto the statute book I can assure her that this measure will command consensus in this house and we will work with the government to make sure that it becomes law as soon as possible I'm also glad that the government will continue with plans for a smoke free generation I know there are deeply held views on both sides of this issue and I have deep respect for those especially on my own benches who disagree with me on this question measures that end access to products are never easy but I do believe that ensuring that our children can be the first generation that doesn't have to suffer the false choice to quit smoking or not because they will have never started is a truly worthy aim it will make us a healthier fairer country where people live longer and better lives now the first duty of government is the defense of the realm and we're fortunate in our country to be to be protected by Armed Forces who are unrivaled in the world for their professionalism bravery and skill and I know the whole house will agree with me that they are truly the best of us every month in my previous job I became more concerned about the threats to our country's security we live in an increasingly uncertain world we need greater investment in our military if we are to deter our enemies and defend our interests and as I warned earlier this year there is an axis of authoritarian States who are a threat to our values Freedom democracy and the rule of law and we must collectively stand up to them the world is more dangerous now now than it has been at any time since the end of the Cold War so I would urge the prime minister to commit to boosting defense spending to 2 and a half% of GDP by 2030 and if we lead the way on this we can make 2 and a half% the new NATO Benchmark for defense investment this is the single best way to strengthen the alliance it will show The Americans that we do not expect them to Bear every burden and it would show President Putin that NATO is serious about bolstering its defenses and will also be the most effective way to deter further acts of Russian aggression now in the last few years there has been an impressive amount of consensus across the house on foreign policy on the importance of supporting Ukraine on the centrality of NATO to our National Defense and in that spirit I commend the Prime Minister on his work at the NATO Summit and I'm glad that he and the Secretary of State for defense have taken such rapid steps to demonstrate that while the government has change this country's commitment to Ukraine security remains constant and I also welcome the right honorable member for tottenham's visit to the Middle East it is of fundamental importance to this country that as we make real progress towards a two-state solution our friend and Ally Israel has a right to defend itself and to live in peace and let me turn next to another crucial issue facing not just our country but the broader Western World illegal migration now the fundamental question is what to do with people who arrive here illegally but cannot be returned to their own home country now our approach was to send them to a safe Third Country the Prime Minister was clear scrap those plans and I acknowledge that and our fear remains that without such a deterrent the country will end up having to accept that a large number of those who cross the channel illegally will end up remaining here and how to prevent that that is something that the government I know will soon look to address and when it comes to Legal migration I urge the Home Secretary to retain the measures that we implemented which are forecast to Har net migration in the next 12 months now if I may turn next to the economy I understand well that the chancellor is Keen to paint oblique a picture as possible but I would just gently point out that this is not exactly what the facts [Applause] say in inflation at 2% unemployment 4% and the fastest growing economy in the G7 so far the party opposite has inherited an economy that is already on an upward trajectory now the government the government have set out plans the government has set out plans to strengthen the role of the office for Budget responsibility and we will examine those proposals carefully but the work of the OB already means that the party opposite did have the full details of the public finances when they set out their Manifesto now the OB has rightly taken away from governments the ability to make forast say what they want them to but they have also taken away from oppositions coming into government the ability to say that they did not know the true State the public finances as Paul Johnson of the institute for fiscal studies has said the books are wide open fully transparent in his words trying to pretend that things are worse than expected really won't wash now the party opposite promised no tax Rises on working people and no plans for tax Rises Beyond what's in their Manifesto in full knowledge of the public finances it would be difficult for them to claim that things are worse than they thought and then reneg on those pledges and we will hold the government to its own promises come the [Applause] budget I note plans for new employment legislation now in this country our employment rate is far lower than the European average and that is thanks in part to our flexible labor market I would urge the party opposite not to impose new burdens on businesses that Business Leaders themselves have warned of the unintended consequences of those plans that they could lead to firms being less likely to invest less likely to hire and so increasing unemployment in the long term and I further note the government's desire to impose new potentially rigid legislation on Technologies like artificial intelligence now now we are third only to the US and China in the size of our fast growing technology sector and lead the world when it comes to AI safety and we should all in this house be careful not to endanger this country's leading position in this field which will drive growth and prosperity for decades to come and while today's speech did contain a slew of bills what was missing was a concrete plan to tackle the unsustainable postco rise in the welfare bill without action the cost of providing benefits to the working age population with a disability or health condition will rise to 90 billion more than we spend on our National Defense schools or policing now that's not only unsustainable but also unfair to taxpayers and that's why in government we had laid out a plan to significantly reduce the welfare bill but crucially to support all those that could back into work now I hope the government looks at those proposals when it has the time to study them in detail on this side of the house we will continue to advocate for a welfare system that is both compassionate and fair to those who need it but also fair to those who pay for it now the government has set out plans to change the planning system we will of course study these thoroughly as well as we all wish to see more homes built and the planning process speed it up but I would say that A system that does not allow local people to have a say will damage public consent for more housing in the long term exactly and I regret I regret there was no mention of rural communities and farming in the King speech much like my own but I hope in time the government will bring forward proposals now turning to Net Zero this country has decarbonized quicker than any other major country and we have managed to do that while growing the economy as a country and across this whole house I know we will all be proud of that achievement now the government plans to decarbonize the grid by 2030 the there is a real danger but if the government puts the speed of doing this ahead of family finances and our energy security then we will again lose public consent for the measures necessary to ensure that we actually reach our 2050 Net Zero Target a Target on which there is genuine consensus between our two parties as even one of the prime minister's own supporters has warned this 20 plan will and I quote just mean we will have to import our energy strategically become more vulnerable vulnerable we will pay more money for our energy so I hope that the Energy Secretary reflects on those thoughts now lastly Mr Speaker the government has set out plans for reforms to the other place looking at the benches opposite there can be no doubt about the government's ability to get them through this house but the effects of these changes will last long Beyond this Parliament long beyond our tenur in these jobs I would suggest that when it comes to constitutional reform it it would be good to proceed on a cross-party basis rather than to use a simple majority in this house to push things through and that consensus should include should include the crossbenchers whose convenor would be removed by the government's proposals I also suspect that the public would prefer the government to prioritize practical real world issues over constitutional wrangling however however I welcome the news that the government has paused on their plan to force me MERS of the other place to retire at 80 now this proposal always felt like it would be a blunt instrument and indeed in the dissolution honors the Prime Minister nominated rightly the former right honorable member for Darby South who will be a strong addition to the other place despite the right honorable lady being already over the retirement age that the labor Manifesto proposed so Mr Speaker let me close by saying that we of course recognize that the British people have entrusted the party opposite with the task of governing our country on our side of the house we will fulfill our duties as the loyal opposition professionally and effectively and across this house we are all first and foremost Patriots we all wish to see our country and our people flourish and succeed and in that spirit I wish the new prime minister and the new government well I know called the Prime Minister Saki uh thank you Mr Speaker uh before we begin may I join the leader of the opposition in his tribute to his majesty the king it is so heartening to see him in his rightful place delivering the gracious speech and I'm sure the whole house will not mind once again wishing him a speedy recovery can I also join in wishing her majesty the queen a happy birthday Mr Speaker we also wish president Trump a speedy recovery from the appalling attempt on his life at the weekend I spoke with President Trump on Sunday night to pass our best wishes but also to share our revulsion at the senseless violence which has no place in democracy last time this address took place and I stood at that dispatch box I could see for the first time that their new PL now behind me commemorating the memory of s David amamos and I know how hard that loss was for members on the opposite benches and now standing on this side I Can See For The First Time in front of me the plaque to our dear friend Joe Cox with her words that catch the air of this chamber even more at A Moment Like This more in common so while our thoughts at this time are of course with President Trump and the American people we cannot think that this some this is something that only happens elsewhere we must heed the words of President Biden to lower the temperature of our democracy work across our disagreements and find each other's common decency Mr Speaker I also want to congratulate the England football team for their achievements in the Euro something the leader of the opposition and I were talking about uh this morning yes the trophy eluded us again but the team can be proud of another exceptional performance something I'm sure the whole house would be only too pleased to recognize and we pay tribute to Gareth Southgate who shouldered the burden of national leadership with such dignity Mr Speaker this government has been elected to deliver nothing less than National renewal to stop the chaos of the past 14 years Turn the page on an era of Politics as noisy performance and return it to public service and start the work of rebuilding our country a determined rebuilding a patient rebuilding a calm rebuilding a rejection in this complicated and volatile world of those who can only offer the easy answer the snake oil charm of populism Mr Speaker as the last 14 years has shown that road is a dead end for this country it does nothing to fix our foundations and the British people have rejected it as they have throughout our history what people really want is change and change is what this government of service will deliver a King speech that takes the breaks off our economy and shows to the British people that politics can be a force for good the vehicle for improving lives of millions no matter who you voted for Mr Speaker it's a day when we get on with the serious business of government and yet a house with no time for lity would go against the grain of our Traditions so it's fantastic to hear my honorable friend the member from Bole in such fine fetal today when proposing the humble address he spoke with great Passion as he always does for his constituency famous as he himself mentioned for the Anthony Gourley sculptures on Crosby Beach as a work of art that's entitled another place a collection C of gently rusting figures For Whom The Tide Is perpetually coming in a solid grounding should he ever consider a career in the other place but I'm sure this house will agree he is also one of the warmest and most generous members a generosity that ahead of a previous election extended to an offer to hand deliv a conservative leaplet a commitment to the Democratic process that should be applauded not least because it resulted in a stoning increase in his majority for labor but Mr Speaker as anyone who knows my honorable friend will confirm while he does like to relax with a glass of wine and listen to engleberg huming for him family always comes first and the leader of the opposition referred to his daughter and growing up he was cared for by his four sisters and now he is never happier than when he's with his grandchildren who are convinced that he knows Mary Poppins personally a belief I note he has never discouraged he has been a tremendous servant to our family the labor family and we thank him for his outstanding speech today Mr Speaker the address was seconded by The Honorable friend a member for voxel and camberwell green A fitting tribute for a royal occasion as I'm told she is known as Queen Flo on Instagram the house will know her as a tireless Champion for her community as well as a founding member of one of our most vital affiliates the labor friends of karaoke in fact Mr Speaker I'm reliably told that Queen flow does a mean queen bee which we look forward to hearing at Labor conference but Mr Speaker truly it was a fantastic speech another demonstration that my honorable friend is a shining example of our movement a young carer when growing up a fighter for their causes on AIDS and HIV on the health inequalities which still deliver poor outcomes for black women and on Sickle Cell which her late mom suffered from I know what it's like to watch your mom move in and out of hospital as a child and so I respect and admire the way she now Champions young people from poorer households and fights for the opportunities that they deserve perhaps most powerfully of all she's spoken about her own experience arriving at the scene of a stabbing and has rightly demanded that we never allow ourselves to become desensitized to the tragedy of knife crime as a fellow in a London MP I know how much this is hurting our city as it is towns and cities across the country I know how much potential is lost and how many families fear that their child could be next so be under no doubt turning the tide on this violence is absolutely Central a key mission that this government of service will take on Mr Speaker both speeches were in the finest traditions of this house let me also follow the leader of the opposition and mark the passing of our colleagues in the traditional way because since the last Gra address the labor party has lost a stalwart of our movement with the passing of Tony Lloyd who served in 36 years of Distinction the communities of Rochdale Manchester Central and stretford I had the chance to speak to Tony just days before he left us uh that was when he was leaving hospital to go home and he knew it was for the last time and that he wouldn't see a day like this and without being partisan I can tell you he would have loved to see the house set up as it is today he would have told us using his experience to use every precious moment that we have to serve those communities that he held so dear because that is what he stood for the best of our mov a champion of Politics as a Force for good and Mr Speaker that is the great test of our times the the fight for trust is the battle that defines our political era and it's a task not just for this government but for the whole Parliament we are all responsible for the tone and standards that we set and I want to thank the right honorable gentleman in every exchange that we've had since the election and in his words today he has gone well beyond the usual standards of generosity and I thank him for that and in that spirit this King speech picks up some of the important business not concluded in the last session and so on football governance and the reduction of smok smoking we hope to proceed in a manner that recognizes the previous consensus we will also carry forward the Holocaust Memorial bill so we build that Memorial next to this Parliament and make sure every regeneration reaffirms our commitment to never again and we will also honor the promises that I made and the leader of the opposition made to the family of Martin het and all the families affected by the horrific events in Manchester that day Fegan Murray Martin's mom walked 200 miles to tell us that Britain needs that law quickly I told her then that she would get that from a labor government and we honor that promise today and I'm very grateful for the indication of the Cross Party Support we will have on that very important provision because the security of the British people is the most fundamental priority of any government and whether our fight is against terrorists the vile criminal smuggling gangs that weaken our Borders or foreign powers which threaten the security of this nation we will live no ST unturned when it comes to keeping the British people safe and we will recognize The Bravery of those on the front line of keeping us safe with a new Armed Forces commissioner that's not just a name or a role but a strong and independent Champion for those who have committed to the ultimate service as a way we can show our respect we will also move quickly on the lessons from the infected blood Scandal that the house debated in almost the Final Act of the last session a day when we undertook all of us a solemn responsibility not just to deliver Justice to those people but also to take on the work of prevention to make sure that those lessons shape the future of Public Service in our country because scandals like infected blood wind Rush Horizon Hillsboro are united not just by the scale of the Injustice but also by the indignity that the victims and their families have been put through merely for standing up for truth and Justice so it is high time to bring in a duty of kander the hillsbor law because a government of service must also be a government of accountability and Justice that is what service means uh yes I will I thank the Prime Minister for giving way during his excellent speech outlining The Hope and renewal within this King's Speech much needed in constituencies like mine in Luton North where over 45% of children are growing up in relative poverty what reassurances can the Prime Minister give me and my constituents that he personally takes this issue very seriously and that his government will address it prime minister well I'm grateful for that intervention and I give my Assurance to her and to the whole house that I do take child poverty extremely seriously I'm proud of the record of the last Labor government in reducing child poverty it clearly had a strategy and we will have a strategy and I'm very pleased to have announced today the task force course that will lead our strategy to reduce child poverty no child should be growing up in poverty and and we will work across the house on that issue and I will take an intervention I'm very grateful thank you Mr Speaker I'm very grateful to the Prime Minister for giving way on his newly announced task force which of course be Beth Rigby was announcing on Twitter as we were all within this chamber Mr Speaker can the Prime Minister outline how many children will remain in poverty whilst that task Force undertakes the work which will ultimately lead to the same conclusion we are proposing to scrap the two child benefit cap well look I I do welcome this I know this is an issue across the whole house I don't think there's a single member that doesn't care about child poverty the point of the task force is to devise a strategy as we did last in government to drive those numbers down it can't be a single issue it's across a number of strands and we will work with people across the house in order to do it what matters what matters is the commitment to do it and to drive those numbers then that is what we did last in government and we will do it again but Mr Speaker I'll just make some progress and then I will Mr Speaker whilst I respect the tone of the leader of the opposition's contribution I can't stop my mind wandering back to nine months ago when he was at this dispatch box his great political hero Nigel Lawson once said to govern is to choose and everyday serving the people of this country is a chance to make a difference for them yet Mr Speaker the last King's Speech was the day when the veil of his choices slipped and we all saw a party his party content to let our country's problems Fester content to push aside the national interest as they focused almost in enely on trying to save their own skins Mr Speaker we will have time over the weeks months and years to debate the measures in this King speech and the choices of this government but I defy anyone on those benches or elsewhere to look at the ambition and purpose of our intent and not to receive a return to the serious business of government no more wedge issues no more gimmicks no more party political strategy masquerading as policy this is an agenda focused entirely on delivering for the people of this country legislation for the national interest that seeks only to fix our foundations and make people better off solve problems not exploit them because I'll just make some progress in the RO because Mr speaker with each day that passes my government is finding new and unexpected marks of their care scars of the last 14 years where politics was put above the national interest decline deep in the marrow of our institutions we've seen that in our prisons r large we've seen it in our rivers and seas even worse than we thought and we've seen it in our councils pushed to the brink by the previous government now unable even to deliver basic services to children with special educational needs and Mr Speaker we've already taken first steps on so many of the priorities we put before the British people the work of change has begun but we know as they do that National renewal is not a quick fix the rot of 14 years will take time to repair nonetheless I I will be there I'm grateful to the Prime Minister for giving way and he talks about priorities well of course people in rural communities around the country see the vast majority which the right honorable gentleman has assembled and they're afraid they see a Manifesto in which just 87 words are used about farming they see they see a King speech they see a King's speech with no mention of rural communities or r priorities will the Prime Minister please take this opportunity to reassure people in re in Rural and farming communities that his labor government will take notice of me prime minister just to say prime minister just to say luk intervention one thing but to actually make your speech is not the best time to do it prime minister well let me take this opportunity to reassure those in rural communities I grew up in a rural community myself um and I think that if you look at the places that and now represented on these Benes you see the reassurance that has been given that will also be given Again The King's Speech we have brought to this house today is a marker of our intent not only a certain destination for the future of this country but a new way of governing a government of service Guided by clear missions with a long-term plan to fix the foundations a plan which starts as it must with our economy under his watch the last Parliament was the first in modern history to leave living standards in a worse place than they found them the consequence the consequence not just of Tory irresponsibility but of a more pervasive inability to face the future a ducking of the hard choices eyes fixed always on the horse trading of Westminster politic I will in a moment rather than the long term National interest Mr Speaker we don't just turn the page on that today we close the door on it forever a budget responsibility bill that will protect the living standards of working people from the chaos they endured under the last government a commitment no matter how Fierce the storms to economic stability as the foundation we build on that is a change labor party at work and then on that Foundation we take the breaks of Britain go further and faster on measures to generate higher economic growth workers and business United in the CES of wealth creation we will reform the planning rules a choice ignored for 14 years to build the homes and infrastructure that Britain needs we will level up rights at work a choice ignored for 14 years to deliver security and digity at work we will create a new industrial strategy invest in cleaner cheaper British energy harness the power of artificial intelligence improve our public transport confront our historic challenges on technical education transform our skills agenda in partnership with business and push forward Devolution to the cities regions and councils of England a plan for wealth creation that will finally lead us out of the pay more get less Doom that is their legacy and let me be clear we will work with anyone invested in the future of our country I have said I'll just completely I said that we would serve everyone whether they voted for us or not and I meant it so let me say directly to the benches opposite if you're invested in the success of your community we will work with you this is a new era we are turning the page returning politics to service because that is what the people of this country want to see from their politicians and service is a stronger Bond than political self-interest that is what country first means the only way we can restore trust and the reason this government of service was elected Mr Speaker we were also elected to repair our public services with investment and reform to make them once again beacons of justice for the communities that they serve a signal to our country of the cause that fires National renewal my determination for everyone in our country England Scotland Northern Ireland Wales no matter where they started in life to feel that success belongs to them it is a cause Mr Speaker that I do believe unites this house and indeed the people of this great nation so I will Mr Speaker can I command the Prime Minister there are many within this house both sides of this chamber both uh in opposition but also in your party who welcome your your election as prime minister and look forward to the delivery of some fil good factors for all of this great nation and will travel to the Commonwealth HS of government meeting in Samoa and to Australia this autumn the king is a true model of Public Service I know that the Prime Minister will value his audiences with his majesty as much as I did and I think we all recognize that the king is aided by the constant support of her majesty the queen and I know the whole house will join me in wishing her a very happy birthday today we also pay tribute to Tony Lloyd Tony served the people of Greater Manchester for 45 years and for 36 of those as a member of this house he was a great parliamentarian kind and wise his family should have enormous pride in the contribution he made to this place and to the community that he loved and served they are in all our thoughts today I'd also like to welcome all new members to their places being elected as a member of parliament is a great honor and a great responsibility we serve our communities and our United Kingdom I know that whatever our political differences might be we are all motivated by a desire to make life better for our constituents and our country stronger and I know that the whole house will join me in deploring the assassination attempt on President trump our thoughts are with the victims violence and intimidation have no place in the Democratic process now Mr Speaker I commend the proposer on his excellent speech I know that the whole house will agree with me that the honorable member for Bole has set a very High bar for speeches in this new Parliament now my little sister always reminds me that being the youngest means you have to learn how to make yourself heard well well The Honorable member is the youngest of eight and it really shows and I had the Good Fortune of getting to know the honorable member when he was Shadow Chief secretary to the treasury and he was always courteous and pleasant as an opposite number to me and as he outlined The Honorable member for comes from a family commit committed to Public Service both of his great uncles were members of this house and he himself even though he was very modest about it has been in public service for more than 40 years the new members of this house have much to learn from The Honorable gentleman and I know I speak for the whole house and saying how much we all admire his personal bravery in campaigning for more victim support following the tragic death of his daughter in a and run accident now not only is he one of the most popular members of this house as we heard he is also the most popular constituency MP enjoying the biggest majority of any member of this place and and in a recent election he even won an astonishing 84% of the vote he might be he might be the only person who can persuade King jnun of the benefits of democracy although the People's Republic of Bol doesn't quite have the same ring to it now I wonder I wonder though I wonder whether he was chosen to speak today actually to head off him reintroducing his 10-minute rule bill I speak of course of the honorable member's bill for a 4-day week now I'm not sure if he's consulted with his whips on how compatible that would be with their desire to make Fridays a new Norm sitting day I'll say say this to The Honorable gentleman if they won't let him have his 10-minute rule Bill he should work to rule although I suspect the labor member for Mery side needs no tips from this former Banker on Trade union organizing Now The Honorable member for voxal and cell green spoke with typical Verve she is someone inspired by a desire to serve and her strong faith but she never lets any of this go to her head today she was ch because of the high regard she has held in but she is also one of the kindest members of this house regularly baking Victoria sponges for her staff and others although post the election result perhaps red velvet might be now on the menu and The Honorable lady has campaigned bravely against Gan violence both in the London assembly and in this house and she is so right that we must not become desensitized to knife crime she presents the place where she grew up and does so with passion and determination and now that I have a lot more time on my hands I intend to be a regular visitor to her constituency especially in the summer months one of my favorite places to watch cricket is of course the oval and as prime minister I had the privilege of playing there with the wonderful Emily reinford Brent and the young black cricketers on the Ace Program I applaud The Honorable lady for her work with that scheme I can reassure her though that I won't go as far as the last conservative prime minister to speak from this dispatch box who proposed removing that part of her constituency to a desert island along with his eight favorite records uh The Honorable lady story is truly an inspirational one to go from caring for your mother as a teenager to this house shows what is possible in our country but the online abuse of The Honorable member has received an experience that is far too often common in this house shows one of the ch challenges facing our democracy the intimidation that some candidates received in this election both physical and digital was completely unacceptable and is a threat to our electoral process there can be no excuse Mr Speaker for threats of physical violence or intimidatory protests outside politicians homes Now The Honorable lady will have been picked to Second the loyal address because the Whip's office have got her down as one who will go far if I may offer some words of advice to members opposite on the government benches life comes at you fast soon you might be fortunate enough to be tapped on the shoulder and offered a junior ministerial role then you'll find yourself attending cabinet then in the cabinet and then when the prime minister's position becomes untenable you might you might end up being called to the highest office and before you know it you have a bright future by behind you and and you were left wondering whether you can credibly be an elder Statesman at the age of 44 now it is right to begin by congratulating the Prime Minister on his decisive victory in the election he deserves the Goodwill of all of us in this house as he takes on the most demanding of jobs in the increasingly uncertain World in which we now live now the party opposite has successfully tapped into the Public's desire for change but they now must deliver change and we on this side of the house will hold them accountable for delivering on the commitments that they made to the British people in the National interest we will not oppose for the sake of it but when we disagree with the government it is our responsibility as the opposition to say so and what will guide us will be our principles sound public finances a belief that people know how to spend their own money better than governments do that private Enterprise not State intervention is the key to delivering growth and prosperity public service that work for those who need them an education system that gives everyone the best start in life secure borders and a strong National Defense now I welcome the government's decision to bring forward Martin's law I'm sure that the Prime Minister will find as I did that one of the most humbling parts of the job is seeing people whose lives have been touched by tragedy and seeing how they don't turn to anger or bitterness but campaign to ensure that other families do not have to enure the same pain that they did and I particularly commend fan Murray for her work to get this law onto the statute book I can assure her that this measure will command consensus in this house and we will work with the government to make sure that it becomes law as soon as possible I'm also glad that the government will continue with plans for a smoke free generation I know there are deeply held views on both sides of this issue and I have deep respect for those especially on my own benches who disagree with me on this question measures that end access to products are never easy but I do believe that ensuring that our children can be the first generation that doesn't have to suffer the false choice to quit smoking or not because they will have never started is a truly worthy aim it will make us a healthier fairer country where people live longer and better lives now the first duty of government is the defense of the realm and we're fortunate in our country to be to be protected by Armed Forces who are unri in the world for their professionalism bravery and skill and I know the whole house will agree with me that they are truly the best of us every month in my previous job I became more concerned about the threats to our country's security we live in an increasingly uncertain world we need greater investment in our military if we are to deter our enemies and defend our interests and as I warned earlier this year there is an axis of authoritarian States who are a threat thre to our values Freedom democracy and the rule of law and we must collectively stand up to them the world is more dangerous now than it has been at any time since the end of the Cold War so I would urge the prime minister to commit to boosting defense spending to 2 and a half% of GDP by 2030 and if we lead the way on this we can make 2 and a half% the new NATO Benchmark for defense investment this is the single best way to strengthen the alliance it will show The Americans that we do not expect them to Bear every burden and it would show President Putin that NATO is serious about bolstering its defenses and will also be the most effective way to deter further acts of Russian aggression now in the last few years there has been an impressive amount of consensus across the house on foreign policy on the importance of supporting Ukraine on the centrality of NATO to our National Defense and in that spirit I commend the Prime Minister on his work at the NATO Summit and I'm glad that he and the Secretary of State for defense have taken such rapid steps to demonstrate that while the government has changed this country's commitment to Ukraine security remains constant and I also welcome the right honorable member for tottenham's visit to the Middle East it is of fundamental importance to this country that as we make real progress towards a two-state solution our friend and Ally Israel has a right to defend itself and to live in peace and let me turn next to another crucial issue facing not just our country but the broader Western World illegal migration now the fundamental question is what to do with people who arrive here illegally but cannot be returned to their own home country now our approach was to send them to a safe Third Country the Prime Minister was clear scrap those plans and I acknowledge that and our fear remains that without such a deterrent the country will end up having to accept that a large number of those who cross the channel illegally will end up remaining here and how to prevent that that is something that the government I know will soon look to address and when it comes to Legal migration I urge the Home Secretary to retain the measures that we implemented which have forecast to havet migration in the next 12 months now if I may turn next to the economy I understand well that the chancellor is Keen to paint oblique a picture as possible but I would just gently point out that this is not exactly what the facts [Applause] say in inflation at 2% unemployment 4% and the fastest growing economy in the G7 so far the party opposite has inherited an economy that is already on an upward trajectory now the government the government have set out plans the government has set out plans to strengthen the role of the office for Budget responsibility and we will examine those proposals carefully but the work of the OB already means that the party opposite did have the full details of the public finances when they set out their Manifesto now the obr has rightly taken away from governments the ability to make forast say what they want them to but they have also taken away from oppositions coming into government the ability to say that they did not know the true state of the public as Paul Johnson of the institute for fiscal studies has said the books are wide open fully transparent in his words trying to pretend that things are worse than expected really won't wash now the party opposite promis no tax Rises on working people and no plans for tax Rises Beyond what's in their Manifesto in full knowledge of the public finances it would be difficult for them to claim that things are worse than they thought and then reneg on those pledges and we will hold the government to its own promises the [Applause] budget I note plans for new employment legislation now in this country our employment rate is far lower than the European average and that is thanks in part to our flexible labor market I would urge the party opposite not to impose new burdens on businesses that Business Leaders themselves have warned of the unintended consequences of those plans that they could lead to firms being less likely to invest less likely to hire and so increasing unemployment in the long term and I further note the government's desire to impose new potentially rigid legislation on Technologies like artificial intelligence now we are third only to the US and China in the size of our fast growing technology sector and lead the world when it comes to AI safety and we should all in this house be careful not to endanger this country's leading position in this field which will drive growth and prosperity for decades to come and while today's speech did contain a slew of bills what was missing was a concrete plan to tackle the unsustainable postco rise in the welfare bill without action the cost of providing benefits to the working age population with a disability or health condition will rise to 90 billion pounds more than we spend on our National Defense schools or policing now that's not only unsustainable but also unfair to taxpayers and that's why in government we had laid out a plan to significantly reduce the welfare bill but crucially to support all those that could back into work now I hope the government looks at those proposals when it has the time to study them in detail on this side of the house we will continue to advocate for a welfare system that is both compassionate and fair to those who need it but also fair to those who pay for it now the government has set out plans to change the planning system we will of course study these thoroughly as well as we all wish to see more homes built and the planning process speeded up but I would say that A system that does not allow local people to have a say will damage public consent for more housing in the long term exactly and I regret I regret that there was no mention of rural communities and farming in the King speech much like my own but I hope in time the government will bring forward proposals now turning to Net Zero this country has decarbonized quicker than any other major country and we have managed to do that while growing the economy as a country and across this whole house I know we will all be proud of that achievement now the government plans to decarbonize the grid by 2030 but there is a real danger but if the government puts the speed of doing this ahead of family finances and our energy security then we will again lose public consent for the measures necessary to ensure that we actually reach our 2050 Net Zero Target a Target on which there is genuine consensus between our two parties and as even one of the prime minister's own supporters has warned this 20 plan will and I quote just mean we will have to import our energy strategically we become more vulnerable vulnerable we will pay more money for our energy so I hope that the Energy Secretary reflects on those thoughts now lastly Mr Speaker the government has set out plans for reforms to the other place looking at the benches opposite there can be no doubt about the government's ability to get them through this house but the effects of these changes will last long Beyond this Parliament long beyond our tenures in these jobs I would suggest that when it comes to constitutional reform it would be good to proceed on a cross-party basis rather than to use a simple majority in this house to push things through and that consensus should include should include the crossbenchers whose convenor would be removed by the government's proposals I also suspect that the public would prefer the government to prioritize practical real World issues over constitutional wrangling however however I welcome the news that the government has paused on their plan to force members of the other place to retire at 80 now this proposal always felt like it would be a blunt instrument and indeed in the dissolution honors the Prime Minister nominated rightly the former right honorable member for Darby South who will be a strong addition to the other place despite the right honorable lady being already over the retirement age that the labor Manifesto proposed so Mr Speaker let me close by saying that we of course recognize that the British people have entrusted the party opposite with the task of governing our country on our side of the house we will fulfill our duties as the loyal opposition professionally and effectively and across this house we are all first and foremost Patriots we all wish to see our country and our people flourish and succeed and in that spirit I wish the new prime minister and the new governor well I know called the Prime Minister Sak uh thank you Mr Speaker before we begin may I join the leader of the opposition in his tribute to his majesty the king it is so heartening to see him in his rightful place delivering the gracious speech and I'm sure the whole house will not mind once again wishing him a speedy recovery can I also join in wishing her majesty the queen a happy birthday Mr Speaker we also wish president Trump a speedy recovery from the appalling attempt on his life at the weekend I spoke with President Trump on Sunday night to pass our best wishes but also to share our revulsion at the senseless violence which has no place in democracy last time this addess took place and I stood at that dispatch box I could see For the First Time The their new plaque now behind me commemorating the memory of s David amamos and I know how hard that loss was for members on the opposite benches and now standing on this side I Can See For The First Time in front of me the plaque to our dear dear friend joox with her words that catch the air of this chamber even more at A Moment Like This more in common so while our thoughts at this time are of course with President Trump and the American people we cannot think that this some this is something that only happens elsewhere we must heed the words of President Biden to lower the temperature of our democracy work across our disagreement ments and find each other's common decency Mr Speaker I also want to congratulate the England football team for their achievements in the Euro something the leader of the opposition and I were talking about uh this morning yes the trophy eluded us again but the team can be proud of another exceptional performance something I'm sure the whole house would be only too pleased to recognize and we pay tribute to Gareth Southgate who shouldered the burden of national leadership with such dignity Mr Speaker this government has been elected to deliver nothing less than National renewal to stop the chaos of the past 14 years Turn the page on an era of Politics as noisy performance and return it to public service and start the work of rebuilding our country a determined rebuilding a patient rebuilding a calm rebuilding a rejection in this complicated and volatile world of those who can only offer the easy answer the snake oil charm of populism Mr Speaker as the last 14 years has shown that road is a dead end for this country it does nothing to fix our foundation ations and the British people have rejected it as they have throughout our history what people really want is change and change is what this government of service will deliver a King speech that takes the breaks off our economy and shows to the British people that politics can be a force for good the vehicle for improving lives of millions no matter who you vote for Mr Speaker it's a day when we get on with the serious business of government and yet a house with no time for liity would go against the grain of our Traditions so it's fantastic to hear my honorable friend the member from bootle in such fine fetal today when proposing the humble address he spoke with great Passion as he always does for his constituency famous as he himself mentioned for the Anthony Gourley sculptures on Crosby Beach that's a work of art that's entitled another place a collection of gently rusting figures For Whom The Tide Is perpetually coming in a solid grounding should he ever consider a career in the other place but I'm sure this house will agree he is also one of the warmest and most generous members a generousity that ahead of a previous election extended to an offer to hand deliver conservative leaflets a commitment to the Democratic process that should be applauded not least because it resulted in a stoning increase in his majority for labor but Mr Speaker as anyone who knows my honorable friend will confirm while while he does like to relax with a glass of wine and listen to Engelberg huming for him family always comes first and the leader of the opposition referred to his daughter and growing up he was cared for by his four sisters and now he is never happier than when he's with his grandchildren who are convinced that he knows Mary Poppins personally a belief I note he has never discouraged he has been a tremendous servant to our family the labor family and we thank him for his outstanding speech today Mr Speaker the address was seconded by The Honorable friend the member for voxel and Campbell well green A fitting tribute for a royal occasion as I'm told she is known as Queen Flo on Instagram the house will know her as a tireless Champion for her community as well as a founding member of one of our most vital Affiliates the labor friends of karaoke in fact Mr Speaker I'm reliably told that Queen flow does a mean queen bee which we look forward to hearing at Labor conference but Mr Speaker truly it was a fantastic speech another demonstration that my honorable friend is a shining example of our movement a young carer when growing up a fighter for their causes on AIDS and HIV on the health inequalities which still deliver poor outcomes for black women and on Sickle Cell which her late mom suffered from I know what it's like to watch your mom move in and out of hospital as a child and so I respect and admire the way she now Champions young people from poor households and fights for the opportunities that they deserve perhaps most powerly of all she's spoken about her own experience arriving at the scene of a stabbing and has rightly demanded that we never allow ourselves to become desensitized to the tragedy of knife crime as a fellow in a London MP I know how much this is hurting our city as it is towns and cities across the country I know how much potential is lost and how many families fear that their child could be next so be under no doubt turning the tide on this violence is absolutely Central a key mission that this government of service will take on Mr Speaker both speeches were in the finest traditions of this house let me also follow the leader of the opposition and mark the passing of our colleagues in the traditional way because since the last gracious address the labor party has lost a stalwart of our movement with the passing of Tony Lloyd who served in 36 years of Distinction the communities of Rochdale Manchester Central and Stratford I had the chance to speak to Tony just days before he left us uh that was when he was leaving hospital to go home and he knew it was for the last time and that he wouldn't see a day like this and without being partisan I can tell you he would have loved to see the house set up as it is today he would have told us using his experience to use every precious moment that we have to serve those communities that he held so dear because that is what he stood for the best of our moment and champion of Politics as a Force for good and Mr Speaker that is the great test of our times the fight for trust is the battle that defines our political era and it's a task not just for this government but for the whole Parliament we are all responsible for the tone and standards that we set and I want to thank the right honorable gentleman in every exchange that we've had since the election and in his words today he has gone well beyond the usual standards of generosity and I thank him for that and in that spirit this King's Speech picks up some of the important business not concluded in the last session and so on football governance and the reduction of smook smoking we hope to proceed in a manner that recognizes the previous consensus yeah we will also carry forward the Holocaust Memorial bill so we build that Memorial next to this Parliament and make sure every generation reaffirms our commitment to never again and we will also honor the promises that I made and the leader of the opposition made to the family of Martin het and all the families affected by the horrific events in Manchester that day fan Murray Martin's mom walked 200 miles to tell us that Britain needs that law quickly I told her then that she would get that from a labor government and we honor that promise today and I'm very grateful for the indication of the Cross Party Support we will have on that very important provision because the security of the British people is the most fundamental priority of any government and whether our fight is against terrorists the criminal smuggling gangs that weaken our Borders or foreign powers which threaten the security of this nation we will live no stone unturned when it comes to keeping the British people safe and we will recognize The Bravery of those on the front line of keeping us safe with a new Armed Forces commissioner that's not just a name or a role but a strong and independent Champion for those who have committed to the ultimate service as a way we can show our respect we will also move quickly on the lessons from the infected blood Scandal that the house debated in almost the Final Act of the last session a day when we undertook all of us a solemn responsibility not just to deliver Justice to those people but also to take on the work of prevention to make sure that those lessons shape the future of Public Service in our country because scandals like infected blood wind Rush Horizon Hillsboro are united not just by the scale of the Injustice but also by the indignity that the victims and their families have been put through merely for standing up for truth and justice so it is high time to bring in a duty of caner the hillsbor law because a government of service must also be a government of accountability and Justice that is what service means uh yes I will I thank the Prime Minister for giving way during his excellent speech outlining The Hope and renewal within this King's Speech much needed in constituencies like mine in Luton North where over over 45% of children are growing up in relative poverty what reassurances can the Prime Minister give me and my constituents that he personally takes this issue very seriously and that his government will address it prime minister I'm grateful for that intervention and I give my Assurance to her and to the whole house that I do take child poverty extremely seriously I'm proud of the record of the last Labor government in reducing child it clearly had a strategy and we will have a strategy and I'm very pleased to have announced today the task force that will lead our strategy to reduce child poverty no child should be growing up in poverty and and we will work across the house on that issue and I will take an intervention I'm very grateful to thank you Mr Speaker I'm very grateful to the P Minister for giving way on his newly announced task force which of course be Beth Rigby was announcing on Twitter as we were all within this chamber Mr Speaker can the Prime Minister outline how many children will remain in poverty whilst that task force undertakes the work which will ultimately lead to the same conclusion we are proposing to scrap the two child benefit C well look and I do welcome this I know this is an issue across the whole house I don't think there's a single member that doesn't care about child poverty the point of the task force is to devise a strategy as we did lasting government to drive those numbers down it can't be a single issue it's across a number of strands and we will work with people across the house in order to do it what matters what matters is the commitment to do it and to drive those numbers down that is what we did last in government and we will do it again but Mr Speaker I'll just make some progress and then I will Mr Speaker whilst I respect the tone of the leader of the opposition's contribution I can't stop my mind wandering back to 9 months ago when he was at this dispatch box his great political hero Nigel Lon once said to govern is to choose and everyday serving the people of this country is a chance to make a difference for them yet Mr Speaker the last King's Speech was the day when the veil of his choices slipped and we all saw a party his party content to let our country's problems Fester content to push aside the national interest as they focused almost entirely on trying to save their own skins Mr Speaker we will have time over the weeks months and years to debate the measures in this King speech and the choices of this government but I defy anyone on those benches or elsewhere to look at the ambition and purpose of of our intent and not to receive a return to the serious business of government no more wedge issues no more gimmicks no more party political strategy masquerading as policy this is an agenda focused entirely on delivering for the people of this country legislation for the national interest that seeks only to fix our foundations of make people better off solve problems not exploit them because I'll just make some progress in the RO because Mr Speaker with each day that passes my government is finding new and unexpected marks of their care scars of the last 14 years where politics was put above the national interest decline deep in the marrow of our institutions we've seen that in our prison large we've seen it in our rivers and seas even worse than we thought and we've seen it in our councils pushed to the brink by the previous government now unable even to deliver basic services to children with special educational needs and Mr Speaker we've already taken first steps on so many of the priorities we put before the British people the work of change has begun but we know as they do that National renewal is not a quick fix the rot of 14 years will take time to repair nonetheless I I will be there I'm grateful to the Prime Minister forgiving way and he talks about priorities well of course people in rural communities around the country see the vast majority which the right honorable gentleman has assembled and they're afraid they see a Manifesto in which just 87 words are used about farming they see they see a King speech they see a King speech with no mention of rural communities or rural priorities will the Prime Minister please take this opportunity to reassure people in re in Rural and farming communities that his labor government will take notice of him prime minister just to say prime minister just to say Lou indenture one thing but to actually make a speech is not the best time to do it prime minister well let me take this opportunity to reassure those in rural communities I grew up in a rural community myself um and I think that if you look at the places that are now represented on these Benes you see the reassurance that has been given that will also be given again the King speech we have brought to this house today is a marker of our intent not only a certain destination for the future of this country but a new way of governing a government of service Guided by clear missions with a long-term plan to fix the foundations a plan which starts as it must with our economy under his watch the last Parliament was the first in modern history to leave living standards in a worse place than they found them the consequence the consequence not just of Tory irresponsibility but of a more pervasive inability to face the future a ducking of the hard choices eyes fixed always on the horse trading of Westminster poliy I will in a moment rather than the long-term National interest Mr Speaker we don't just turn the page on that today we close the door on it forever a budget responsibility bill that will protect the living standards of working people from the chaos they endured under the last government a commitment no matter how Fierce the storms to economic stability as the foundation we build on that is a change labor party at work and then on that Foundation we take the breaks of Britain go further and faster on measures to generate higher economic growth workers and business United in the cuse of wealth creation we will reform the planning rules a choice ignored for 14 years to build the homes and infrastructure that Britain needs we will level up rights at work a choice ignored for 14 years to deliver security and dignity at work we will create a new industrial strategy invest in cleaner cheaper British energy harness the power of artificial intelligence improve our public transport confront our historic challenges on technical education transform our skills agenda in partnership with business and push forward Devolution to the cities Reg and councils of England a plan for wealth creation that will finally lead us out of the pay more get less Doom that is their legacy and let me be clear we will work with anyone invested in the future of our country I've said I'll just complet this I said that we would serve everyone whether they voted for us or not and I meant it so let me say directly to the benches opposite if you're invested in the success of your community we will work with you this is a new era we are turning the page returning politics to service because that is what the people of this country want to see from their politicians and service is a stronger Bond than political self-interest that is what country first means the only way we can restore trust and the reason this government of service was elected Mr Speaker we were also elected to repair our public services with investment and reform to make them once again beacons of justice for the communities that they serve a signal to our country of the cause that fires National renewal my determination for everyone in our country England Scotland Northern Ireland Wales no matter where they started in life to feel that success belongs to them it is a cause Mr Speaker that I do believe unites this house and indeed the people of this great nation so I will Mr Speaker can I command the Prime Minister there are many within this house both sides of this chamber both uh in opposition but also in your party who welcome your POS your election as prime minister and look forward to the delivery of some good factors for all of this great nation and will travel to the Commonwealth hubs of government meeting in Samoa and to Australia this Autumn the king is a true model of Public Service I know that the Prime Minister will value his audiences with his majesty as much as I did and I think we all recognize that the king is aided by the constant support of her majesty the queen and I know the whole house will join me in wishing her a very happy birthday today we also pay tribute to Tony Lloyd Tony served the people of Greater Manchester for 45 years and for 36 of those as a member of this house he was a great parliamentarian kind and wise his family should have enormous pride in the contribution he made to this place and to the community that he loved and served they are in all our thoughts today I'd also like to welcome all new members to their places being elected as a member of parliament is a great honor and a great responsibility we serve our communities and our United Kingdom I know that whatever our political differences might be we are all motivated by a desire to make life better for our constituents and our country stronger and I know that the whole house will join me in deploring the assassination attempt on President trump our thoughts are with the victims violence and intimidation have no place in the Democratic process now Mr Mr Speaker I commend the proposer on his excellent speech I know that the whole house will agree with me that the honorable member for Bole has set a very high bar for speeches in this new Parliament now my little sister always reminds me that being the youngest means you have to learn how to make yourself heard well well The Honorable member is the youngest of eight and it really shows and I had the Good Fortune of getting to know the honorable member when he was Shadow Chief secretary to the treasury and he was always courteous and pleasant as an opposite number to me and as he outlined The Honorable member for comes from a family committed to Public Service both of his great uncles were members of this house and he himself even though he was very modest about it has been in public service for more than 40 years the new members of this house have much to learn from The Honorable gentleman and I know I speak for the whole house in saying how much we all admire his personal bravery in campaigning for more victim support following the tragic death of his daughter in a hit and run accident now not only is he one of the most popular members of this house as we heard he is also the most popular constituency MP enjoying the biggest majority of any member of this place and and in a recent election he even won an astonishing 84 4% of the vote he might be he might be the only person who can persuade King jnun of the benefits of democracy although the People's Republic of ble doesn't quite have the same ring to it now I wonder I wonder though I wonder whether he was chosen to speak today actually to head off him reintroducing his 10minute rule bill I speak of course of the honorable members bill for a 4-day week now I'm I'm not sure if he's consulted with his whips on how compatible that would be with their desire to make Fridays a new Norm sitting day I'll say this to The Honorable gentleman if they won't let him have his 10-minute rule Bill he should work to rule although I suspect the labor member for Mery side needs no tips from this former Banker on Trade union organizing Now The Honorable member for voxel and Campell green spoke with typical Verve she is someone in spired by a desire to serve and her strong faith but she never lets any of this go to her head today she was chosen because of the high regard she has held in but she is also one of the kindest members of this house regularly baking Victoria sponges for her staff and others although post the election result perhaps red velvet might be now on the menu and The Honorable lady has campaigned bravely against Gan violence both in the London assembly and in this house and she is so right that we must not become desensitized to knife crime she represents the place where she grew up and does so with passion and determination and now that I have a lot more time on my hands I intend to be a regular visitor to her constituency especially in the summer months one of my favorite places to watch cricket is of course the oval and as prime minister I had the privilege of playing there with the wonderful Emily reinford Brent and the young black cricketers on the Ace Program I applaud The Honorable lady for her work with that scheme I can reassure her though that I won't go as far as the last conservative prime minister to speak from this dispatch box who propos removing that part of her constituency to a desert island along with his eight favorite records Now The Honorable lady story is truly an inspirational one to go from caring for your mother as a teenager to this house shows what is possible in our country but the online abuse that The Honorable member has received an experience that is far too often common in this house shows one of the challenges facing our democracy the intimidation that some candidates received in this election both physical and digital was completely unacceptable and is a threat to our electoral process there can be no excuse Mr Speaker for threats of physical violence or intimidatory protests outside politicians homes now the The Honorable lady will have been picked to Second the loyal address because the Whip's office have got her down as one who will go far if I may offer some words of advice to members opposite on the government benches life comes at you fast soon you might be fortunate enough to be tapped on the shoulder and offered a junior ministerial role then you'll find yourself attending cabinet then in the cabinet and then when the prime minister's position becomes untenable you might you might end up being called to the highest office and before you know it you have a bright future behind you and and you are left wondering whether you can credibly be an elder Statesman at the age of 44 now it is right to begin by congratulating the Prime Minister on his decisive victory in the election he deserves the goodwi of all of us in this house as he takes on the most demanding of jobs in the increasingly uncertain World in which we now live now the party opposite has successfully tapped into the Public's desire for change but they now must deliver change and we on this side of the house will hold them accountable for delivering on the commitments that they made to the British people in the national interests we will not oppose for the sake of it but when we disagree with the government it is our responsibility as the opposition to say so and what will guide us will be our principles sound public finances a belief that people know how to spend their own money better than governments do that private Enterprise not State intervention is the key to delivering growth and prosperity public services that work for those who need them an education system that gives everyone the best start in life secure borders and a strong National Defense now I welcome the government's decision to bring forward Martin's law I'm sure that the Prime Minister will find as I did that one of the most humbling parts of the job is seeing people people whose lives have been touched by tragedy and seeing how they don't turn to anger or bitterness but campaign to ensure that other families do not have to endure the same pain that they did and I particularly commend Fegan Murray for her work to get this law onto the statute book I can assure her that this measure will command consensus in this house and we will work with the government to make sure that it becomes law as soon as possible I'm also glad that the government will continue with plans for a smokefree generation I know there are deeply held views on both sides of this issue and I have deep respect for those especially on my own benches who disagree with me on this question measures that end access to products are never easy but I do believe that ensuring that our children can be the first generation that doesn't have to suffer the false choice to quit smoking or not because they will have never started is a truly worthy aim it will make us a healthier fairer country where people live longer and better lives now the first duty of government is the defense of the realm and we're fortunate in our country to be to be protected by Armed Forces who are unrivaled in the world for their professionalism bravery and skill and I know the whole house will agree with me that they are truly the best of us every month in my previous job I became more concerned about the threats to our country's security we live in an increasingly uncertain world we need greater investment in our military if we are to deter our enemies and defend our interests and as I warned earlier this year there is an axis of authoritarian States who are a threat to our values Freedom democracy and the rule of law and we must collectively stand up to them the world is more dangerous now than it has been at any time since the end of the Cold War so I would urge the prime minister to commit to boosting defense spending to 2 and a half% of GDP by 2030 and if we lead the way on this we can make 2 and a half% the new NATO Benchmark for defense investment this is the single best way to strengthen the alliance it will show The Americans that we do not expect them to Bear every burden and it would show President Putin that NATO is serious about bolstering its defenses and will also be the most effective way to deter further acts of Russian aggression now in the last few years there has been an impressive amount of consensus across the house on foreign policy on the importance of supporting Ukraine on the centrality of NATO to our National Defense and in that spirit I commend the Prime Minister on his work at the NATO Summit and I'm glad that he and the Secretary of State for defense have taken such rapid steps to demonstrate that while the government has changed this country's commitment to Ukraine security remains constant and I also welcome the right honorable member for tottenham's visit to the Middle East it is of fundamental importance to this country that as we make real progress towards a two-state solution our friend and Ally Israel has a right to defend itself and to live in peace and let me turn next to another crucial issue facing not just our country but the broader Western World illegal migration now the fundamental question is what to do with people who arrive here illegally but cannot be returned to their own home country now our approach was to send them to a safe Third Country the prime minister was clear scrap those plans and I acknowledge that and our fear remains that without such a deterrent the country will end up having to accept that a large number of those who cross the channel illegally will end up remaining here and how to prevent that that is something that the government I know will soon look to address and when it comes to Legal migration I urge the Home Secretary to retain the measures that we implemented which are forecast to hav net migration in the next 12 months now if I may turn next to the economy I understand well that the chancellor is Keen to paint oblique a picture as possible but I would just gently point out that this is not exactly what the facts [Applause] say in inflation at 2% unemployment 4% and the fastest growing economy in the G7 so far this the party opposite has inherited an economy that is already on an upward trajectory now the government the government have set out plans the government has set out plans to strengthen the role of the office for Budget responsibility and we will examine those proposals carefully but the work of the OB already means that the party opposite did have the full details of the public finances when they set out their Manifesto now the OB has rightly taken away from governments the ability to make forast say what they want them to but they have also taken away from oppositions coming into government the ability to say that they did not know the true state of the public finances as Paul Johnson of the institute for fiscal studies has said the books are wide open fully transparent in his words trying to pretend that things are worse than expected really won't wash now the party opposite promised no tax Rises on working people and no plans for tax Rises Beyond what's in their Manifesto in full knowledge of the public finances it would be difficult for them to claim that things are worse than they thought and then Rene on those pledges and we will hold the government to its own promises come the [Applause] budget I note plans for new employment legislation now in this country our employment rate is far lower than the European average and that is thanks in part to our flexible labor market I would urge the party opposite not to impose new burdens on businesses that Business Leaders themselves have warned of the unintended consequences of those plans that they could lead to firms being less likely to invest less likely to hire and so increasing unemployment in the long term and I further note the government's desire to impose new potentially rigid legislation on Technologies like artificial intelligence now we are third only to the US and China in the size of our fast growing technology sector and lead the world when it comes to AI safety and we should all in this house be careful not to endanger this country's leading position in this field which will drive growth and prosperity for decades to come and while today's speech did contain a slew of bills what was missing was a concrete plan to tackle the unsustainable postco rise in the welfare bill without action the cost of providing benefits to the working age population with a disability or health condition will rise to 90 billion pounds more than we spend on our National Defense schools or policing now that's not only unsustainable but also unfair to taxpayers and that's why in government we had laid out a plan to significantly reduce the welfare bill but crucially to support all those that could back into work now I hope the government looks at those proposals when it has the time to study them in detail on this side of the house we will continue to advocate for a welfare system that is both compassionate and fair to those who need it but also fair to those who pay for it now the government has set out plans to change the planning system we will of course study these thoroughly as well as we all wish to see more homes built and the planning process speeded up but I would say that A system that does not allow local people to have a say will damage public consent for more housing in the long term and I regret I regret that there was no mention of rural communities and farming in the King speech much like my own but I hope in time the government will bring forward proposals now turning to Z this country has decarbonized quicker than any other major country and we have managed to do that while growing the economy as a country and across this whole house I know we will all be proud of that achievement now the government plans to decarbonize a grid by 2030 but there is a real danger but if the government puts the speed of doing this ahead of family finances and our energy security then we will again lose public consent for the measures necessary to ensure that we actually reach our 2050 Net Zero Target a Target on which there is genuine consensus between our two parties as even one of the prime minister's own supporters has warned this 20 plan will and I quote just mean we will have to import our energy strategically we become more vulnerable vulnerable we will pay more money for our energy so I hope that the Energy Secretary reflect on those thoughts now lastly Mr Speaker the government has set out plans for reforms to the other place looking at the benches opposite there can be no doubt about the government's ability to get them through this house but the effects of these changes will last long Beyond this Parliament long beyond our tenures in these jobs I would suggest that when it comes to constitutional reform it would be good to proceed on a cross-party basis rather than to use a simple majority in this house to push things through and that consensus should include should include The crossbenchers Who convenor would be removed by the government's proposals I also suspect that the public would prefer the government to prioritize practical real world issues over constitutional wrangling however however I welcome the news that the government has paused on their plan to force members of the other place to retire at 80 now this proposal always felt like it would be a blunt instrument and indeed in the dissolution honors the Prime Minister nominated rightly the former right honorable member for Darby South who will be a strong addition to the other place despite the right honorable lady being already over the retirement age that the labor Manifesto proposed so Mr Speaker let me close by saying that we of course recognize that the British people have entrusted the party opposite with the task of governing our country on our side of the house we will fulfill our duties as the loyal opposition professionally and effectively and across this house we are all first and foremost Patriots rots we all wish to see our country and our people flourish and succeed and in that spirit I wish the new prime minister and the new government well I know called the Prime Minister Sak St uh thank you Mr Speaker before we begin may I join the leader of the opposition in his tribute to his majesty the king it is so heartening to see him in his rightful place delivering the gracious speech and I'm sure the whole house will not mind once again wishing him a speedy recovery can I also join in wishing her majesty the queen a happy birthday Mr Speaker we also wish president Trump a speedy recovery from the appalling attempt on his life at the weekend I spoke with President Trump on Sunday night to pass our best wishes but also to share our revulsion at the senseless violence which has no place in democracy last time this address took place and I stood at that dispatch box I could see For the First Time The their new plaque now behind me commemorating the memory of s David amamos and I know how hard that loss was for members on the opposite benches and now standing on this side I Can See For The First Time in front of me the plaque to our dear friend joox with her words that catch the air of this chamber even more at A Moment Like This more in common so while our thoughts at this time are of course with President Trump and the American people we cannot think that this some this is something that only happens elsewhere we must heed the words of President Biden to lower the temperature of our democracy work across our disagreements and find each other's common decency Mr Speaker I also want to congratulate the England football team for their achievements in the Euro something the leader of the opposition and I were talking about uh this morning yes the trophy eluded us again but the team could be proud another exceptional performance something I'm sure the whole house would be only too pleased to recognize and we pay tribute to Gareth Southgate who shouldered the burden of national leadership with such dignity Mr Speaker this government has been elected to deliver nothing less than National renewal to stop the chaos of the past 14 years to Turn the page on an era of Politics as noisy performance and return it to public service and start the work of rebuilding our country a determined rebuilding a patient rebuilding a calm rebuilding a rejection in this complicated and volatile world of those who can only offer the easy answer the snake oil charm of populism Mr Speaker as the last 14 years has shown that road is a dead end for this country it does nothing to fix our foundations and the British people have rejected it as they have throughout our history what people really want is change and change is what this government of service will deliver a King speech that takes the breaks off our economy and shows to the British people that politics can be a force for good the vehicle for improving lives of millions no matter who you voted for Mr Speaker it's a day when we get on with the serious business of government and yet a house with no time for Levy would go against the grain of our Traditions so it's fantastic to hear my honorable friend the member from Bole in such fine fettle today when proposing the humble address he spoke with great Passion as he always does for his constituency famous as he himself mention for the Anthony Gourley sculptures on Crosby Beach it's a work of art that's entitled another place a collection of gently rusting figures For Whom The Tide Is perpetually coming in a solid grounding should he ever consider a career in the other place but I'm sure this house will agree he is also one of the warmest and most generous members a generosity that ahead of a previous election extended to an offer to hand deliver conservative leaplet a commitment to the Democratic process that should be applauded not least because it resulted in a stoning increase in his majority for labor but Mr Speaker as anyone who knows my honorable friend will confirm while he does like to relax with a glass of wine and listen to Engelberg huming for him family always comes first and the leader of the opposition referred to his daughter and growing up he was cared for by his four sisters and now he is is never happier than when he's with his grandchildren who are convinced that he knows Mary Poppins personally a belief I note he has never discouraged he has been a tremendous servant to our family the labor family and we thank him for his outstanding speech today Mr Speaker the address was seconded by The Honorable friend the member for voxel and Campell wreen A fitting tribute for a royal occasion as I'm told she is known as Queen Flo on Instagram the house will know her as a tireless Champion for her community as well as a founding member of one of our most vital Affiliates the labor friends of karaoke in fact Mr Speaker I'm reliably told that Queen flow does a mean queen bee which we look forward to hearing at Labor conference but Mr Speaker truly it was a fantastic speech another demonstration that my honorable friend is a shining example of our movement a young carer when growing up a fighter for their causes on AIDS and HIV on the health inequalities which still deliver poor outcomes for black women and on Sickle Cell which her late mom suffered from I know what it's like to watch your mom move in and out of hospital as a child and so I respect and admire the way she now Champions young people from poorer households and fights for the opportunities that they deserve perhaps most powerfully of all she's spoken about her own experience arriving at the scene of a stabbing and as rightly demanded that we never allow ourselves to become desensitized to the tragedy of knife crime as a fellow in a London MP I know how much this is hurting our city as it is towns and cities across the country I know how much potential is lost and how many families fear that their child could be next so be under no doubt turning the tide on this violence is absolutely Central a key mission that this government of service will take on Mr Speaker both speeches were in the finest traditions of this house let me also follow the leader of the opposition and mark the passing of our colleagues in the traditional way because since the last gracious address the labor party has lost a stalwart of our movement with the passing of Tony Lloyd who served in 36 years of Distinction the communities of Rochdale Manchester Central and stretford I had the chance to speak to Tony just days before he left us uh that was when he was leaving hospital to go home and he knew it was for the last time and that he wouldn't see a day like this and without being partisan I can tell you he would have loved to see the house set up as it is today he would have told us using his experience to use every precious moment that we have to serve those communities that he held so dear because that is what he stood for the best of our movement a champion of Politics as a Force for good and Mr Speaker that is the great test of our times the fight for trust is the battle that defines our political era and it's a task not just for this government but for the whole Parliament we are all resp responsible for the tone and standards that we set and I want to thank the right honorable gentleman in every exchange that we've had since the election and in his words today he has gone well beyond the usual standards of generosity and I thank him for that and in that spirit this King speech picks up some of the important business not concluded in the last session and so on football governance and the reduction of smok smoking we hope to proceed in a manner that recognizes the previous consensus we will also carry forward the Holocaust Memorial bill so we build that Memorial next to this parament and make sure every generation reaffirms our commitment to never again and we will also honor the promises that I made and the leader of the opposition made to the of Martin het and all the families affected by the horrific events in Manchester that day fan Murray Martin's mom walked 200 miles to tell us that Britain needs that law quickly I told her then that she would get that from a labor government and we honor that promise today and I'm very grateful for the indication of the Cross Party Support we will have on that very important provision because the security of the British people is the most fundamental priority of any government and whether our fight is against terrorists the vile criminal smuggling gangs that weaken our Borders or foreign powers which threaten the security of this nation we will live no stone unturned when it comes to keeping the British people safe and we will recognize The Bravery of those on the front line of keeping us safe with a new Armed Force forces commissioner that's not just a name or a role but a strong and independent Champion for those who have committed to the ultimate service as a way we can show our respect we will also move quickly on the lessons from the infected blood Scandal that the house debated in almost the Final Act of the last session a day when we undertook all of us a solemn responsibility not just to deliver Justice to those people but also to take on the work of prevention to make sure that those lessons shape the future of Public Service in our country because scandals like infected blood wind Rush Horizon Hillsboro are united not just by the scale of the injustice but also by the indignity that the victims and their families have been put through merely for standing up for truth and Justice so it is high time to bring in a duty of cander the hillsbor law because a government of service must also be a government of accountability and Justice that is what service means uh yes I I thank the Prime Minister for giving way during his excellent speech outlining The Hope and renewal within this King's Speech much needed in constituencies like mine in Lon North where over 45% of children are growing up in relative poverty what reassurances can the Prime Minister give me and my constituents that he personally takes this issue very seriously and that his government will address it prime minister well I'm grateful for that intervention and I give my Assurance to her and to the whole house that I do take child poverty extremely seriously I'm proud of the record of the last Labor government in reducing child poverty it clearly had a strategy and we will have a strategy and I'm very pleased to have announced today the task force that will lead our strategy to reduce child poverty no child should be growing up in poverty and and we will work across the house on that issue and I will take an intervention very grateful thank you Mr Speaker I'm very grateful to the Prime Minister for giving way on his newly announced task force which of course be Beth rgby was announcing on Twitter as we were all within this chamber Mr Speaker can the Prime Minister outline how many children will remain in poverty whilst that task force undertakes the work which will ultimately lead to the same conclusion we are proposing to scrap the two benefit well look I do welcome this I I know this is an issue across the whole house I don't think there's a single member that doesn't care about child poverty the point of the task force is to devise a strategy as we did last in government to drive those numbers down it can't be a single issue it's across a number of strands and we will work with people across the house in order to do it what matters what matters is the commitment to do it and to drive those numbers understand that is what we did last in government and we will do it again but Mr Speaker I'll just make some progress and then I will Mr Speaker whilst I respect the tone of the leader of the opposition's contribution I can't stop my mind wandering back to nine months ago when he was at this dispatch box his great political hero Nigel Lawson once said to govern is to choose and everyday serving the people of this country is a chance to make a difference for them yet Mr Speaker the last King's Speech was the day when the veil of his choices slipped and we all saw a party his party content to let our country's problems Fester content to push aside the national interest as they focused almost entirely on trying to save their own skins Mr Speaker we will have time over the weeks months and years to debate the measures in this King speech and the choices of this government but I defy anyone on those benches or elsewhere to look at the ambition and purpose of our intent and not to receive a return to the serious business of government no more wedge issues no more gimmicks no more party political strategy masquerading as policy this is an agenda focused entirely on deliver ing for the people of this country legislation for the national interest that seeks only to fix our foundations and make people better off solve problems not exploit them because I'll just make some progress in the RO because Mr Speaker with each day that passes my government is finding new and unexpected marks of their care scars of the last 14 years where politics was put above the national interest decline deep in the marrow of our institutions we've seen that in our prisons great large we've seen it in our rivers and seas even worse than we thought and we've seen it in our councils pushed to the brink by the previous government now unable even to deliver basic services to children with special educational needs Mr Speaker we've already taken first steps on so many of the priorities we put before the British people the work of change has begun but we know as they do that National renewal is not a quick fix the rot of 14 years will take time to repair nonetheless I I will get that I'm grateful to the Prime Minister for giving away and he talks about priorities well of course people in rural communities around the country see the vast majority which the right honorable gentleman has assembled and they're afraid they see a Manifesto in which just 87 words are used about farming they see they see a King's Speech they see a King's speech with no mention of rural communities or rural priorities will the Prime Minister please take this opportunity to reassure people in re in Rural and farming communities that his labor government will take notice of prime minister just to say prime minister just to say Lou intervention one thing but to actually make a speech is not the best time to do it prime minister well let me take this opportunity to reassure those in rural communities I grew up in a rural community myself um and I think that if you look at the places that are now represented on these benches you'll see the reassurance that has been given that will also be given Again The King's Speech we have brought to this house today is a marker of our intent not only a certain destination for the future of this country but a new way of governing a government of service Guided by clear missions with a long-term plan to fix the foundations a plan which starts as it must with our economy under his watch the last Parliament was the first in modern history to leave living standards in a worse place than they found them the consequence the consequence not just of Tory irresponsibility but of a more pervasive inability to face the future a ducking of the hard choices eyes fixed always on the horse trading of Westminister politics I will in a moment rather than the long-term National interest Mr Speaker we don't just turn the page on that today we close the door on it forever a budget responsibility bill that will protect the living standards of working people from the chaos they endured under the last government a commitment no matter how Fierce the storms to economic stability as the foundation we build on that is a change labor party at work and then on that Foundation we take the breaks of Britain go further and faster on measures to generate higher economic growth workers and business United in the cause of wealth creation we will reform the planning rules a choice ignored for 14 years to build the homes and infrastructure that Britain needs we will level up rights at work a choice ignored for 14 years to deliver security and dignity at work we will create a new industrial strategy invest in cleaner cheaper British energy harness the power of artificial intelligence improve our public transport confront our his challenges on technical education transform our skills agenda in partnership with business and push forward Devolution to the cities regions and councils of England a plan for wealth creation that will finally lead us out of the pay more get less Doom that is their legacy and let me be clear we will work with anyone invested in the future of our country I've said I'll just complete this I said that we would serve everyone whether they voted for us or not and I meant it so let me say directly to the benches opposite if you're invested in the success of your community we will work with you this is a new era we are turning the page we're turning politics to service because that is what the people of this country want to see from their politicians and service is a stronger Bond than political self interest that is what country first means the only way we can restore trust and the reason this government of service was elected Mr Speaker we were also elected to repair our public services with investment and reform to make them once again beacons of justice for the communities that they serve a signal to our country of the cause that fires National renewal my determination for everyone in our country England Scotland Northern Ireland Wales no matter where they started in life to feel that success belongs to them it is a cause Mr Speaker that I do believe unites this house and indeed the people of this great nation so I will Mr Speaker can I commend the Prime Minister there are many within this house both sides of this chamber both uh in opposition but also in your party who welcome your POS your election as prime minister and look forward to the delivery of some feel good factors for all of this great nation and will travel to the Commonwealth hubs of government meeting in Samoa and to Australia this Autumn the king is a true model of Public Service I know that the Prime Minister will value his audiences with his majesty as much as I did and I think we all recognize that the king is aided by the constant support of her majesty the queen and I know the whole house will join me in wishing her a very happy birthday today we also pay tribute to Tony Lloyd Tony served the people of Greater Manchester for 45 years and for 36 of those as a member of this house he was a great parliamentarian kind and wise his family should have enormous pride in the contribution he made to this place and to the community that he loved and served they are in all our thoughts today I'd also like to welcome all new members to their places being elected as a member of parliament is a great honor and a great responsibility we serve our communities and our United Kingdom I know that whatever our political differences might be we are all motivated by a desire to make life better for our constituents and our country stronger and I know that the whole house will join me in deploring the assassination attempt on President Trump trump our thoughts are with the victims violence and intimidation have no place in the Democratic process now Mr Speaker I commend the proposer on his excellent speech I know that the whole house will agree with me that the honorable member for Bole has set a very high bar for speeches in this new Parliament now my little sister always reminds me that being the youngest means you have to learn how to make yourself heard well well The Honorable member is the youngest of a and it really shows and I had the Good Fortune of getting to know the honorable member when he was Shadow Chief secretary to the treasury and he was always courteous and pleasant as an opposite number to me and as he outlined The Honorable member forb comes from a family committed to Public Service both of his great uncles were members of this house and he himself even though he was very modest about it has been in public service for more than 40 years the new members of this house have much to learn from The Honorable gentleman and I know I speak for the whole house and saying how much we all admire his personal bravery in campaigning for more victim support following the tragic death of his daughter in a hit-and run accident now not only is he one of the most popular members of this house as we heard he is also the most popular constituency MP enjoy the biggest majority of any member of this place and and in a recent election he even won an astonishing 84% of the vote he might be he might be the only person who can persuade King jnun of the benefits of democracy although the People's Republic of ble doesn't quite have the same ring to it now I wonder I wonder though I wonder whether he was chosen to speak today actually to head off him reintroducing his 10-minute rule bill I speak of course of the honorable member's bill for a 4-day week now I'm not sure if he's consulted with his whips on how compatible that would be with their desire to make Fridays a new Norm sitting day I'll say this to The Honorable gentleman if they won't let him have his 10-minute rule Bill he should work to rule although I suspect the labor member for Mery side needs no tips from this former Banker on Trade union organizing Now The Honorable member for voxel and cell El green spoke with typical Verve she is someone inspired by a desire to serve and her strong faith but she never lets any of this go to her head today she was chosen because of the high regard she has held in but she is also one of the kindest members of this house regularly baking Victoria sponges for her staff and others although post the election result perhaps red velvet might be now on the menu and The Honorable lady has campaigned bravely against Gan violence both in the London assembly and in this house and she is so right that we must not become desensitized to knife crime she represents the place where she grew up and does so with passion and determination and now that I have a lot more time on my hands I intend to be a regular visitor to her constituency especially in the summer months one of my favorite places to watch cricket is of course the oval and as prime minister I had the privilege of playing there with the wonderful Emily reinford Brent and the young black cricketers on the Ace Program I applaud The Honorable lady for her work with that scheme I can reassure her though that I won't go as far as the last conservative prime minister to speak from this dispatch box who proposed removing that part of her constituency to a desert island along with his eight favorite records now the The Honorable lady story is truly an inspirational one to go from caring for your mother as a teenager to this house shows what is possible in our country but the online abuse that The Honorable member has received an experience that is far too often common in this house shows one of the challenges facing our democracy the intimidation that some candidates received in this election both physical and digital was completely unacceptable and is a threat to our electoral process there can be no excuse Mr Speaker for threats of physical violence or intimidatory protests outside politicians homes Now The Honorable lady will have been picked to Second the loyal address because the Whip's office have got her down as one who will go far if I may offer some words of advice to members opposite on the government benches life comes at you fast soon you might be fortunate enough to be tapped on the shoulder and offered a junior ministerial role then you'll find yourself attending cabinet then in the cabinet and then when the prime minister's position becomes untenable you might you might end up being called to the highest office and before you know it you have a bright future behind you and and you are left wondering whether you can credibly be an elder Statesman at the age of 44 now it is right to begin by congrat congratulating the Prime Minister on his decisive victory in the election he deserves the goodwi of all of us in this house as he takes on the most demanding of jobs in the increasingly uncertain World in which we now live now the party opposite has successfully tapped into the Public's desire for change but they now must deliver change and we on this side of the house will hold them accountable for delivering on the commitments that they made to the British people in the National interest we will not oppose for the sake of it but when we disagree with the government is our responsibility as the opposition to say so and what will guide us will be our principles sound public finances a belief that people know how to spend their own money better than governments do that private Enterprise not State intervention is the key to delivering growth and prosperity public services that work for those who need them an education system that gives everyone the best start in life secure borders and a strong National Defense now I welcome the government's decision to bring forward Martin's law I'm sure that the Prime Minister will find as I did that one of the most humbling parts of the job is seeing people whose lives have been touched by tragedy and seeing how they don't turn to anger or bitterness but campaign to ensure that other families do not have to endure the same pain that they did and I particularly commend fan Murray for her work to get this law onto the statute book I can assure her that this measure will command consensus in this house and we will work with the government to make sure that it becomes law as soon as possible I'm also glad that the government will continue with plans for a smoke free generation I know there are deeply held views on both sides of this issue and I have deep respect for those especially on my own benches who disagree with me on this question measures that end access to products are never easy but I do believe that ensuring that our children can be the first generation that doesn't have to suffer the false choice to quit smoking or not because they will have never started is a truly worthy aim it will make us a healthier fairer country where people live longer and better lives now the first duty of government is the defense of the realm and we're fortunate in our country to be to be protected by Armed Forces who are unrivaled in the world for their professionalism bravery and skill and I know the whole house will agree with me that they are truly the best of us every month in my previous job I became more concerned about the threats to our country's security we live in an increasingly uncertain world we need greater investment in our military if we are to deter our enemies and defend our interests and as I warned earlier this year there is an AIS of authoritarian States who are a threat to our values Freedom democracy and the rule of law and we must collectively stand up to them the world is more dangerous now than it has been at any time since the end of the Cold War so I would urge the prime minister to commit to boosting defense spending to 2 and a half% of GDP by 2030 and if we lead the way on this we can make 2 and a half% the new NATO Benchmark for defense investment this is the single best way to strengthen the alliance it will show The Americans that we do not expect them to Bear every burden and it would show President Putin that NATO is serious about bolstering its defenses and will also be the most effective way to deter further acts of Russian aggression now in the last few years there has been an impressive amount of consensus across the house on foreign policy on the importance of supporting Ukraine on the centrality of NATO to our National Defense and in that spirit I commend the Prime Minister on his work at the NATO Summit and I'm glad that he and the Secretary of State for defense have taken such rapid steps to demonstrate that while the government has changed this country's commitment to Ukraine security remains constant and I also welcome the right honorable member for tottenham's visit to the Middle East it is of fundamental importance to this country that as we make real progress towards a two-state solution our friend and Ally Israel has a right to defend itself and to live in peace and let me turn next to another crucial issue facing not just our country but the broader Western World illegal migration now the fundamental question is what to do with people who arrive here illegally but cannot be returned to their own home country now our approach was to send them to a safe Third Country the Prime Minister was clear scrap those plans and I acknowledge that and our fear remains that without such a deterrent the country will end up having to accept that a large number of those who cross the channel illegally will end up remaining here and how to prevent that that is something that the government I know will soon look to address and when it comes to Legal migration I urge the Home Secretary to to retain the measures that we implemented which have forecast to Har net migration in the next 12 months now if I may turn next to the economy I understand well that the chancellor is Keen to paint oblique a picture as possible but I would just gently point out that this is not exactly what the facts [Applause] say in inflation at 2% unemployment 4% and the fastest growing economy in the G7 so far yeah yeah yeah the party opposite has inherited an economy that is already on an upward trajectory now the government the government have set out plans the government has set out plans to strengthen the role of the office for Budget responsibility and we will examine those proposals carefully but the work of the obpr already means that the party opposite did have the full details of the public finances when they set out their Manifesto now the OB has rightly taken away from governments the ability to make forecast say what they want them to but they have also taken away from oppositions coming into government the ability to say that they did not know the true state of public finances as Paul Johnson of the institute for fiscal studies has said the books are wide open fully transparent in his words trying to pretend that things are worse than expected really won't wash now the party opposite promise no tax Rises on working people and no plans for tax Rises Beyond what's in their Manifesto in full knowledge of the public finances it would be difficult for them to claim that things are worse than they thought and then reneg on those pledges and we will hold the government to its own promises come the [Applause] budget I note plans for new employment legislation now in this country our employment rate is far lower than the European average and that is thanks in part to our flexible labor labor market I would urge the party opposite not to impose new burdens on businesses that Business Leaders themselves have warned of the unintended consequences of those plans that they could lead to firms being less likely to invest less likely to hire and so increasing unemployment in the long term and I further note the government's desire to impose new potentially rigid legislation on Technologies like artificial intelligence now we are third only to the US and China in the size of our fast growing technology sector and lead the world when it comes to AI safety and we should all in this house be careful not to endanger this country's leading position in this field which will drive growth and prosperity for decades to come and while today's speech did contain a slew of bills what was missing was a concrete plan to tackle the unsustainable postco rise in the welfare bill without action the cost of providing benefits to the working age population with disability or health condition will rise to 90 billion more than we spend on our National Defense schools or policing now that's not only unsustainable but also unfair to taxpayers and that's why in government we had laid out a plan to significantly reduce the welfare bill but crucially to support all those that could back into work now I hope the government looks those proposals when it has the time to study them in detail on this side of the house we will continue to advocate for for a welfare system that is both compassionate and fair to those who need it but also fair to those who pay for it now the government has set out plans to change the planning system we will of course study these thoroughly as well as we all wish to see more homes built and the planning process speed it up but I would say that A system that does not allow local people to have a say will damage public consent for more housing in the long term exactly and I regret I regret that there was no mention of rural communities and farming in the King speech much like my own but I hope in time the government will bring forward proposals now turning to Net Zero this country has decarbonized quicker than any other major country and we have managed to do that while growing the economy as a country and across this whole house I know we will all be proud of that achievement now the government plans to decarbonize the grid by 2030 but there is a real danger but if the government puts the speed of doing this ahead of family finances and our energy security then we will again lose public consent for the measures necessary to ensure that we actually reach our 2050 Net Zero Target a Target on which there is genuine consensus between our two parties as even one of the prime minister's own supporters has warned this 20 plan will and I quote just mean we will have to import our energy strategically we become more vulnerable vulnerable we will pay more money for our energy so I hope that the Energy Secretary reflects on those thoughts now lastly Mr Speaker the government has set out plans for reforms to the other place looking at the benches opposite there can be no doubt about the government's ability to get them through this house but the effects of these changes will last long Beyond this Parliament long beyond our tenures in these jobs I would suggest that when it comes to constitutional reform it would be good to proceed on a cross-party basis rather rather than to use a simple majority in this house to push things through and that consensus should include should include the crossbenchers whose convenor would be removed by the government's proposals yeah I also suspect that the public would prefer the government to prioritize practical real world issues over constitutional wrangling however however I welcome the news that the government has paused on their plan to force members of the other place to retire at 80 now this proposal always felt like it would be a blunt instrument and indeed in the dissolution honors the Prime Minister nominated rightly the former right honorable member for Darby South who will be a strong addition to the other place despite the right honorable lady being already over the retirement age that the labor Manifesto proposed so Mr Speaker let me close by saying that we of course recognize that the British people have usted the party opposite with the task of governing our country on our side of the house we will fulfill our duties as the loyal opposition professionally and effectively and across this house we are all first and foremost Patriots we all wish to see our country and our people flourish and succeed and in that spirit I wish the new prime minister and the new government well I know called the Prime Minister Sak uh thank you Mr Speaker before we may I join the leader of the opposition in his tribute to his majesty the king it is so heartening to see him in his rightful place delivering the gracious speech and I'm sure the whole house will not mind once again wishing him a speedy recovery can I also join in wishing her majesty the queen a happy birthday Mr Speaker we also wish president Trump a speedy recovery from the appalling attempt on his life life at the weekend I spoke with President Trump on Sunday night to pass our best wishes but also to share our revulsion at the senseless violence which has no place in democracy last time this address took place and I stood at that dispatch box I could see for the first time that their new plaque now behind me commemorating in the memory of s David amamos and I know how hard that loss was for members on the opposite benches and now standing on this side I Can See For The First Time in front of me the plaque to our dear friend joox with her words that catch the air of this chamber even more at A Moment Like This more in common so while our thoughts at this time are of course with President Trump and the American people we cannot think that this some this is something that only happens elsewhere we must heed the words of President Biden to lower the temperature of our democracy work across our disagreements and find each other's common decency Mr Speaker I also want to congratulate the England football team for their achievements in the Euro something the leader of the opposition I would talking about uh this morning yes the trophy eluded us again but the team could be proud of another exceptional performance something I'm sure the whole house would be only too pleased to recognize and we pay tribute to Gareth Southgate who shouldered the burden of national leadership with such dignity Mr Speaker this government has been elected to deliver nothing less than National renewal to stop the chaos of the past 14 years Turn the page on an ER of Politics as noisy performance and return it to public service and start the work of rebuilding our country a determined rebuilding a patient rebuilding a calm rebuilding a rejection in this complicated volatile world of those who can only offer the easy answer the snake oil charm of populism Mr Speaker as the last 14 years has shown that road is a dead end for this country it does nothing to fix our foundations and the British people have rejected it as they have throughout our history what people really want is change and change is what this government of service will deliver a King speech that takes the breaks off our economy and shows to the British people that politics can be a force for good the vehicle for improving lives of millions no matter who you voted for Mr Speaker it's a day when we get on with the serious business of government and yet a house with no time for Levy would go against the grain of our Traditions so it's was fantastic to hear my honorable friend the member from Bole in such fine fetal today when proposing the humble address he spoke with great Passion as he always does for his constituency famous as he himself mentioned for the Anthony gorley sculptures on Crosby Beach it's a work of art that's entitled another place a collection of gently rusting figures For Whom The Tide Is perpetually coming in a a solid grounding should he ever consider a career in the other place but I'm sure this house will agree he is also one of the warmest and most generous members a generousity that ahead of a previous election extended to an offer to hand deliver conservative leaplet a commitment to the Democratic process that should be applauded not least because it resulted in a stoning increase in his majority for labor but Mr Speaker as anyone who knows my honorable friend will confirm while he does like to relax with a glass of wine and listen to Engelberg huming for him family always comes first and the leader of the opposition referred to his daughter and growing up he was cared for by his four sisters and now he is never happier than when he's with his grandchildren who are convinced that he knows Mary Poppins personally a belief I note he has never discouraged he has been a tremendous servant to our family the labor family and we thank him for his outstanding speech today Mr Speaker the address was seconded by The Honorable friend the member for voxel and Campbell wgreen A fitting tribute for a royal occasion as I'm told she is known as Queen Flo on Instagram the house will know her as a tireless Champion for her community as well as a founding member of one of our most vital Affiliates the labor friends of karaoke in fact Mr Speaker I'm reliably told that Queen flow does a mean queen bee which we look forward to hearing at Labor conference but Mr Speaker truly it was a fantastic speech another demonstration that my honorable friend is a shining example of our movement a young carer when growing up a fighter for their causes on AIDS and HIV on the health inequalities which still deliv poor outcomes for black women and on Sickle Cell which her late mom suffered from I know what it's like to watch your mom move in and out of hospital as a child and so I respect and admire the way she now Champions young people from poorer households and fights for the opportunities that they deserve perhaps most powerfully of all she's spoken about her own experi experience arriving at the scene of a stabbing and as rightly demanded that we never allow ourselves to become desensitized to the tragedy of knife crime as a fellow in a London MP I know how much this is hurting our city as it is towns and cities across the country I know how much potential is lost and how many families fear that their child could be next so be under no doubt turning the tide on this violence is absolutely Central a key mission that this government of service will take on Mr Speaker both speeches were in the finest traditions of this house let me also follow the leader of the opposition and mark the passing of our colleagues in the traditional way because since the last gracious address the labor party has lost a stalwart of our movement with the passing of Tony Lloyd who served in 36 years of Distinction the communities of Rochdale Manchester Central and stretford I had the chance to speak to Tony just days before he left us uh that was when he was leaving hospital to go home and he knew it was for the last time and that he wouldn't see a day like this and without being partisan I can tell you he would have loved to see the house set up as it is today he would have told us using his experience to use every precious moments that we have to serve those communities that he held so dear because that is what he stood for the best of our movement a champion of Politics as a Force for good and Mr Speaker that is the great test of our times the fight for trust is the battle that defines our politic iCal era and it's a task not just for this government but for the whole Parliament we are all responsible for the tone and standards that we set and I want to thank the right honorable gentleman in every exchange that we've had since the election and in his words today he has gone well beyond the usual standards of generosity and I thank him for that and in that spirit this King speech picks up some of the important business not concluded in the last session and so on football governance and the reduction of smok smoking we hope to proceed in a manner that recognizes the previous consensus we will also carry forward the Holocaust Memorial bill so we build that Memorial next to this Parliament and make sure every generation reaffirms our commitment to never again and we will also honor the promises that I made and the leader of the opposition made to the family of Martin het and all the families affected by the horrific events in Manchester that day fan Murray Martin's mom walked 200 miles to tell us that Britain needs that law quickly I told her then that she would get that from a labor government and we honor that promise today and I'm very grateful for the indication of the Cross Party Support we will have on that very important provision because the security of the British people is the most fundamental priority of any government and whether our fight is against terrorists the vile criminal smuggling gangs that weaken our Borders or foreign powers which threaten the security of this nation we will live no stone unturned when it comes to keeping the British people people say and we will recognize The Bravery of those on the front line of keeping us safe with a new Armed Forces commissioner that's not just a name or a role but a strong and independent Champion for those who have committed to the ultimate service as a way we can show our respect we will also move quickly on the lessons from the infected blood scandal that the house debated in almost the Final Act of the last session a day when we undertook all of us a solemn responsibility not just to deliver Justice to those people but also to take on the work of prevention to make sure that those lessons shape the future of Public Service in our country because scandals like infected blood wind Rush Horizon Hillsboro are united not just by the scale of the Injustice but also by the indignity that the victims and their families have been put through merely for standing up for truth and Justice so it is high time to bring in a duty of kander the hillsbor law because a government of service must also be a government of accountability and justice that is what service means uh yes sir Lord I Thank the Prime Minister for giving way during his excellent speech outlining The Hope and renewal within this King's Speech much needed in constituencies like mine in Luton North where over 45% of children are growing up in relative poverty what reassurances can the Prime Minister give me and my constituents that he personally takes this issue very seriously and that his government will address it prime minister well I'm grateful for that intervention and I give my Assurance to her and to the whole house that I do take child poverty extremely seriously I'm proud of the record of the last Labor government in reducing child poverty it clearly had a strategy and we will have a strategy and I'm very pleased to have announced today the task force that will lead our strategy to reduce child poverty no child should be growing up in poverty and and we will work across the house on that issue and I will take an intervention very grateful thank you Mr Speaker I'm very grateful to the Prime Minister for giving way on his newly announced task force which of course be Beth rby was announcing on Twitter as we were all within this chamber Mr Speaker can the Prime Minister outline how many children will remain in poverty whilst that task force undertakes the work which will ultimately lead to the same conclusion we are proposing to scrap the two child benefit cap well look I do welcome this I know this is an issue across the whole house I don't think there's a single member that doesn't care about child poverty the point of the task force is to devise a strategy as we did last in government to drive those numbers down it can't be a single issue it's across a number of strands and we will work with people across the house in order to do it what matters what matters is the commitment to do it and to drive those numbers down that is what we did last in government and we will do it again but Mr Speaker I'll just make some progress and then I will Mr Speaker whilst I respect the tone of the leader of the opposition's contribution I can't stop my mind wandering back to nine months ago when he was at this dispatch box his great political hero Nigel Lawson once said to govern is to choose and everyday serving the people of this country is a chance to make a difference for them yet Mr Speaker The Last King speech was the day when the veil of his choices slipped and we all saw a party his party content to let our country's problems Fester content to push aside the national interest as they focused almost entirely on trying to save their own skins Mr Speaker we will have time over the weeks months and years to debate the measures in this King speech and the choices of this government but I defy anyone on those benches or elsewhere to look at the ambition and purpose of our intent and not to receive a return to the serious business of government no more wedge issues no more gimmicks no more party politic strategy masquerading as policy this is an agenda focused entirely on delivering for the people of this country legislation for the national interest that seeks only to fix our foundations and make people better off solve problems not exploit them because I'll just make some progress in the RO because Mr Speaker with each day that passes my government is finding new and unexpected marks of their care scars of the last 14 years where politics was put above the national interest decline deep in the marrow of our institutions we've seen that in our prisons r large we've seen it in our rivers and seas even worse than we thought and we've seen it in our councils pushed to the brink by the previous government government now unable even to deliver basic services to children with special educational needs but Mr Speaker we've already taken first steps on so many of the priorities we put before the British people the work of change has begun but we know as they do that National renewal is not a quick fix the rot of 14 years will take time to repair nonetheless no I I will give that I'm grateful to the Prime Minister for givingway and he talks about priorities well of course people in rural communities around the country see the vast majority which the right honorable gentleman has assembled and they're afraid they see a Manifesto in which just 87 words are used about farming they see they see a King's Speech they see a King's speech with no mention of rural communities or rural priorities will the Prime Minister please take this opportunity to reassure people in re in Rural and farming communities that his labor government will take notice of them prime minister just to say prime minister just to say l intervention one thing but to actually make a speech is not the best time to do it prime minister well let me take this opportunity to reassure those in rural communities I grew up in a rural community myself um and I think that if you look at the places that are now represented on these Ben [Music] you see the reassurance that has been given that will also be given Again The King's Speech we have brought to this house today is a marker of our intent not only a certain destination for the future of this country but a new way of governing a government of service Guided by clear missions with a long-term plan to fix the foundations a plan which starts as it must with our economy under his watch the last Parliament was the first in modern history to leave living standards in a worse place than they found the consequence the consequence not just of Tory irresponsibility but of a more pervasive inability to face the future a ducking of the hard choices eyes fixed always on the horse trading of Westminister Poli I will in a moment rather than the long-term National interest Mr Speaker we don't just turned the page on that today we close the door on it forever a budget responsibility bill that will protect the living standards of working people from the chaos they endured under the last government a commitment no matter how Fierce the storms to economic stability as the foundation we build on that is a change labor party at work and then on that Foundation we take the break breaks off Britain go further and faster on measures to generate higher economic growth workers and business United in the cuse of wealth creation we will reform the planning rules a choice ignored for 14 years to build the homes and infrastructure that Britain needs we will level up rights at work a choice ignored for 14 years to deliver security and dignity at work we will create a new Industrial strategy invest in cleaner cheaper British energy harness the power of artificial intelligence improve our public transport confront our historic challenges on technical education transform our skills agenda in partnership with business and push forward Devolution to the cities regions and councils of England a plan for wealth creation that will finally lead us out of the pay more get less Doom that is their legacy and let me be clear we will work with anyone invested in the future of our country I've said I'll just complet this I said that we would serve everyone whether they voted for us or not and I meant it so let me say directly to the benches opposite if you're invested in the success of your community we will work with you this is a new era we are turning the page we're turning politics to service because because that is what the people of this country want to see from their politicians and service is a stronger Bond than political self-interest that is what country first means the only way we can restore trust and the reason this government of service was elected Mr Speaker we were also elected to repair our public services with investment and reform to make them once again beacons of justice for the community is that they serve a signal to our country of the cause that fires National renewal my determination for everyone in our country England Scotland Northern Ireland Wales no matter where they started in life to feel that success belongs to them it is a cause Mr Speaker that I do believe unites this house and indeed the people of this great nation so I I will Mr Speaker can I commend the Prime Minister there are many within this house both sides of this chamber both uh in opposition but also in your party who welcome your POS your election as prime minister and look forward to the delivery of some feel good factors for all of this great nation and will travel to the Commonwealth hubs of government meeting in Samoa and to Australia this Autumn the king is a true model of Public Service I know that the Prime Minister will value his audiences with his majesty as much as I did and I think we all recognize that the king is aided by the constant support of her majesty the queen and I know the whole house will join me in wishing her a very happy birthday today we also pay tribute to Tony Lloyd Tony served the people of Greater Manchester for 45 years and for 36 of those as a member of this house he was a great parliamentarian kind and wise his family should have enormous pride in the contribution he made to this place and to the community that he loved and served they are in all our thoughts today I'd also like to welcome all new members to their places being elected as a member of parliament is a great honor and a great responsibility we serve our communities and our United Kingdom I know that whatever our political differences might be we are all motivated by a desire to make life better for our constituents and our country stronger and I know that the whole house will join me in deploring the assassination attempt on President trump our thoughts are with the victims violence and intimidation have no place in the Democratic process now Mr Speaker I commend the proposer on his excellent speech I know that the whole house will agree with me that the honorable member for ble has set a very high bar for speeches in this new Parliament now my my little sister always reminds me that being the youngest means you have to learn how to make yourself heard well well The Honorable member is the youngest of eight and it really shows and I had the Good Fortune of getting to know the honorable member when he was Shadow Chief secretary to the treasury and he was always courteous and pleasant as an opposite number to me and as he outlined The Honorable member fbut comes from a family committed to Public Service both of his great uncles were members of this house and he himself even though he was very modest about it has been in public service for more than 40 years the new members of this house have much to learn from The Honorable gentleman and I know I speak for the whole house in saying how much we all admire his personal bravery in campaigning for more victim support following the tragic death of his daughter in a hit- and run accident now not only is he one of the most popular members of this house as we heard he is also the most popular constituency MP enjoying the biggest majority of any member of this place and and in a recent election he even won an astonishing 84% of the vote he might be he might be the only person who can persuade King jnun of the benefits of democracy although the people 's Republic of ble doesn't quite have the same ring to it now I wonder I wonder though I wonder whether he was chosen to speak today actually to head off him reintroducing his 10-minute rule bill I speak of course of the honorable member's bill for a 4day week now I'm not sure if he's consulted with his whips on how compatible that would be with their desire to make Fridays a new Norm sitting day I'll say this to The Honorable gentleman if they won't let him have his 10minute Bill he should work to rule although I suspect the labor member for Mery side needs no tips from this former Banker on Trade union organizing Now The Honorable member for voxel and campel green spoke with typical verb she is someone inspired by a desire to serve and her strong faith but she never lets any of this go to her head today she was chosen because of the high regard she has held in but she has also one of the kindest members of this house regularly baking Victoria sponges for her staff and others although post the election result perhaps red velvet might be now on the menu and The Honorable lady has campaigned bravely against Gan violence both in the London assembly and in this house and she is so right that we must not become desensitized to knife crime she represents the place where she grew up and does so with passion and determination and now that I have a lot more time on my hands I intend to be a regular visitor to her constituency especially in the summer months one of my favorite places to watch cricket is of course the oval and as prime minister I had the privilege of playing there with the wonderful Emily reinford Brent and the young black cricketers on the Ace Program I applaud The Honorable lady for her work with that scheme I can reassure her though that I won't go as far as the last conservative prime minister to speak for this dispatch box who proposed removing that part of her constituency to a desert island along with his eight favorite records uh The Honorable lady story is truly an inspirational one to go from caring for your mother as a teenager to this house shows what is possible in our country but the online abuse that The Honorable member has received an experience that is far too often common in this house shows one of the challenges facing our democracy the intimidation that some candidates received in this election both physical and digital was completely unacceptable and is a threat to our electoral process there can be no excuse Mr Speaker for threats of physical violence or intimidatory protests outside politicians homes Now The Honorable lady will have been picked to Second the loyal address because the Whip's office have got her down as one who will go far if I may offer some words of advice to members opposite on the government benches life comes at you fast soon you might be fortunate enough to be tapped on the shoulder and offered a junior ministerial role then you'll find yourself attending cabinet then in the cabinet and then when the prime minister's position becomes untenable you might you might end up being called to the highest office and before you know it you have a bright future behind you and and you were left wondering whether you can credibly be an elder Statesman at the age of 44 now it is right to begin by congratulating the Prime Minister on his decisive victory in the election he deserves the Goodwill of all of us in this house as he takes on the most demanding of jobs in the increasingly uncertain World in which we now live now the party opposite has successfully tapped into the Public's desire for change but they now must deliver change and we on this side of the house will hold them account for delivering on the commitments that they made to the British people in the National interest we will not oppose for the sake of it but when we disagree with a government it is our responsibility as the opposition to say so and what will guide us will be our principles sound public finances a belief that people know how to spend their own money better than governments do that private Enterprise not State intervention is the key to delivering growth and prosperity public services that work for those who need them an education system that gives everyone the best start in life secure borders and a strong National Defense now I welcome the government's decision to bring forward Martin's law I'm sure that the Prime Minister will find as I did that one of the most humbling parts of the job is seeing people whose lives have been touched by tragedy and seeing how they don't turn to anger or bitterness but campaign to ensure that other families do not have to endure the same pain that they did and I particularly commend vegan Murray for her work to get this law onto the statute book I can assure her that this measure will command consensus in this house and we will work with the government to make sure that it becomes law as soon as possible I'm also glad that the government will continue with plans for a smoke free generation I know there are deeply held views on both sides of this issue and I have deep respect for those especially on my own Benes who disagree with me on this question measures that end access to products are never easy but I do believe that ensuring that our children can be the first generation that doesn't have to suffer the false choice to quit smoking or not because they will have never started is a truly worthy aim it will make us a healthier fairer country where people live longer and better lives now the first duty of government is the defense of the realm and we're fortunate in our country to be to be protected by Armed Forces who are unrivaled in the world for their professionalism bravery and and skill and I know the whole house will agree with me that they are truly the best of us every month in my previous job I became more concerned about the threats to our country's security we live in an increasingly uncertain world we need greater investment in our military if we are to deter our enemies and defend our interests and as I warned earlier this year there is an access of authoritarian States who are a threat to our values Freedom democracy and the rule of law and we must collectively stand up to them the world is more dangerous now than it has been at any time since the end of the Cold War so I would urge the prime minister to commit to boosting defense spending to 2 and a half% of GDP by 2030 and if we lead the way on this we can make 2 and a half% the new NATO Benchmark for defense investment this is the single best way to strengthen the alliance it will show The Americans that we do not expect them to Bear every burden and it would show President Putin that NATO is serious about bolstering its defenses and will also be the most effective way to deter further acts of Russian aggression now in the last few years there has been an impressive amount of consensus across the house on foreign policy on the importance of supporting Ukraine on the centrality of NATO to our National Defense and in that spirit I commend the Prime Minister on his work at the NATO Summit and I'm glad that he and the secretary state for defense have taken such rapid steps to demonstrate that while the government has changed this country's commitment to Ukraine security remains constant and I also welcome the right honorable member for tottenham's visit to the Middle East it is a fundamental importance to this country that as we make real progress towards a two-state solution our friend and Ally Israel has a right to defend itself and to live in peace and let me turn next to another crucial issue facing not just our country but the broader Western World illegal migration now the fundamental question is what to do with people who arrive here illegally but cannot be returned to their own home country now our approach was to send them to a safe Third Country the Prime Minister was clear scrap those plans and I acknowledge that and our fear remains that without such a deterrent the country will end up having to accept that a large number of those who cross the channel illegally will end up remaining here and how to prevent that that is something that the government I know will soon look to address and when it comes to Legal migration I urge the Home Secretary to retain the measures that we implemented which have forecast to hav net migration in the next 12 months now if I may turn next to the economy I understand well that the chancellor is Keen to paint oblique a picture as possible but I would just gently point out that this is not exactly what the facts say in inflation at 2% unemployment 4% and the fastest growing economy in the G7 so far the party opposite has inherited an economy that is already on an upward trajectory now the government the government have set out plans the government has set out plans to strengthen the role of the office for Budget responsibility and we will examine those proposals carefully but the work of the obpr already means that the party opposite did have the full details of the public finances when they set out their Manifesto now the OB has rightly taken away from governments the ability to make forast say what they want them to but they have also taken away from oppositions coming into government the ability to say that they did not know the true state of public finances as Paul Johnson of the institute for fiscal studies has said the books are wide open fully transparent in his words trying to pretend that things are worse than expected really won't wash now the party opposite promise no tax Rises on working people and no plans for tax Rises Beyond what's in their Manifesto in full knowledge of the public finances it would be difficult for them to claim that things are worse than they thought and then reneg on those pledges and we will hold the government to its own promises come the [Applause] budget I know plans for new employment legislation now in this country our employment rate is far lower than the European average and that is thanks in part to our flexible labor market I would urge the party opposite not to impose new burdens on businesses that Business Leaders themselves have warned of the unintended consequences of those plans that they could lead to firms being less likely to invest less likely to hire and so increasing unemployment in the long term and I further note the government's desire to impose new new potentially rigid legislation on Technologies like artificial intelligence now we are third only to the US and China in the size of our fast growing technology sector and lead the world when it comes to AI safety and we should all in this house be careful not to endanger this country's leading position in this field which will drive growth and prosperity for decades to come and while today's speech did contain a slew of bills what was missing was a concrete plan to tackle the unsustainable postco rise in the welfare bill without action the cost of providing benefits to the working age population with a disability or health condition will rise to 90 billion more than we spend on our National Defense schools or policing now that's not only unsustainable but also unfair to taxpayers and that's why in government we had laid out a plan to significantly reduce the welfare bill but crucially to support all those that could back into work now I hope the government looks at those proposals when it has the time to study them in detail on this side of the house we will continue to advocate for a welfare system that is both compassionate and fair to those who need it but also fair to those who pay for it now the government has set out plans to change the planning system we will of course study these thoroughly as well as we all wish to see more homes built and the planning process speed it up but I would say that A system that does not allow local people to have a say will damage public consent for more housing in the long term and I regret I regret that there was no mention of rural communities and farming in the King speech much like my own but I hope in time the government will bring forward proposals now turning to Net Zero this country has decarbonized quicker than any other major country and we have managed to do that while growing the economy as a country and across this whole house I know we will all be proud of that achievement now the government plans to decarbonize the grid by 2030 but there is a real danger but if the government puts the speed of doing this ahead of family finances and our energy security then we will again lose public consent for the measures necessary to ensure that we actually reach our 2050 Net Zero Target a Target on which there is genuine consensus between our two parties as even one of the prime minister's own supporters has warned this plan will and I quote just mean we will have to import our energy strategically we become more vulnerable vulnerable we will pay more money for our energy so I hope that the Energy Secretary reflects on those thoughts now lastly Mr Speaker the government has set out plans for reforms to the other place looking at the benches opposite there can be no doubt about the government's ability to get them through this house but the effects of these changes will last long Beyond this Parliament long beyond our tenur in these jobs I would suggest that when it comes to constitutional reform it would be good to proceed on a cross-party basis rather than to use a simple majority in this house to push things through and that consensus should include should include the crossbenchers whose convenor would be removed by the government's proposals I also suspect that the public would prefer the government to prioritize practical real world issues over constitutional wrangling however however I welcome the news that the government has paused on their plan to force members of the other place to retire at 80 now this proposal always felt like it would be a blunt instrument and indeed in the dissolution honors the Prime Minister nominated rightly the former right honorable member for Darby South who will be a strong addition to the other place despite the right honorable lady being already over the retirement age that the labor Manifesto proposed so Mr Speaker let me close by saying that we have of course recognize that the British people have entrusted the party opposite with the task of governing our country on our side of the house we will fulfill our duties as the loyal opposition professionally and effectively and across this house we are all first and foremost Patriots we all wish to see our country and our people flourish and succeed and in that spirit I wish the new prime minister and the new government well I know called the Prime Minister saki St uh thank you Mr Speaker before we begin may I join the leader of the opposition in his tribute to his majesty the king it is so heartening to see him in his rightful place delivering the gracious speech and I'm sure the whole house will not mind once again wishing him a speedy recovery can I also join in wishing her majesty the queen a happy birthday Mr Speaker we also wish president Trump a speedy recovery from the appalling attempt on his life at the weekend I spoke with President Trump on Sunday night to pass our best wishes but also to share our revulsion at the senseless violence which has no place in democracy last time this address took place and I stood at that dispatch box I could see For the First Time The their new plaque now behind me commemorating the memory of s David ases and I know how hard that loss was for members on the opposite benches and now standing on this side I Can See For The First Time in front of me the plaque to our dear friend Jox with her word that catch the air of this chamber even more at A Moment Like This more in common so while our thoughts at this time are of course with President Trump and the American people we cannot think that this some this is something that only happens elsewhere we must heed the words of President Biden to lower the temperature of our democracy work across our disagreements and find each other's common decency Mr Speaker I also want to congratulate the England football team for their achievements in the Euro something the leader of the opposition and I were talking about uh this morning yes the trophy eluded us again but the team could be proud of another exceptional performance something I'm sure the whole house would be only too pleased to recogize [Laughter] and we pay tribute to Gareth Southgate who shouldered the burden of national leadership with such dignity Mr Speaker this government has been elected to deliver nothing less than National renewal to stop the chaos of the past 14 years Turn the page on an era of Politics as noisy performance and return it to public service and start the work of rebuilding our country a determined rebuilding a patient rebuilding a calm rebuilding a rejection in this complicated and volatile world of those who can only offer the easy answer the snake oil charm of populism Mr Speaker as the last 14 years has shown that road is a dead end for this country it does nothing to fix our foundations and the British people have rejected it as they have throughout our history what people really want is change and change is what this government of service will deliver a King speech that takes the breaks off our economy and shows to the British people that politics can be a force for good the vehicle for improving lives of millions no matter who you voted for Mr Speaker it's a day when we get on with the serious business of government and yet a house with no time for levity would go against the grain of our Traditions so it's fantastic to hear my honorable friend the member from Bole in such fine fettle today when proposing the humble address he spoke with great Passion as he always does for his constituency famous as he himself mentioned for the Anthony Gourley sculptures on Crosby Beach it's a work of art that's entitled another place a collection of gently rusting figures For Whom The Tide Is perpetually coming in a a solid grounding should he ever consider a career in the other place but I'm sure this house will agree he is also one of the warmest and most generous members a generous City that ahead of a previous election extended to an offer to hand deliver conservative leaplet a commitment to the Democratic process that should be applauded not least because it resulted in a stoning increase in his majority for labor but Mr Speaker as anyone who knows my honorable friend will confirm while he does like to relax with a glass of wine and and listen to Engelberg huming for him family always comes first and the leader of the opposition referred to his daughter and growing up he was cared for by his four sisters and now he is never happier than when he's with his grandchildren who are convinced that he knows Mary Poppins personally a belief I note he has never discouraged he has been a tremendous servant to our family the labor family and we thank him for his outstanding speech today Mr Speaker the address was seconded by The Honorable friend the member for voxel and Campbell wreen A fitting tribute for a royal occasion as I'm told she is known as Queen Flo on Instagram the house will know her as a tireless Champion for her Community as well as a founding member of one of our most vital Affiliates the labor friends of karaoke in fact Mr Speaker I'm reliably told that Queen Flo does a mean queen bee which we look forward to hearing at Labor conference but Mr Speaker truly it was a fantastic speech another demonstration that my honorable friend is a shining example of our movement a young carer when growing up a fighter for their causes on AIDS and HIV on the health inequalities which still deliver poor outcomes for black women and on Sickle Cell which her late mom suffered from I know what it's like to watch your mom move in and out of hospital as a child and so I respect and admire the way she now Champions young people from poorer households and fights for the opport opportunities that they deserve perhaps most powerfully of all she's spoken about her own experience arriving at the scene of a stabbing and has rightly demanded that we never allow ourselves to become desensitized to the tragedy of knife crime as a fellow in a London MP I know how much this is hurting our city as it is towns and cities across the country I know how much potential is lost and how many families fear that their child could be next so be under no doubt turning the tide on this violence is absolutely Central a key mission that this government of service will take on Mr Speaker both speeches were in the finest traditions of this house let me also follow the leader of the opposition and mark the passing of our colleagues in the traditional way because since the last gracious address the labor party has lost a stalwart of our movement with the passing of Tony Lloyd who served in 36 years of Distinction the communities of Rochdale Manchester Central and Stratford I had the chance to speak to Tony just days before he left us uh that was when he was leaving hospital to go home and he knew it was for the last time and that he wouldn't see a day like this and without being partisan I can tell you he would have loved to see the house set up as it is today he would have told us using his experience to use every precious moment that we have to serve those communities that he held so dear because that is what he stood for the best of our mov a champion of Politics as a Force for good and Mr Speaker that is the great test of our times the fight for trust is the battle that defines our political era and it's a task not just for this government but for the whole Parliament we are all responsible for the tone and standards that we set and I want to thank the right honorable gentlemen in every exchange that we've had since the election and in his words today he has gone well beyond the usual standards of generosity and I thank him for that and in that spirit this King speech picks up some of the important business not concluded in the last session and so on football governance and the reduction of smok smoking we hope to proceed in a manner that recognizes the previous consensus we will also carry forward the Holocaust Memorial so we build that Memorial next to this Parliament and make sure every generation reaffirms our commitment to never again and we will also honor the promises that I made and the leader of the opposition made to the family of Martin het and all the families affected by the horrific events in Manchester that day fan Murray Martin's mom walked 200 miles to tell us that Britain needs that law quickly I told her then that she would get that from a labor government and we honor that promise today and I'm very grateful for the indication of the Cross Party Support we will have on that very important provision because the security of the British people is the most fundamental priority of any government and whether our fight is against terrorists the vile criminal smuggling gangs that weaken our Borders or or foreign powers which threaten the security of this nation we will live no stone unturned when it comes to keeping the British people say and we will recognize The Bravery of those on the front line of keeping us safe with a new Armed Forces commissioner that's not just a name or a role but a strong and independent Champion for those who have committed to the ultimate service as a way we can show our respect we will also move quickly on the lessons from the infected blood Scandal that the house debated in almost the Final Act of the last session a day when we undertook all of us a solemn responsibility not just to deliver Justice to those people but also to take on the work of prevention to make sure that those lessons shape the future of Public Service in our country because scandals like infected blood wind Rush Horizon Hillsboro are united not just by the scale of the Injustice but also by the indignity that the victims and their families have been put through merely for standing up for truth and Justice so it is high time to bring in a duty of cander the hillsbor law because a government of service must also be a government of accountability and Justice that is what service means uh yes I will I thank the Prime Minister for giving way during his excellent speech outlining The Hope and renewal within this King's Speech much needed in constituencies like mine in Luton North where over 45% of children are growing up in relative poverty what reassurances can the Prime Minister give me and my constituents that he personally takes this issue very seriously and that his government will address it prime minister well I'm grateful for that intervention and I give my Assurance to her and to the whole house that I do take child poverty extremely seriously I'm proud of the record of the last Labor government and reducing child poverty it clearly had a strategy and we will have a strategy and I'm very pleased to have announced today the task force that will lead our strategy to reduce child poverty no child should be growing up in poverty and and we will work across the house on that issue and I will take an intervention very grateful thank you Mr Speaker I'm very grateful to the Prime Minister for giving way on his newly announced task force which of course be Beth rby was announcing on Twitter as we were all within this chamber Mr speaker can the Prime Minister outline how many children will remain in poverty whilst that task force undertakes the work which will ultimately lead to the same conclusion we are proposing to scrap the two child benefit cap well look and I do welcome this I know this is an issue across the whole house I don't think there's a single member that doesn't care about child poverty the point of the task force is to devise a strategy as we did last in government to drive those numbers down it can't be a single issue it's across a number of strands and we will work with people across the house in order to do it what matters what matters is the commitment to do it and to drive those numbers down that is what we did last in government and we will do it again but Mr Speaker I'll just make some progress and then I will Mr Speaker whilst I respect the tone of the leader of the opposition's contribution I can't stop my mind wandering back to 9 months ago when he was at this dispatch box his great political hero Nigel Lawson once said to govern is to choose and everyday serving the people of this country is a chance to make a difference for them yet Mr Speaker the last King's Speech was the day when the veil of his choices slipped and we all saw a party his party content to let our country's problems Fester content to push aside the national interest as they focused almost entirely on trying to save their own schins Mr Speaker we will have time over the weeks months and years to debate the measures in this King speech and the choices of this government but I defy anyone on those benches or elsewhere to look at the ambition and purpose of our intent and not to receive a return to the serious business of government no more wedge issues no more gimmicks no more party political strategy masquerading as policy this is an agenda focused entirely on delivering for the people of this country legislation for the national interest that seeks only to fix our foundations and make people better off solve problems not exploit them because I'll just make some progress in the world because Mr Speaker with each day that passes my government is finding new and unexpected marks of their care scars of the last 14 years where politics was put above the national interest decline deep in the marrow of our institutions we've seen that in our prisons r large we've we' seen it in our rivers and seas even worse than we thought and we've seen it in our councils pushed to the brink by the previous government now unable even to deliver basic services to children with special educational needs Mr Speaker we've already taken first steps on so many of the priorities we put before the British people the work of change has begun but we know as they do that National renewal is not a quick fix the rot of 14 years will take time to repair nonetheless I I will be there I'm grateful to the Prime Minister for givingway and he talks about priorities well of course people in rural communities around the country see the vast majority which the right honorable gentleman has assembled and they're afraid they see a Manifesto in which just 87 words are used about farming they see they see a King speech they see a King's speech with no mention of rural communities or rural priorities will the Prime Minister please take this opportunity to reassure people in re in Rural and farming communities that his labor government will take notice of them prime minister just to say prime minister just to say l intervention one thing but to actually make a speech is not the best time to do it Prime Min well let me take this opportunity to reassure those in rural communities I grew up in a rural community myself um and I think that if you look at the places that are now represented on these you see the reassurance that has been given that will also be given Again The King's Speech we have brought to this house today is a marker of our intent not only a certain destination for the future of this country but a new way of governing a government of service Guided by clear missions with a long-term plan to fix the foundations a plan which starts as it must with our economy under his watch the last Parliament was the first in modern history to leave living standards in a worse place than they found the consequence the consequence not just of Tory irresponsibility but of a more pervasive inability to face the future a ducking of the hard choices fixed always on the horse trading of Westminister policy I will in a moment rather than the long-term National interest Mr Speaker we don't just turn the page on that today we close the door on it forever a budget responsibility bill that will protect the living standards of working people from the chaos they endured under the last government a commitment no matter how Fierce the storms to economic stability as the Foundation we build on that is a change labor party at work and then on that Foundation we take the breaks of Britain go further and faster on measures to generate higher economic growth workers and business United in the CES of wealth creation we will reform the planning rules a choice ignored for 14 years to build the homes and infrastructure that Britain needs we will level up right at work a choice ignored for 14 years to deliver security and dignity at work we will create a new industrial strategy invest in cleaner cheaper British energy harness the power of artificial intelligence improve our public transport confront our historic challenges on technical education transform our skills agenda in partnership with business and push forward Devolution to the cities regions and councils of England a plan for weal creation that will finally lead us out of the pay more get less Doom that is their legacy and let me be clear we will work with anyone invested in the future of our country I have said I'll just complete this I said that we would serve everyone whether they voted for us or not and I meant it so let me say directly to the benches opposite if you're invested in the success of your community we will work with you this is a new era we are turning the page we're turning politics to service because that is what the people of this country want to see from their politicians and service is a stronger Bond than political self-interest that is what country first means the only way we can restore trust and the reason this government of service was elected Mr Speaker we were also elected to repair our public services with investment and reform to make them once again beacons of justice for the communities that they serve a signal to our country of the cause that fires National renewal my determination for everyone in our country England Scotland Northern Ireland Wales no matter where they started in life to feel that success belongs to them yeah it is a cause Mr Speaker that I do believe unites this house and indeed the people of this great nation so I I will Mr Speaker can I command the Prime Minister there are many within this house both sides of this chamber both uh in opposition but also in your party who welcome your POS your election as prime minister and look forward to the delivery of some fill good factors for all of this great nation and will Trav travel to the Commonwealth Huds of government meeting in Samoa and to Australia this Autumn the king is a true model of Public Service I know that the Prime Minister will value his audiences with his majesty as much as I did and I think we all recognize that the king is aided by the constant support of her majesty the queen and I know the whole house will join me in wishing her a very happy birthday today we also pay tribute to Tony Lloyd Tony served the people of great to Manchester for 45 years and for 36 of those as a member of this house he was a great parliamentarian kind and wise his family should have enormous pride in the contribution he made to this place and to the community that he loved and served they are in all our thoughts today I'd also like to welcome all new members to their places being elected as a member of parliament is a great honor and a great responsibility we serve our communities and our United Kingdom I know that whatever our political differences might be we are all motivated by a desire to make life better for our constituents and our country stronger and I know that the whole house will join me in deploring the assassination attempt on President trump our thoughts are with the victims violence and intimidation have no place in the Democratic process now Mr Speaker I commend the proposer on his excellent speech I know that the whole house will agree with me that the honorable member for Bole has set a very high bar for speeches in this new Parliament now my little sister always reminds me that being the youngest means you have to learn how to make yourself heard well well The Honorable member is the youngest of eight and it really shows and I had the Good Fortune of getting to know the honorable member when he was Shadow Chief secretary to the treasury and he was always courteous and pleasant as an opposite number to me and as he outlined The Honorable member forb comes from a family committed to Public Service both of his great uncles were members of this house and he himself even though he was very modest about it has been in public service for more than 40 years the new members of this house have much to learn from The Honorable gentleman and I know I speak for the whole house in saying how much we all admire his personal bravery in campaigning for more victim support following the tragic death of his daughter in a hit- and run accident now not only is he one of the most popular members of this house as we heard he is also the most popular constituency MP enjoying the biggest majority of any member of this place and and in a recent election he even won an astonishing 84% of the vote he might be he might be the only person who can persuade King jnun of the benefits of democracy although the People's Republic of ble doesn't quite have the same ring to it now I wonder I wonder though I wonder whether he was chosen to speak today actually to head off him reintroducing his 10-minute rule bill I speak of course of the honorable members bill for a 4-day week now I'm not sure if he's consulted with his whips on how compatible that would be with their desire to make Fridays a new Norm sitting day I'll say this to The Honorable gentleman if they won't let him have his 10-minute rule Bill he should work to rule although I suspect the labor member for Mery side needs no tips from this former Banker on Trade union organizing Now The Honorable member for voxel and Cel green spoke with typical Verve she is someone inspired by a desire to serve and her strong faith but she never lets any of this go to her head today she was chosen because of the high regard she has held in but she is also one of the kindest members of this house regularly baking Victoria sponges for her staff and others although post the election result perhaps red velvet might be now on the menu and The Honorable lady has campaigned bravely against Gan violence both in the London assembly and in this house and she is is so right that we must not become desensitized to knife crime she represents the place where she grew up and does so with passion and determination and now that I have a lot more time on my hands I intend to be a regular visitor to her constituency especially in the summer months one of my favorite places to watch cricket is of course the oval and as prime minister I had the privilege of playing there with the wonderful Emily reinford Brent and the young black cricketers on the Ace Program I applaud The Honorable lady for her work with that scheme I can reassure her though that I won't go as far as the last conservative prime minister to speak from this dispatch box who proposed removing that part of her constituency to a desert island along with his eight favorite records Now The Honorable lady story is truly an inspirational one to go from caring for your mother as a teenager to this house shows what is possible in our country but the online abuse of The Honorable member has Reed received an experience that is far too often common in this house shows one of the challenges facing our democracy the intimidation that some candidates received in this election both physical and digital was completely unacceptable and is a threat to our electoral process there can be no excuse Mr Speaker for threats of physical violence or intimidatory protests outside politicians homes Now The Honorable lady will have been picked to Second the loyal address because because the Whip's office have got her down as one who will go far if I may offer some words of advice to members opposite on the government benches life comes at you fast soon you might be fortunate enough to be tapped on the shoulder and offered a junior ministerial role then you'll find yourself attending cabinet then in the cabinet and then when the prime minister's position becomes untenable you might you might end up being calls to the highest office and before you know it you have a bright future behind you and and you were left wondering whether you can credibly be an elder Statesman at the age of 44 now it is right to begin by congratulating the Prime Minister on his decisive victory in the election he deserves the Goodwill of all of us in this house as he takes on the most demanding of jobs in the increasingly uncertain World in which we now live now the part opposite has successfully tapped into the Public's desire for change but they now must deliver change and we on this side of the house will hold them accountable for delivering on the commitments that they made to the British people in the National interest we will not oppose for the sake of it but when we disagree with the government it is our responsibility as the opposition to say so and what will guide us will be our principles sound public finances a belief that people know how to spend their own money better than governments do that private enterpr prise not State intervention is the key to delivering growth and prosperity public services that work for those who need them an education system that gives everyone the best start in life secure borders and a strong National Defense now I welcome the government's decision to bring forward Martin's law I'm sure that the Prime Minister will find as I did that one of the most humbling parts of the job is seeing people whose lives have been touched by tragedy and seeing how they don't turn to anger or bitterness but campaign to ensure that other families do not have to endure the same pain that they did and I particularly commend fan Murray for her work to get this law onto the statute book I can assure her that this measure will command consensus in this house and we will work with the government to make sure that it becomes law as soon as possible I'm also glad that the government will continue with plans for a smoke free generation I know there are deeply held views on both sides of this issue and I have deep respect for those especially on my own benches who disagree with me on this question measures that end access to products are never easy but I do believe that ensuring that our children can be the first generation that doesn't have to suffer the false choice to quit smoking or not because they will have never started is a truly worthy aim it will make us a healthier fairer country where people live longer and better lives now the first duty of government is the defense of of the realm and we're fortunate in our country to be to be protected by Armed Forces who are unrivaled in the world for their professionalism bravery and skill and I know the whole house will agree with me that they are truly the best of us every month in my previous job I became more concerned about the threats to our country's security we live in an increasingly uncertain world we need greater investment in our military if we are to deter our enemies and defend our interest and as I warned earlier this year there is an axis of authoritarian States who are a threat to our values Freedom democracy and the rule of law and we must collectively stand up to them the world is more dangerous now than it has been at any time since the end of the Cold War so I would urge the prime minister to commit to boosting defense spending to 2 and a half% of GDP by 2030 and if we lead the way on this we can make 2 and a half% the new Benchmark for defense investment this is the single best way to strengthen the alliance it will show The Americans that we do not expect them to Bear every burden and it would show President Putin that NATO is serious about bolstering its defenses and will also be the most effective way to deter further acts of Russian aggression now in the last few years there has been an impressive amount of consensus across the house on foreign policy on the importance of supporting Ukraine on the centrality of NATO to our National Defense and in that spirit I commend the Prime Minister on his work at the NATO Summit and I'm glad that he and the Secretary of State for defense have taken such rapid steps to demonstrate that while the government has changed this country's commitment to Ukraine security remains constant and I also welcome the right honorable member for tottenham's visit to the Middle East it is of fundamental importance to this country that as we make real progress towards a two-state solution our friend and Ally Israel has a right to defend itself and to live in peace and let me turn next to another crucial issue facing not just our country but the broader Western World illegal migration now the fundamental question is what to do with people who arrive here illegally but cannot be returned to their own home country now our approach was to send them to a safe Third Country the Prime Minister was clear scrap those plans and I acknowledge that and our fear remains that without such a deterrent the country will end up having to accept that a large number of those who cross the channel illegally will end up remaining here and how to prevent that that is something that the government I know will soon look to address and when it comes to Legal migration I urge the Home Secretary to retain the measures that we implemented which have forecast to Har net migration in the next 12 months now if I may turn next to the economy I understand well that the chancellor is Keen to paint a oblique a picture as possible but I would just gently point out that this is not exactly what the facts [Applause] say in inflation at 2% unemployment 4% and the fastest growing economy in the G7 so far the party opposite has inherited an economy that is already on an upward trajectory now the government the government have set out plans the government has set out plans to strengthen the role of the office for Budget responsibility and we will examine those proposals carefully but the work of the OB already means that the party opposite did have the full details of the public finances when they set out their Manifesto now the OB has rightly taken away from governments the ability to make forast say what they want them to but they have also taken away from oppositions coming into government the ability to say that they did not know that true State the public finan as Paul Johnson of the institute for fiscal studies has said the books are wide open fully transparent in his words trying to pretend that things are worse than expected really won't wash now the party opposite promis no tax Rises on working people and no plans for tax Rises Beyond what's in their Manifesto in full knowledge of the public finances it would be difficult for them to claim that things are worse than they thought and then Rene on those pledges and we will hold the government to its own promises come the [Applause] budget I note plans for new employment legislation now in this country our employment rate is far lower than the European average and that is thanks in part to our flexible labor market I would urge the party opposite not to impose new burdens on businesses that Business Leaders themselves have warned of the unintended consequences of those plans that they could lead to firms being less likely to invest less likely to hire and so increasing unemployment in the long term and I further note the government's desire to impose new potentially rigid legislation on Technologies like artificial intelligence now we are third only to the US and China in the size of our fast growing technology sector and lead the world when it comes to AI safety and we should all in this house be careful not to endanger this country's leading position in this field which will drive growth and prosperity for decades to come and while today's speech did contain a slew of bills what was missing was a concrete plan to tackle the unsustainable postco rise in the welfare bill without action the cost of providing benefits to the working age population with a disability or health condition will rise to 90 billion more than we spend on our National Defense schools or policing now that's not only unsustainable but also unfair to taxpayers and that's why in government we had laid out a plan to significantly reduce the welfare bill but crucially to support all those that could back into work now I hope the government looks at those proposals when it has the time to study them in detail on this side of the house we will continue to advocate for a welfare system that is both compassionate and fair to those who need it but also fair to those who pay for it now the government has set out plans to change the planning system we will of course study these thorough as well as we all wish to see more homes built and the planning process speeded up but I would say that A system that does not allow local people to have a say will damage public consent for more housing in the long term exactly and I regret I regret that there was no mention of rural communities and farming in The King's Speech much like my own but I hope in time the government will bring forward proposals now turning to Net Zero this country has decarbonized quicker than any other major country and we have managed to do that while growing the economy as a country and across this whole house I know we will all be proud of that achievement now the government plans to decarbonize the grid by 2030 but there is a real danger but if the government puts the speed of doing this ahead of family finances and our energy security then we will again lose public consent for the measures necessary to ensure that we actually reach our 2050 Net Zero Target a Target on which there is genuine consensus between our two parties as even one of the prime minister's own supporters has warned this 20 plan will and I quote just mean we will have to import our energy strategically we become more vulnerable vulnerable we will pay more money for our energy so I hope that the Energy Secretary reflects on those thoughts now lastly Mr Speaker the government has set out plans for reforms to the other place looking at the benches opposite there can be no doubt about the government's ability to get them through this house but the effects of these changes will last long Beyond this Parliament long beyond our tenures in these jobs I would suggest that when it comes to constitutional reform it would be good to proceed on a cross-party basis rather than to use a simple majority in this house to push things through and that consensus should include should include the crossbenchers whose convenor would be removed by the government's proposals yeah I also suspect that the public would prefer the government to prioritize practical real world issues over constitutional wrangling however however I welcome the news that the government has paused on their plan to force members of the other place to retire at 80 now this proposal always felt like it would be a blunt instrument and indeed in the dissolution honors the Prime Minister nominated rightly the former right honorable member for Darby South who will be a strong addition to the other place despite the honorable lady being already over the retirement age that the labor Manifesto proposed so Mr Speaker let me close by saying that we of course recognize that the British people have entrusted the party opposite with the task of governing our country on our side of the house we will fulfill our duties as the loyal opposition professionally and effectively and across this house we are all first and foremost Patriots we all wish to see our country and our people will flourish and succeed and in that spirit I wish the new prime minister and the new government well I know called the Prime Minister saki St uh thank you Mr Speaker before we begin may I join the leader of the opposition in his tribute to his majesty the king it is so heartening to see him in his rightful place delivering the gracious speech and I'm sure the whole house will not mind once again wishing him a speedy recovery can I also join in wishing her majesty the queen a happy birthday Mr Speaker we also wish president Trump a speedy recovery from the appalling attempt on his life at the weekend I spoke with President Trump on Sunday night to pass our best wishes but also to share our revulsion at the senseless violence which has no place in democracy last time this address took place and I stood at that dispatch box I could see for the first time that their new plaque now behind me commemorating the memory of s David Ames and I know how hard that loss was for members on the opposite benches and now standing on this side I Can See For The First Time in front of me the plaque to our dear friend Joe Cox with her words that catch the air of this chamber even more at A Moment Like This more in common so while our thoughts at this time are of course with President Trump and the American people we cannot think that this some this is something that only happens elsewhere we must heed the words of President Biden to lower the temperature of our democracy work across our disagreements and find each other's common decency Mr Speaker I also want to congratulate the England football team for their achievements in the Euro something the leader of the opposition and I were talking about uh this morning yes the trophy eluded us again but the team can be proud of another exceptional performance something I'm sure the whole house would be only too pleased to recognize and we pay tribute to Gareth Southgate who shouldered the burden of national leadership with such dignity Mr Speaker this government has been elected to deliver nothing less than National renewal to stop the chaos of the past 14 years Turn the page on an era of Politics as noisy perform perance and return it to public service and start the work of rebuilding our country a determined rebuilding a patient rebuilding a calm rebuilding a rejection in this complicated and volatile world of those who can only offer the easy answer the snake oil charm of populism Mr Speaker as the last 14 years has shown that road is a dead end for this country it does nothing to fix our foundations and the British people have rejected it as they have throughout our history what people really want is change and changes what this government of service will deliver a King speech that takes the breaks off our economy and shows to the British people that politics can be a force for good the the vehicle for improving lives of millions no matter who you voted for Mr Speaker it's a day when we get on with the serious business of government and yet a house with no time for levity would go against the grain of our Traditions so it's fantastic to hear my honorable friend the member from Bole in such fine fettle today when proposing the humble address he spoke with great passion as he always does for his constituency famous as he himself mentioned for the Anthony Gormley sculptures on Crosby Beach it's a work of art that's entitled another place a collection of gently rusting figures For Whom The Tide Is perpetually coming in a a solid grounding should he ever consider a career in the other place but I'm sure this house will agree he is also one of the warmest and most generous members a generousity that ahead of a previous election extended to an offer to hand deliver conservative leaplet a commitment to the Democratic process that should be applauded not least because it resulted in a stoning increase in his majority for labor but Mr Speaker as anyone who knows my honorable friend will confirm while he does like to relax with a glass of wine and listen to Engelberg huming for him family always comes first yeah and the leader of the opposition referred to his daughter and growing up he was cared for by his four sisters and now he is never happier than when he's with his grandchildren who are convinced that he knows Mary Poppins personally a belief I note he has never discouraged he has been a tremendous servant to our family the labor family and we thank him for his outstanding speech today Mr Speaker the address was seconded by The Honorable friend the member for voxel and Campell well green A fitting tribute for a royal occasion as I'm told she is known as Queen Flo on Instagram the house will know her as a tireless Champion for her community as well as a founding member of one of our most vital Affiliates the labor friends of karaoke in fact Mr Speaker I'm reliably told that Queen flow does a mean queen bee which we look forward to hearing at Labor conference but Mr Speaker truly it was a a fantastic speech another demonstration that my honorable friend is a shining example of our movement a young carer when growing up a fighter for their causes on AIDS and HIV on the health inequalities which still deliver poor outcomes for black women and on Sickle Cell which her late mom suffered from I know what it's like to watch your mom move in and out of Hospital as a child and so I respect and admire the way she now Champions young people from poorer households and fights for the opportunities that they deserve perhaps most powerfully of all she spoken about her own experience arriving at the scene of a stabbing and has rightly demanded that we never allow ourselves to become desensitized to the tragedy of knife crime as a fellow in a London MP I know how much this is hurting our city as it is towns and cities across the country I know how much potential is lost and how many families fear that their child could be next so be under no doubt turning the tide on this violence is absolutely Central a key mission that this government of service will take on Mr Speaker both speeches were in the finest traditions of this house let me also follow the leader of the opposition and mark the passing of our colleagues in the traditional way because since the last gracious address the labor party has lost a stalwart of our movement with the passing of Tony Lloyd who served in 36 years of Distinction the communities of Rochdale Manchester Central and stretford I had the chance to speak to Tony just days before he left us uh that was when he was leaving hospital to go home and he knew it was for the last time and that he wouldn't see a day like this and without being par I can tell you he would have loved to see the house set up as it is today he would have told us using his experience to use every precious moment that we have to serve those communities that he held so dear because that is what he stood for the best of our movement a champion of Politics as a Force for good and Mr Speaker that is the great test of our times the fight for trust is the battle that defines our political era and it's a task not just for this government but for the whole Parliament we are all responsible for the tone and standards that we set and I want to thank the right honorable gentleman in every exchange that we've had since the election and in his words today he has gone well beyond the usual standards of generosity and I thank him for that and in that spirit this King speech picks up some of the important business not concluded in the last session and so on football governance and the reduction of SM smoking we hope to proceed in a manner that recognizes the previous consensus we will also carry forward the holocost memorial bill so we build that Memorial next to this Parliament and make sure every generation reaffirms our commitment to never again and we will also honor the promises that I made and the leader of the opposition made to the family of Martin het and all the families affected by the horrific events in Manchester that day fan Murray Martin's mom walked 2 100 miles to tell us that Britain needs that law quickly I told her then that she would get that from a labor government and we honor that promise today and I'm very grateful for the indication of the Cross Party Support we will have on that very important provision because the security of the British people is the most fundamental priority of any government and whether our fight is against terrorists the vile criminal smuggling gangs that weaken our Borders or foreign powers which threaten the security of this nation we will live no stone unturned when it comes to keeping the British people safe and we will recognize The Bravery of those on the front line of keeping us safe with a new Armed Forces commissioner that's not just a name for a role but a strong and independent Champion for those who have committed to the ultimate service as a way we can show our respect we will also move quickly on the lessons from the infected blood Scandal that the house debated in almost the Final Act of the last session a day when we undertook all of us a solemn responsibility not just to deliver Justice to those people but also to take on the work of prevention to make sure that those lessons shape the future of Public Service in our country because scandals like infected blood wind Rush Horizon Hillsboro are united not just by the scale of the Injustice but also by the indignity that the victims and their Ames have been put through merely for standing up for truth and Justice so it is high time to bring in a duty of cander the hillsbor law because a government of service must also be a government of accountability and Justice that is what service means uh yes I will I thank the Prime Minister for giving way during his excellent speech outlining The Hope and renewal within this speech much needed in constituencies like mine in Luton North where over 45% of children are growing up in relative poverty what reassurances can the Prime Minister give me and my constituents that he personally takes this issue very seriously and that his government will address it prime minister well I'm grateful for that intervention and I give my Assurance to her and to the whole house that I do take child poverty extremely seriously I'm proud of the record of the last Labor government in reducing child poverty it clearly had a strategy and we will have a strategy and I'm very pleased to have announced today the task force that will lead our strategy to reduce child poverty no child should be growing up in poverty and and we will work across the house on that issue and I will take an intervention I'm very grateful thank you Mr Speaker I'm very grateful to the Prime Minister for for giving way on his newly announced task force which of course be Beth Rigby was announcing on Twitter as we were all within this chamber Mr Speaker can the Prime Minister outline how many children will remain in poverty whilst that task force undertakes the work which will ultimately lead to the same conclusion we are proposing to scrap the two child benefit cap well look I do welcome this I know this is an issue across the whole house I don't think there's a single member that does care about child poverty the point of the task force is to devise a strategy as we did last in government to drive those numbers down it can't be a single issue it's across a number of strands and we will work with people across the house in order to do it what matters what matters is the commitment to do it and to drive those numbers down that is what we did last in government and we will do it again but Mr Speaker I'll just make some progress and then I will Mr Speaker while I respect the tone of the leader of the opposition's contribution I can't stop my mind wandering back to 9 months ago when he was at this dispatch box his great political hero Nigel Lawson once said to govern is to choose and everyday serving the people of this country is a chance to make a difference for them yet Mr Speaker the last King's Speech was the day when the veil of his choices slipped and we all saw a party his party content to let our country's problems Fester content to push aside the national interest as they focused almost entirely on trying to save their own skins Mr Speaker we will have time over the weeks months and years to debate the measures in this King speech and the choices of this government but I Define anyone on those benches or elsewhere to look at the ambition and purpose of our intent and not to receive a return to the serious business of government no more wedge issues no more gimmicks no more party political strategy masquerading as policy this is an agenda focused entirely on delivering for the people of this country legis ation for the national interest that seeks only to fix our foundations and make people better off solve problems not exploit them because I'll just make some progress in the world because Mr Speaker with each day that passes my government is finding new and unexpected marks of their care scars of the last 14 years where politics was put above the national interest decline deep in the marrow of our institutions we've seen that in our prisons r large we've seen it in our rivers and seas even worse than we thought and we've seen it in our councils pushed to the brink by the previous government now unable even to deliver basic services to children with special educational needs Mr Speaker we've already taken first steps on so many of priorities we put before the British people the work of change has begun but we know as they do that National renewal is not a quick fix the rot of 14 years will take time to repair nonetheless I I will be there I'm grateful to the Prime Minister for givingway and he talks about priorities well of course people in rural communities around the country see the vast majority which the right honorable gentleman has a assembled and they're afraid they see a Manifesto in which just 87 words are used about farming they see they see a King's Speech they see a King's speech with no mention of rural communities or rural priorities will the prim Minister please take this opportunity to reassure people in re in Rural and farming communities that his labor government will take notice of the Prime Minister just to say prime minister just to say l intervention one thing but to actually make a speech is not the best time to do it prime minister well let me take this opportunity to reassure those in rural communities I grew up in a rural community myself um and I think that if you look at the places that are now represented on these Ben you see the reassurance that has been given that will also be given Again The King's Speech we have brought to this house today is a marker of our intent not only a certain destination for the future of this country but a new way of governing a government of service Guided by clear missions with a long-term plan to fix the foundations a plan which starts as it must with our economy under his watch the last Parliament was the first in modern history to leave living standards in a worse place than they found the consequence the consequence not just of Tory irresponsibility but of a more pervasive inability to face the future a ducking of the hard choices eyes fixed always on the horse trading of Westminister policy I will in a moment rather than the long-term National interest Mr Speaker we don't just turn the page on that today we close the door on it forever a budget responsibility bill that will protect the living standards of working people from the chaos they endured under the last government a commitment no matter how Fierce the storms to economic stability as the foundation we build on that is a change labor party at work and then on that Foundation we take the breaks of Britain go further and faster on measures to generate higher economic growth workers and business United in the cuse of wealth creation we will reform the plan planning rules a choice ignored for 14 years to build the homes and infrastructure that Britain needs we will level up rights at work a choice ignored for 14 years to deliver security and dignity at work we will create a new industrial strategy invest in cleaner cheaper British energy harness the power of artificial intelligence improve our public transport confront our historic challenges on technical education transform our skills agenda in partnership with business and push forward Devolution to the cities regions and councils of England a plan for wealth creation that will finally lead us out of the pay more get less Doom that is their legacy and let me be clear we will work with anyone invested in the future of our country I have said I'll just complete this I said that we would serve everyone whether they voted for us or not and I meant it so let me say directly to the benches opposite if you're invested in the success of your community we will work with you this is a new era we are turning the page we're turning politics to service because that is what the people of this country want to see from their politicians and service is a stronger Bond than political self-interest that is what country first means the only way we can restore trust and the reason this government of service was elected Mr Speaker we were also elected to repair our public services with investment and reform to make them once again beacons of justice for the communities that they serve a signal to our country of the cause that fires National renewal my determination for everyone in our country England Scotland Northern Ireland Wales no matter where they started in life to feel that success belongs to them it is a cause Mr Speaker that I do believe unites this house and indeed the people of this great nation so I I will Mr Speaker can I command the Prime Minister there are many within this house both sides of this chamber both uh in opposition but also in your party who welcome your your election as prime minister and look forward to the delivery of some fil good factors for all of this great nation and will travel to the Commonwealth Huds of government meeting in Samoa and to Australia this Autumn the king is a true model of Public Service I know that the Prime Minister will value his audiences with his majesty as much as I did and I think we all recognize that the king is aided by the constant support of her majesty the queen and I know the whole house will join me in wishing her a very happy birthday today we also pay tribute to Tony Lloyd Tony served the people of Greater Manchester for 45 years and for 36 of those as a member of this house he was a great parliamentarian kind and wise his family should have enormous pride in the contribution he made to this place and to the community that he loved and served they are in all our thoughts today I i' also like to welcome all new members to their places being elected as a member of parliament is a great honor and a great responsibility we serve our communities and our United Kingdom I know that whatever our political differences might be we are all motivated by a desire to make life better for our constituents and our country stronger and I know that the whole house will join me in deploring the assassination attempt on President trump our thoughts are with the victims violence and intimidation have no place in the Democratic process now Mr Speaker I commend the proposer on his excellent speech I know that the whole house will agree with me that the honorable member for Bole has set a very high bar for speeches in this new Parliament now my little sister always reminds me that being the youngest means you have to learn how to make yourself heard well well The Honorable member is the youngest of eight and it really shows and I had the Good Fortune of getting to know the honorable member when he was Shadow Chief secretary to the treasury and he was always courteous and pleasant as an opposite number to me and as he outlined The Honorable member forut comes from a family committed to Public Service both of his great uncles were members of this house and he himself even though he was very modest about it has been in public service for more than 40 years the new members of this house have much to learn from The Honorable gentleman and I know I speak for the whole house in saying how much we all admire his personal bravery in campaigning for more victim support following the tragic death of his daughter in a hit and run accident now not only is he one of the most popular members of this house as we heard he is also the most popular constituency MP enjoying the biggest majority of any member of this place and and in a recent election he even won an astonishing 84% of the vote he might be he might be the only person who can persuade King jnun of the benefits of democracy although the People's Republic of Bol doesn't quite have the same ring to it now I wonder I wonder though I wonder whether he was chosen to speak today actually to head off him reintroducing his 10-minute rule bill I speak of course of the honorable member's bill for a 4-day week now I'm not sure if he's consulted with his wits on how compatible that would be with their desire to make Fridays a new Norm sitting day I'll say this to The Honorable gentleman if they won't let him have his 10-minute rule Bill he should work to rule although I suspect the labor member for Mery side needs no tips from this former Banker on Trade union organizing now the honorable member for voxel and cell El green spoke with typical Verve she is someone inspired by a desire to serve and her strong faith but she never lets any of this go to her head today she was chosen because of the high regard she has held in but she is also one of the kindest members of this house regularly baking Victoria sponges for her staff and others although post the election result perhaps red velvet might be now on the menu and The Honorable lady has campaigned bravely against Gan violence both in the London assembly and in this house and she is so right that we must not become desensitized to knife crime she represents the place where she grew up and does so with passion and determination and now that I have a lot more time on my hands I intend to be a regular visitor to her constituency especially in the summer months one of my favorite places to watch cricket is of course the oval and as prime minister I had the privilege of playing there with the wonderful Emily reinford Brent and the young black cricketers on the Ace Program I applaud The Honorable lady for her work with that scheme I can reassure her though that I won't go as far as the last conservative prime minister to speak from this dispatch box who proposed removing that part of her constituency to a desert island along with his eight favorite records Now The Honorable lady story is truly an inspirational one to go from caring for your mother as a teenager to this house shows what is possible in our country but the online abuse of The Honorable member has received an experience that is far too often common in this house shows one of the challenges facing our democracy the intimidation that some candidates received in this election both physical and digital was completely unacceptable and is a threat to our electoral process there can be no excuse Mr Speaker for threats of physical violence or intimidatory protests outside politicians homes Now The Honorable lady will have been picked to Second the loyal address because the Whip's office have got her down as one who will go far if I may offer some words of advice to members opposite on the government benches life comes at you fast soon you might be fortunate enough to be tapped on the shoulder and offered a junior ministerial role then you'll find yourself attending cabinet then in the cabinet and then when the prime minister's position becomes untenable you might you might end up being called to the highest office and before you know it you have a bright future behind you and and you were left wondering whether you can credibly be an elder Statesman at the age of 44 now it is right to begin by congratulating the Prime Minister on his decisive victory in the election he deserves the goodwi of all of us in this house as he takes on the most demanding of jobs in the increasingly uncertain World in which we now live now the party opposite has successfully tapped into the Public's desire for change but they now must deliver change and we on this side of the house will hold them accountable for delivering on the commitments that they made to the British people in the National interest we will not oppose for the sake of it but when we disagree with the government it is our responsibility as the opposition to say so and what will guide us will be our principles sound public finances a belief that people know how to spend their own money better than governments do that private Enterprise not State intervention is the key to delivering growth and prosperity public services that work for those who need them an education system that gives everyone the best start in life secure borders and a strong National Defense now I welcome the government's decision to bring forward Martin's law I'm sure that the prime minister will find as I did that one of the most humbling parts of the job is seeing people whose lives have been touched by tragedy and seeing how they don't turn to anger or bitterness but campaign to ensure that other families do not have to endure the same pain that they did and I particularly commend fan Murray for her work to get this law onto the statute book I can assure her that this measure will command consensus in this house and we will work with the government to make sure that it becomes law as soon as POS possible I'm also glad that the government will continue with plans for a smoke free generation I know there are deeply held views on both sides of this issue and I have deep respect for those especially on my own benches who disagree with me on this question measures that end access to products are never easy but I do believe that ensuring that our children can be the first generation that doesn't have to suffer the false choice to quit smoking or not because they will have never started is a truly worthy aim it will make us a healthier fairer country where people live longer and better lives now the first duty of government is the defense of the realm and we're fortunate in our country to be to be protected by Armed Forces who are unrivaled in the world for their professionalism bravery and skill and I know the whole house will agree with me that they are truly the best of us every month in my previous job I became more concerned about the threats to our country's security we live in an increasingly uncertain world we need greater investment in our military if we are to deter our enemies and defend our interests and as I warned earlier this year there is an axis of authoritarian States who are a threat to our values Freedom democracy and the rule of law and we must collectively stand up to them the world is more dangerous now than it has been at any time since the end of the Cold War so I would urge the prime minister to commit to boosting defense spending to 2 and a half% of GDP by 2030 and if we lead the way on this we can make 22% the new NATO Benchmark for defense investment this is the single best way to strengthen the alliance it will show The Americans that we do not expect them to Bear every burden and it would show President Putin that NATO is serious about bolstering its defenses and will also be the most effective way to deter further acts of Russian aggression now in the last few years there has been an impressive amount of consensus across the house on foreign policy on the importance of supporting Ukraine on the centrality of NATO to our National Defense and in that spirit I commend the Prime Minister on his work at the NATO Summit and I'm glad that he and the Secretary of State for defense have taken such rapid steps to demonstrate that while the government has changed this country's commitment to Ukraine security remains constant and I also welcome the right honorable member for tottenham's visit to the Middle East it is of fundamental importance to this country that as we make real progress towards a two-state solution our friend and Ally Israel has a right to defend itself and to live in peace and let me turn next to another crucial issue facing not just our country but the broader Western World illegal migration now the fundamental question is what to do with people who arrive here illegally but cannot be returned to their own home country now our approach was to send them to a safe Third Country the Prime Minister was clear scrap those plans and I acknowledge that and our fear remains that without such a deterrent the country will end up having to accept that a large number of those who cross the channel IL legally will end up remaining here and how to prevent that that is something that the government I know will soon look to address and when it comes to Legal migration I urge the Home Secretary to retain the measures that we implemented which are forecast to havet migration in the next 12 months now if I may turn next to the economy I understand well that the chancellor is Keen to paint oblique a picture as possible but I would just gently point out that this is not exactly what the facts [Applause] say in inflation at 2% unemployment 4% and the fastest growing economy in the G7 so far the party it has inherited an economy that is already on an upward trajectory now the government the government have set out plans the government has set out plans to strengthen the role of the office for Budget responsibility and we will examine those proposals carefully but the work of the OB already means that the party opposite did have the full details of the public finances when they set out their Manifesto now the OB has rightly taken away from governments the ability to make forar say what they want them to but they have also taken away from oppositions coming into government the ability to say that they did not know the true state of the public finances as Paul Johnson of the institute for fiscal studies has said the books are wide open fully transparent in his words trying to pretend that things are worse than expected really won't wash now the party opposite promised no tax Rises on working people and no plan for tax Rises Beyond what's in their Manifesto in full knowledge of the public finances it would be difficult for them to claim that things are worse than they thought and then Rene on those pledges and we will hold the government to its own promises come the [Applause] budget I note plans for new employment legislation now in this country our employment rate is far lower than the European average and that is thanks in part to our flexible labor market I would urge the party opposite not to impose new burdens on businesses that Business Leaders themselves have warned of the unintended consequences of those plans that they could lead to firms being less likely to invest less likely to hire and so increasing unemployment in the long term and I further note the government's desire to impose new potentially rigid legislation on Technologies like artificial intelligence now we are third only to the US and China in the size of our fast growing technology sector and lead the world when it comes to AI safety and we should all in this house be careful not to endanger this country's leading position in this field which will drive growth and prosperity for decades to come and while today's speech did contain a slew of bills what was missing was a concrete plan to tackle the unsustainable postco rise in the welfare bill without action the cost of providing benefits to the working age population with a disability or health condition will rise to 90 billion million pound more than we spend on our National Defense schools or policing now that's not only unsustainable but also unfair to taxpayers and that's why in government we had laid out a plan to significantly reduce the welfare bill but crucially to support all those that could back into work now I hope the government looks at those proposals when it has the time to study them in detail on this side of the house we will continue to advocate for a welfare system that is both compassionate and fair to those who need it but also fair to those who pay for it now the government has set out plans to change the planning system we will of course study these thoroughly as well as we all wish to see more homes built and the planning process speeded up but I would say that A system that does not allow local people to have a say will damage public consent for more housing in the long term and I regret I regret that there was no mention of rural communities and farming in the King speech much like my own but I hope in time the government will bring forward proposals now turning to Net Zero this country has decarbonized quicker than any other major country and we have managed to do that while growing the economy as a country and across this whole house I know we will all be proud of that achievement now the government plans to decarbonize the grid by 2030 but there is a real danger but if the government puts the speed of doing this ahead of family finances and energy security then we will again lose public consent for the measures necessary to ensure that we actually reach our 250 Net Zero Target a Target on which there is genuine consensus between our two parties as even one of the prime minister's own supporters has warned this 20 plan will and I quote just mean we will have to import our energy strategically we become more vulnerable vulnerable we will pay more money for our energy so I hope that the energy secretory reflects on those thoughts now lastly Mr Speaker the government has set out plans for reforms to the other place looking at the benches opposite there can be no doubt about the government's ability to get them through this house but the effects of these changes will last long Beyond this Parliament long beyond our tenur in these jobs I would suggest that when it comes to constitutional reform it would be good to proceed on a cross-party basis rather than to use a simple majority in this house to push things through and that consensus should include should include the crossbenchers whose convenor would be removed by the government's proposals I also suspect that the public would prefer the government to prioritize practical real world issues over constitutional wrangling however however I welcome the news that the government has paused on their plan to force members of the other place to retire at 80 now this proposal always felt like it would be a blunt instrument and indeed in the dissolution honors the Prime Minister nominated rightly the former right honorable member for Darby South who will be a strong addition to the other place despite the right honorable lady being already over the retirement age that the labor Manifesto proposed so Mr Speaker let me close by saying that we of course recognize that the British people have entrusted the party opposite with the task of governing our country on our side of the house we will fulfill our duties as the loyal opposition professionally and effectively and across this house we are all first and foremost Patriots we all wish to see our country and our people flourish and succeed and in that spirit I wish the new prime minister and the new government well I know called the Prime Minister saki St thank you Mr Speaker before we begin may I join the leader of the opposition in his Ute to his majesty the king it is so heartening to see him in his rightful place delivering the gracious speech and I'm sure the whole house will not mind once again wishing him a speedy recovery can I also join in wishing her majesty the queen a happy birthday Mr Speaker we also wish president Trump a speedy recovery from the appalling attempt on his life at the weekend I spoke with president Trump on Sunday night to pass our best wishes but also to share our revulsion at the senseless violence which has no place in democracy last time this address took place and I stood at that dispatch box I could see for the first time that their new plaque now behind me commemorating the memory of s David Ames and I know how hard that loss was for members on the opposite benches and now standing on this side I Can See For The First Time in front of me the plaque to our dear friend Joe Cox with her words that catch the air of this chamber even more at A Moment Like This more in common so while our thoughts at this time are of course with President Trump and the American people we cannot think that this some this is something that only happens elsewhere we must heed the words of President Biden to lower the temperature of our democracy work across our disagreements and find each other's common decency Mr Speaker I also want to congratulate the England football team for their achievements in the Euro something the leader of the opposition and I were talking about uh this morning yes the trophy eluded us again but the team could be proud of another exceptional performance something I'm sure the whole house would be only too pleased to recognize and we pay tribute to Gareth Southgate who shouldered the burden of national leadership with such dignity Mr Speaker this government has been elected to deliver nothing less the national renewal to stop the chaos of the past 14 years Turn the page on an era of Politics as noisy performance and return it to public service and start the work of rebuilding our country a determined rebuilding a patient rebuilding a calm rebuilding a rejection in this complicated and volatile world of those who can only off offer the easy answer the snake oil charm of populism Mr Speaker as the last 14 years has shown that road is a dead end for this country it does nothing to fix our foundations and the British people have rejected it as they have throughout our history what people really want is change and change is what this government of service will deliver a King speech that takes the breaks off our economy and shows to the British people that politics can be a force for good the vehicle for improving lives of millions no matter who you voted for Mr Speaker it's a day when we get on with the serious business of government and yet a house with no time for ly would go against the grain of our Traditions so it's fantastic to hear my honorable friend the m from Bole in such fine fettle today when proposing the humble address he spoke with great Passion as he always does for his constituency famous as he himself mentioned for the Anthony Gormley sculptures on Crosby Beach it's a work of art that's entitled another place a collection of gently rusting figures For Whom The Tide Is perpetually coming in a a a solid grounding should he ever consider a career in the other place but I'm sure this house will agree he is also one of the warmest and most generous members a generosity that ahead of a previous election extended to an offer to hand deliver conservative leaplet a commitment to the Democratic process that should be applauded not least because it resulted in a stoning increase in his majority for labor but Mr Speaker as anyone who knows my honorable friend will confirm while he does like to relax with a glass of wine and listen to Engelberg huming for him family always comes first and the leader of the opposition referred to his daughter and growing up he was cared for by his four sisters and now he is never happier than when he's with his grandchildren who are convinced that he knows Mary Poppins personally a belief I note he has never discouraged he has been a tremendous servant to our family the labor family and we thank him for his outstanding speech today Mr Speaker the address was seconded by The Honorable friend the member for voxel and camberwell green A fitting tribute for a royal occasion as I'm told she is known as Queen Flo on Instagram the house will know her as a tireless Champion for her community as well as a founding member of one of our most vital Affiliates the labor friends of karaoke in fact Mr Speaker I'm reliably told that Que Queen flow does a mean queen bee which we look forward to hearing at Labor conference but Mr Speaker truly it was a fantastic speech another demonstration that my honorable friend is a shining example of our movement a young carer when growing up a fighter for their causes on AIDS and HIV on the health inequalities which still deliver poor outcomes for black women and on Sickle Cell which her late mom suffered from I know what it's like to watch your mom move in an out of hospital as a child and so I respect and admire the way she now Champions young people from poorer households and fights for the opportunities that they deserve perhaps most powerfully of all she's spoken about her own experience arriving at the scene of a stabbing and is rightly demanded that we never allow ourselves to become desensitized to the tragedy of knife crime as a fellow in a London MP I know how much this is hurting our city as it is towns and cities across the country I know how much potential is lost and how many families fear that their child could be next so be under no doubt turning the time on this violence is absolutely Central a key mission that this government of service will take on Mr Speaker both speeches were in the finest traditions of this house let me also follow the leader of the opposition and mark the passing of our colleagues in the traditional way because since the last gracious address the labor party has lost a stalwart of our movement with the passing of Tony Lloyd who served in 36 years of Distinction the communities of Rochdale Manchester Central and stretford I had the chance to speak to Tony just days before he left us uh that was when he was leaving hospital to go home and he knew it was for the last time and that he wouldn't see a day like this and without being partisan I can tell you he would have loved to see the house set up as it is today he would have told us using his experience to use every precious moment that we have to serve those communities that he held so dear because that is what he stood for the best of our movement a champion of Politics as a Force for good and Mr Speaker that is the great test of our times the fight for trust is the battle that defines our political era and it's a task not just for this government but for the whole Parliament we are all responsible for the tone and standards that we set and I want to thank the right honorable gentleman in every exchange that we've had since the election and in his words today he has gone well beyond the usual standards of generosity and I thank him for that and in that spirit this King speech picks up some of the important business not concluded in the last session and so on football governance and the reduction of smok smoking we hope to proceed in a manner that recognizes the previous consensus we will also carry forward the Holocaust Memorial bill so we build that Memorial next to this Parliament and make sure every generation reaffirms our commitment to never again and will also honor the promises that I made and the leader of the opposition made to the family of Martin het and all the families affected by the horrific events in Manchester that day fan Murray Martin's mom walked 200 miles to tell us that Britain needs that law quickly I told her then that she would get that from a labor government and we honor that promise today and I'm very grateful for the indication of the Cross Party Support we will have on that very important provision because the security of the British people is the most fundamental priority of any government and whether our fight is against terrorists the vile criminal smuggling gangs that weaken our Borders or foreign powers which threaten the security of this nation we will live no stone unturned when it comes to keeping the British people safe and we will recognize the brave y of those on the front line of keeping us safe with a new Armed Forces commissioner that's not just a name or a role but a strong and independent Champion for those who have committed to the ultimate service as a way we can show our respect we will also move quickly on the lessons from the infected blood Scandal that the house debated in almost the Final Act of the last session a day when we undertook all of us a solemn responsibility not just to deliver Justice to those people but also to take on the work of prevention to make sure that those lessons shape the future of Public Service in our country because scandals like infected blood wind Rush Horizon Hillsboro are unit Ed not just by the scale of the Injustice but also by the indignity that the victims and their families have been put through merely for standing up for truth and Justice so it is high time to bring in a duty of kander the hillsb law because a government of service must also be a government of accountability and Justice that is what service means way uh yes I will I thank the Prime Minister for giving way during his excellent speech outlining The Hope and renewal within this King's Speech much needed in constituencies like mine in Luton North where over 45% of children are growing up in relative poverty what reassurances can the Prime Minister give me and my constituents that he personally takes this issue very seriously and that his government will address it prime minister well I'm grateful for that intervention and I give my Assurance to her and to the whole house that I do take child poverty extremely seriously I'm proud of the record of the last Labor government in reducing child poverty it clearly had a strategy and we will have a strategy and I'm very pleased to have announced today the task force that will lead our strategy to reduce child poverty no child should be growing up in poverty and and we will work across the house on that issue and I will take an intervention very grateful thank you Mr Speaker I'm very grateful to the Prime Minister for giving way on his newly announced task force which of course be Beth Rigby was announcing on Twitter as we were all within this chamber Mr Speaker can the Prime Minister outline how many children will remain in poverty whilst that task force undertakes the work which will ultimately lead to the same conclusion we are proposing to scrap the two child benefit cup well look I I do welcome this I know this is an issue across the whole house I don't think there's a single member that doesn't care about child poverty the point of the task force is to devise a strategy as we did last in government to drive those numbers down it can't be a single issue it's across a number of strands and we will work with people across the house in order to do it what matters what matters is the commitment to do it and to drive those numbers that is what we did last in government and we will do it again but Mr Speaker I'll just make some progress and then I will Mr Speaker whilst I respect the tone of the leader of the opposition's contribution I can't stop my mind wandering back to 9 months ago when he was at this dispatch box his great political hero Nigel Lawson once said to govern is to choose and everyday serving the people of this country is a chance to make a difference for them yet Mr Speaker the last King's Speech was the day when the veil of his choices slipped and we all saw a party his party content to let our country's problems Fester content to push aside the national interest as they focused almost entirely on trying to save their own skins Mr Speaker we will have time over the weeks months and years to debate the measures in this King speech and the choices of this government but I defy anyone on those benches or elsewhere to look at the ambition and purpose of our intent and not to receive a return to the serious business of government no more wedge issues no more gimmicks no more party political strategy masquerading as policy yeah this is an agenda focused entirely on delivering for the people of this country legislation for the national interest that seeks only to fix our foundations and make people better off solve problems not exploit them because I'll just make some progress in the world because Mr Speaker with each day that passes my government is finding new and unexpected marks of their care scars of the last 14 years where politics was put above the national interest decline deep in the marrow of our institutions we've seen that in our prisons r large we've seen it in our rivers and seas even worse than we thought and we've seen it in our councils pushed to the brink by the previous government now unable even to deliver basic services to children with special educational needs and Mr Speaker we've already taken first steps on so many of the priorities we put before the British people the work of change has begun but we know as they do that National renewal is not a quick fix the rot of 14 years will take time to repair nonetheless I I will be there I'm grateful to the Prime Minister for giving away and he talks about priorities well of course people in rural communities around the country see the vast majority which the right honorable gentleman has assembled and they're afraid they see a Manifesto in which just 87 words are used about farming they see they see a King's Speech they see a King's speech with no mention of rural communities or rural priorities will the Prime Minister please take this opportunity to reassure people in re in Rural and farming communities that his labor government will take notice of them prime minister just to say prime minister just to say look intervention one thing but to actually make a speech is not the best time to do it prime minister well let me take this opportunity to reassure those in rural communities I grew up in a rural community myself um and I think that if you look at the places that are now represented on these Ben you see the reassurance that has been given that will also be given Again The King's Speech we have brought to this house today is a marker of our intent not only a certain destination for the future of this country but a new way of governing a government of service Guided by clear missions with a long-term plan to fix the foundations a plan which starts as it must with our economy under his watch the last Parliament was the first in modern history to leave living standards in a worse place than they found them the consequence the consequence not just of Tory irresponsibility but of a more pervasive inability to face the future a ducking of the hard choices eyes fixed always on the horse trading of Westminister policy I will in a moment rather than the long-term National interest Mr Speaker we don't just turn the page on that today we close the door on it forever a budget responsibility bill that will protect the living standards of working people from the chaos they endured under the last government a commitment no matter how Fierce the storms to economic stability as the foundation we build on that is a change labor party at work and then on that Foundation we take the breaks of Britain go further and faster on meas me to generate higher economic growth workers and business United in the cause of wealth creation we will reform the planning rules a choice ignored for 14 years to build the homes and infrastructure that Britain needs we will level up rights at work a choice ignored for 14 years to deliver security and dignity at work we will create a new industrial strategy invest in cleaner cheaper British energy harness the power of artificial intelligence improve our public transport confront our historic challenges on technical education transform our skills agenda in partnership with business and push forward Devolution to the cities regions and councils of England a plan for wealth creation that will finally lead us out of the pay more get less Doom that is their legacy and let me be clear we will work with anyone invested in the future of our country I've said I'll just complete this I said that we would serve everyone whether they voted for us or not and I meant it so let me say directly to the bench's opposite if you're invested in the success of your community we will work with you this is a new era we are turning the page returning politics to service because that is what the people of this country want to see from their politicians and service is a stronger Bond than political self-interest that is what country first means the only way we can restore trust and the reason this government of service was elected Mr Speaker we were also elected to repair our public services with investment and reform to make them once again beacons of justice for the communities that they serve a signal to our country of the cause that fires National renewal my determination for everyone in our country England Scotland Northern Ireland Wales no matter where they started in life to feel that success belongs to them it is a cause Mr Speaker that I do believe unites this house and indeed the people of this great nation so I I will y Mr Speaker can I commend the Prime Minister there are many within this house both sides of this chamber both uh an opposition but also in your party who welcome your POS your election as prime minister and look forward to the delivery of some fil good factors for all of us great nation and will travel to the Commonwealth hubs of government meeting in Samoa and to Australia this Autumn the king is a true model of Public Service I know that the Prime Minister will value his audiences with Majesty as much as I did and I think we all recognize that the king is aided by the constant support of her majesty the queen and I know the whole house will join me in wishing her a very happy birthday today we also pay tribute to Tony Lloyd Tony served the people of Greater Manchester for 45 years and for 36 of those as a member of this house he was a great parliamentarian kind and wise his family should have enormous pride in the contribution he made to this place and to the community that he loved and served they are in all our thoughts today I'd also like to welcome all new members to their places being elected as a member of parliament is a great honor and a great responsibility we serve our communities and our United Kingdom I know that whatever our political differences might be we are all motivated by a desire to make life better for our constituents and our country stronger and I know that the whole house will join me in deploring the assassination attempt on President trump our thoughts are with the victims violence and intimidation have no place in the Democratic process now Mr Speaker I commend the proposer on his excellent speech I know that the whole house will agree with me that the honorable member for ble has set a very high bar for speeches in this new Parliament now my little sister always reminds me that being the youngest means you have to learn how to make yourself heard well well The Honorable member is the youngest of eight and it really shows and I had the Good Fortune of getting to know the honorable member when he was Shadow Chief secretary to the treasury and he was always courteous and pleasant as an opposite number to me and as he outlined The Honorable member forb comes from a family committed to Public Service both of his great uncles were members of this house and he himself even though he was very modest about it has been in public service for more than 40 years the new members of this house have much to learn from The Honorable gentleman and I know I speak for the whole house in saying how much we all admire his personal bravery in campaigning for more victim support following the tragic death of his daughter in a hit and run accident now not only is he one of the most popular members of this house as we heard he is also the most popular constituency MP enjoying the biggest majority of any member of this place and and in a recent election he even won an astonishing 84% of the vote he might be he might be the only person who can persuade King jnun of the benefits of democracy although the People's Republic of ble doesn't quite have the same ring to it now I wonder I wonder though I wonder whether he was chosen to speak today actually to head off him reintroducing his 10-minute rule bill I speak of course of the honorable member's bill for a 4-day week now I'm not sure if he's consulted with his whips on how compatible that would be with their desire to make Fridays a new Norm sitting day I'll say this to The Honorable gentlemen if they won't let him have his 10-minute rule Bill he should work to rule although I suspect the labor member for Mery side needs no tips from this former Banker on Trade union organizing Now The Honorable member for voxel and cell El green spoke with typical Verve she is someone inspired by a desire to serve and her strong faith but she never lets any of this go to her head today she was chosen because of the high regard she has held in but she is also one of the kindest members of this house regularly baking Victoria sponges for her staff and others although post the election result perhaps red velvet might be now on the menu and The Honorable lady has campaigned bravely against Gan violence both in the London assembly and in this house and she is so right that we must not become desensitized to knife crime she represents the place where she grew up and does so with passion and determination and now that I have a lot more time on my hands I intend to be a regular visitor to her constituency especially in the summer months one of my favorite places to watch cricket is of course the oval and as prime minister I had the privilege of playing there with the wonderful Emily reinford Brent and the young black cricketers on the Ace Program I applaud The Honorable lady for her work with that scheme I can reassure her though that I won't go as far as the last conservative prime minister to speak from this dispatch box who proposed removing that part of her constituency to a desert island along with his eight favorite records Now The Honorable lady story is truly an inspirational one to go from caring for your mother as a teenager to this house shows what is possible in our country but the online abuse that The Honorable member has received an experience that is far too often common in this house shows one of the challenges facing our democracy the intimidation that some candidates received in this election both physical and digital was completely unacceptable and is a threat to our electoral process there can be no excuse Mr Speaker for threats of physical violence or intimidatory protests outside politicians homes Now The Honorable lady will have been pick to Second the loyal address because the Whip's office have got her down as one who will go far if I may offer some words of advice to members opposite on the government benches life comes at you fast soon you might might be fortunate enough to be tapped on the shoulder and offered a junior ministerial role then you'll find yourself attending cabinet then in the cabinet and then when the prime minister's position becomes untenable you might you might end up being called to the highest office and before you know it you have a bright future behind you and and you are left wondering whether you can credibly be an elder Statesman at the age of 44 now it is right to begin by congratulating the Prime Minister on his decisive victory in the election he deserves the goodwi of all of us in this house as he takes on the most demanding of jobs in the increasingly uncertain World in which we now live now the party opposite has successfully tapped into the Public's desire for change but they now must deliver change and we on this side of the house will hold them accountable for delivering on the commitments that they made to the British people in the National interest we will not oppose for the sake of it but when we disagree with the government it is our responsibility as the opposition to say so and what will guide us will be our principles sound public finances a belief that people know how to spend their own money better than governments do that private Enterprise not State intervention is the key to delivering growth and prosperity public services that work for those who need them an education system that gives everyone the best start in life secure borders and a strong National Defense now I welcome the government's decision to bring forward Martin's law I'm sure that the Prime Minister will find as I did that one of the most humbling parts of the job is seeing people whose lives have been touched by tragedy and seeing how they don't turn to anger or bitterness but campaign to ensure that other families do not have to endure the same pain that they did and I particularly commend Fegan Murray for her work to get this law onto the statute book I can assure her that this measure will command consensus in this house and we will work with the government to make sure that it becomes law as soon as possible I'm also glad that the government will continue with plans for a smokefree generation I know there are deeply held views on both sides of this issue and I have deep respect for those especially on my own benches who disagree with me on this question measures that end access to products are never easy but I do believe that ensuring that our children can be the the first generation that doesn't have to suffer the false choice to quit smoking or not because they will have never started is a truly worthy aim it will make us a healthier fairer country where people live longer and better lives now the first duty of government is the defense of the realm and we're fortunate in our country to be to be protected by Armed Forces who are unrivaled in the world for their professionalism bravery and skill and I know the whole house will agree with me that they are truly the best of us every month in my previous job I became more concerned about the threats to our country's security we live in an increasingly uncertain world we need greater investment in our military if we are to deter our enemies and defend our interests and as I warned earlier this year there is an axis of authoritarian States who are a threat to our values Freedom democracy and the rule of law and we must collectively stand up to them the world is more dangerous now than it has been at any time since the end of the Cold War so I would urge the prime minister to commit to boosting defense spending to 2 and a half% of GDP by 2030 and if we lead the way on this we can make 2 and a half% the new NATO Benchmark for defense investment this is the single best way to strengthen the alliance it will show The Americans that we do not expect them to Bear every burden and it would show President Putin that NATO is serious about bolstering its defenses and will also be the most effective way to deter further acts of Russian aggression now in the last few years there has been an impressive amount of consensus across the house on foreign policy on the importance of supporting Ukraine on the centrality of NATO to our National Defense and in that spirit I commend the Prime Minister on his work at the NATO Summit and I'm glad that he and the Secretary of State for defense have taken such rapid steps to demonstrate that while the government has changed this country's commitment to Ukraine security remains constant and I also welcome the right honorable member for tottenham's visit to the Middle East it is of fundamental importance to this country that as we make real progress towards a two-state solution our friend and Ally Israel has a right to defend itself and to live in peace and let me turn next to another crucial issue facing not just our country but the broader Western world illegal migration now the fundamental question is what to do with people who arrive here illegally but cannot be returned to their own home country now our approach was to send them to a safe Third Country the Prime Minister was clear scrap those plans and I acknowledge that and our fear remains that without such a deterrent the country will end up having to accept that a large number of those who cross the channel illegally will end up remaining here and how to prevent that that is something that the government I know know will soon look to address and when it comes to Legal migration I urge the Home Secretary to retain the measures that we implemented which have forecast to hav net migration in the next 12 months now if I may turn next to the economy I understand well that the chancellor is Keen to paint oblique a picture as possible but I would just gently point out that this is not exactly what the fact [Applause] say in inflation at 2% unemployment 4% and the fastest growing economy in the G7 so far the party opposite has inherited an economy that is already on an upward trajectory now the government the government have set out plans the government has set out plans to strengthen the role of the office for Budget responsibility and we will examine those proposals carefully but the work of the obpr already means that the party opposite did have the full details of the public finances when they set out their Manifesto now the OB has rightly taken away from governments the ability to make forast say what they want them to but they have also taken away from oppositions coming into government the ability to say that they did not know the true state of the public finances as Paul Johnson of the institute for fiscal studies has said the books are wide open fully transparent in his words trying to pretend that things are worth than expected really won't wash now the party opposite promise no tax Rises on working people and no plans for tax Rises Beyond what's in their Manifesto in full knowledge of the public finances it would be difficult for them to claim that things are worse than they thought and then Rene on those pledges and we will hold the government to its own promises come the [Applause] budget I note plans for new employment legislation now in this country our employ M rate is far lower than the European average and that is thanks in part to our flexible labor market I would urge the party opposite not to impose new burdens on businesses that Business Leaders themselves have warned of the unintended consequences of those plans that they could lead to firms being less likely to invest less likely to hire and so increasing unemployment in the long term and I further note the government's desire to impose new potentially rigid legislation on technology like artificial intelligence now we are third only to the US and China in the size of our fast growing technology sector and lead the world when it comes to AI safety and we should all in this house be careful not to endanger this country's leading position in this field which will drive growth and prosperity for decades to come and while today's speech did contain a slew of bills what was missing was a concrete plan to tackle the unsustainable postco rise in the wealth bill without action the cost of providing benefits to the working age population with a disability or health condition will rise to 90 billion more than we spend on our National Defense schools or policing now that's not only unsustainable but also unfair to taxpayers and that's why in government we had laid out a plan to significantly reduce the welfare bill but crucially to support all those that could back into work now I hope the government looks at those proposals when it has the time to study them in detail on this side of the house we will continue to advocate for a welfare system that is both compassionate and fair to those who need it but also fair to those who pay for it now the government has set out plans to change the planning system we will of course study these thoroughly as well as we all wish to see more homes built and the planning process speeded up but I would say that A system that does not allow local people to have a say will damage public consent for more housing in the long term and I regret I regret that there was no mention of rural communities and farming in the King speech much like my own but I hope in time the government will bring forward proposals now turning to Net Zero this country has decarbonized quicker than any other major country and we have managed to do that while growing the economy as a country and across this whole house I know we will all be proud of that achievement now the government plans to decarbonize a grid by 2030 but there is a real danger but if the government puts the speed of doing this ahead of family finances and our energy security then we will again lose public consent for the measures necessary to ensure that we actually reach our 2050 Net Zero Target a Target on which there is genuine consensus between our two parties as even one of the prime minister's own supporters has warned this 20 plan will and I quote just mean we will have to ort our energy strategically we become more vulnerable vulnerable we will pay more money for our energy so I hope that the Energy Secretary reflect on those thoughts now lastly Mr Speaker the government has set out plans for reforms to the other place looking at the benches opposite there can be no doubt about the government's ability to get them through this house but the effects of these changes will last long Beyond this Parliament long beyond our tenures in these jobs I would suggest that when it comes to constitutional reform it would be good to proceed on a cross-party basis rather than to use a simple majority in this house to push things through and that consensus should include should include the crossbenchers whose convenor would be removed by the government's proposals I also suspect that the public would prefer the government to prioritize practical real world issues over constitutional wrangling however however I welcome the news that the government has paused on their plan to force members of the other place to retire at 80 now this proposal always felt like it would be a blunt instrument and indeed in the dissolution honors the Prime Minister nominated rightly the former right honorable member for Darby South who will be a strong addition to the other place despite the right honorable lady being already over the retirement age that the labor Manifesto proposed so Mr Speaker let me close by saying that we of course recognize that the British people have entrusted the party opposite with the task of governing our country on our side of the house we will fulfill our duties as the loyal opposition professionally and effectively and across this house we are all first and foremost Patriots we all wish to see our country and our people flourish and succeed and in that spirit I wish the new prime minister and the new government well I know called the Prime Minister saki St y uh thank you Mr Speaker uh before we begin may I join the leader of the opposition in his tribute to his majesty the king it is so heartening to see him in his rightful place delivering the gracious speech and I'm sure the whole house will not mind once again wishing him a speedy recovery can I also join in wishing her majesty the queen a happy birthday Mr Speaker can we also wish president Trump a speedy recovery from the appalling attempt on his life at the weekend I spoke with President Trump on Sunday night to pass our best wishes but also to share our revulsion but the senseless violence which has no place in democracy last time this address took place and I stood at that dispatch box I could see for the first time the then new plaque now behind me commemorating the memory of s David amamos and I know how hard that loss was for members on the opposite benches and now standing on this side I Can See For The First Time in front of me the plaque to our dear friend joox with her words that catch the air of this chamber even more at A Moment Like This more in common so while our thoughts at this time are of course with President Trump and the American people we cannot think that this some this is something that only happens elsewhere we must heed the words of President Biden to lower the temperature of our democracy work across our disagreements and find each other's common decency Mr Speaker I also want want to congratulate the England football team for their achievements in the Euro something the leader of the opposition and I were talking about uh this morning yes the trophy eluded us again but the team could be proud of another exceptional performance something I'm sure the whole house would be only too pleased to recognize and we pay tribute to Gareth Southgate shouldered the burden of national leadership with such dignity Mr Speaker this government has been elected to deliver nothing less than National renewal to stop the chaos of the past 14 years Turn the page on an era of Politics as noisy performance and return it to public service and start the work of rebuilding our country a determined rebuilding a patient rebuilding a calm rebuilding a rejection in this complicated and volatile world of those who can only offer the easy answer the snake oil charm of populism Mr Speaker as the last 14 years has shown that road is a dead end for this country it does nothing to fix our foundations and the British people have rejected it as they have throughout our history what people really want is change and change is what this government of service will deliver a King speech that takes the breaks off our economy and shows to the British people that politics can be a force for good the vehicle for improving lives of millions no matter who you voted for Mr Speaker it's a day when we get on with the serious business of government and yet a house with no time for levity would go against the grain of our Traditions so it's fantastic to hear my honorable friend the member from Bole in such fine fettle today when proposing the humble address he spoke with great Passion as he always does for his constituency famous as he himself mentioned for the Anthony Gorly sculptures on Crosby Beach it's a work of art that's entitled a another place a collection of gently rusting figures For Whom The Tide Is perpetually coming in a a solid grounding should he ever consider a career in the other place but I'm sure this house will agree he is also one of the warmest and most generous members a generosity that ahead of a previous election extended to an offer to hand deliver conservative leaflets a commitment to the Democratic process that should be applauded not least because it resulted in a stoning increase in his majority for labor but Mr Speaker as anyone who knows my honorable friend will confirm while he does like to relax with a glass of wine and listen to Engelberg huming him family always comes first and the leader of the opposition referred to his daughter and growing up he was cared for by his four sisters and now he is never happier than when he's with his grandchildren who are convinced that he knows Mary Poppins personally a belief I not he has never discouraged he has been a tremendous servant to our family the labor family and we thank him for his outstanding speech today Mr Speaker the address was seconded by The Honorable friend the member for voxel and Campell wellgreen A fitting tribute for a royal occasion as I'm told she is known as Queen Flo on Instagram the house will know her as a tireless Champion for her community as well as a founding member of of one of our most vital Affiliates the labor friends of karaoke in fact Mr Speaker I'm reled be told that Queen Flo does a mean queen bee which we look forward to hearing at Labor conference but Mr Speaker truly it was a fantastic speech another demonstration that my honorable friend is a shining example of our movement a young carer when growing up a fighter for their causes on AIDS and HIV on the health inequalities which still deliver poor outcomes for black women and on Sickle Cell which her late mom suffered from I know what it's like to watch your mom move in and out of hospital as a child and so I respect and admire the way she now Champions young people from poor households and fights for the opportunities that they deserve perhaps most powerfully of all she's spoken about her own experience arriving at the scene of a stabbing and has rightly demanded that we never allow ourselves to become desensitized to the tragedy of knife crime as a fellow in a London MP I know how much this is hurting our city as it is towns and cities across the country I know how much potentially is lost and how many families fear that their child could be next so be under no doubt turning the tide on this violence is absolutely Central a key mission that this government of service will take on Mr Speaker both speeches were in the finest traditions of this house let me also follow the leader of the opposition and mark the passing of our colleagues in the traditional way because since the last gracious address the labor party has lost a stalwart of our movement with the passing of Tony Lloyd who served in 36 years of Distinction the communities of Rochdale Manchester Central and stretford I had the chance to speak to Tony just days before he left us uh that was when he was leaving hospital to go home and he knew it was for the last time and he would wouldn't see a day like this and without being partisan I can tell you he would have loved to see the house set up as it is today he would have told us using his experience to use every precious moment that we have to serve those communities that he held so dear because that is what he stood for the best of our mov a champion of Politics as a Force for good and Mr Speaker that is the great test best of our times the fight for trust is the battle that defines our political era and it's a task not just for this government but for the whole Parliament we are all responsible for the tone and standards that we set and I want to thank the right honorable gentleman in every exchange that we've had since the election and in his words today he has gone well beyond the usual standards of generosity and I thank him for that and in that spirit this King speech picks up some of the important business not concluded in the last session and so on football governance and the reduction of smok smoking we hope to proceed in a manner that recognizes the previous consensus we will also carry forward the Holocaust Memorial bill so we build that Memorial next to this Parliament and make sure every generation reaffirms our commitment to never again and we will also honor the promises that I made and the leader of the opposition made to the family of Martin het and all the families affected by the horrific events in Manchester that day fan Murray Martin's mom walked 200 miles to tell us that Britain needs that law quickly I told her then that she would get that from a labor government and we honor that promise today and I'm very grateful for the indication of the Cross Party Support we will have on that very important provision because the security of the British people is the most fundamental priority of any government and whether our fight is against terrorists the vile criminal smuggling gangs that weaken our Borders or foreign powers which threaten the security of this nation we will live no stone unturned when it comes to keeping the British people safe and we will recognize The Bravery of those on the front line of keeping us safe with a new Armed Forces commissioner that's not just a name or a role but a strong and independent Champion for those who have committed to the ultimate service as a way we can show our respect we will also move quickly on the lessons from the infected blood Scandal that the house debated in almost the Final Act of the last session a day when we undertook all of us a solemn responsibility not just to deliver Justice to those people but also to take on the work of prevention to make sure that those lessons shape the future of Public Service in our country because scandals like infected blood wind Rush Horizon Hillsboro are united not just by the scale of the Injustice but also by the indignity that the victims and their families have been put through merely for standing up for truth and Justice so it is high time to bring in a duty of kander the hillsbor law because a government of service must also be a government of accountability and Justice that is what service means uh yes I will I thank the Prime Minister for giving way during his excellent speech outlining The Hope and renewal within this King's Speech much needed in constituencies like mine in Luton North where over 45% of children are growing up in relative poverty what reassurances can the prime minister to give me and my constituents that he personally takes this issue very seriously and that his government will address it prime minister well I'm grateful for that intervention and I give my Assurance to her and to the whole house that I do take child poverty extremely seriously I'm proud of the record of the last Labor government in reducing child poverty it clearly had a strategy and we will have a strategy and I'm very pleased to have announced today the task force that will lead our strategy to reduce child poverty no child should be growing up in poverty and and we will work across the house on that issue and I will take an intervention very grateful thank you Mr Speaker I'm very grateful to the Prime Minister for giving way on his newly announced task force which of course be Beth Rigby was announcing on Twitter as we were all within this chamber Mr Speaker can the Prime Minister outline how many children will remain in poverty whilst that task force undertakes the work which will ultimately lead to the same conclusion we are proposing to scrap the two child benefit cap well look I I do welcome this I know this is an issue across the whole house I don't think there's a single member that doesn't care about child poverty the point of the task force is to devise a strategy as we did last in government to drive those numbers down it can't be a single issue it's across a number of strands and we will work with people across the house in order to do it what matters what matters is the commitment to do it and to drive those numbers then that is what we did last in government and we will do it again but Mr Speaker I'll just make some progress and then I will Mr Speaker whilst I respect the tone of the leader of the opposition's contribution I can't stop my mind wandering back to 9 months ago when he was at this dispatch box his great politic iCal hero Nigel Lawson once said to govern is to choose and everyday serving the people of this country is a chance to make a difference for them yet Mr Speaker the last King's Speech was the day when the veil of his choices slipped and we all saw a party his party content to let our country's problems Fester content to push aside the national interest as they focused almost entirely on trying to save their own skins Mr Speaker we will have time over the weeks months and years to debate the measures in this King speech and the choices of this government but I defy anyone on those benches or elsewhere to look at the ambition and purpose of our inent and not to receive a return to the serious business of government no more wedge issues no more gimmicks no more party political strategy masquerading as policy this is an agenda focused entirely on delivering for the people of this country legislation for the national interest that seeks only to fix our foundations and make people better off solve problems not exploit them because I'll just make some progress in the world because Mr Speaker with each day that passes my government is finding new and unexpected marks of their care scars of the last 14 years where politics was put above the national interest decline deep in the marrow of our institutions we've seen that in our prisons r large we've seen it in our rivers and seas even worse than we thought and we've seen it in our councils pushed to the brink by the previous government now unable even to deliver basic services to children with special educational needs and Mr Speaker we've already taken first steps on so many of the priorities we put before the British people the work of change has begun but we know as they do that National renewal is not a quick fix that the rot of 14 years will take time to repair nonetheless I I will be there I'm grateful to the Prime Minister for giving away and he talks about priorities well of course people in rural communities around the country see the vast majority which the right honorable gentleman has assembled and they're afraid they see a Manifesto in which just 87 words are used about far they see they see a King's Speech they see a King's speech with no men of rural communities or rural priorities will the Prime Minister please take this opportunity to reassure people in re in Rural and farming communities that his labor government will take notice of prime minister just to say prime minister just to say luk intervention one thing but to actually make a speech is not the best time to do it prime minister well let me take this opportunity to reassure those in rural communities I grew up in a rural community myself um and I think that if you look at the places that are now represented on these benches you'll see the reassurance that has been given that will also be given again the King speech we have brought to this house today is a marker of our intent not only a certain destination for the future of this country but a new way of governing a government of service Guided by clear missions with a long-term plan to fix the foundations a plan which starts as it must with our economy under his watch the last Parliament was the first in modern history to leave living standards in a worse place than they found them the consequence the consequence not just of Tory irresponsibility but of a more pervasive inability to face the future a ducking of the hard choices eyes fixed always on the horse trading of Westminister policy will in a moment rather than the long-term National interest Mr Speaker we don't just turn the page on that today we close the door on it forever a budget responsibility bill that will protect the living standards of working people from the chaos they endured under the last government a commitment no matter how Fierce the storms to economic stability as the foundation we build on that is a change labor party at work and then on that Foundation we take the breaks of Britain go further and faster on measures to generate higher economic growth workers and business United in the cause of wealth creation we will reform the planning rules a choice ignored for 14 years to build the homes and infrastructure that Britain leads we will level up rights at work a choice ignored for 14 years to deliver security and dignity at work we will create a new industrial strategy invest in cleaner cheaper British energy harness the power of artificial intelligence improve our public transport confront our historic challenges on technical education transform our skills agenda in partnership with business and push forward Devolution to the cities regions and councils of England a plan for wealth creation that will finally lead us out of the pay more get last Doom that is their legacy and let me be clear we will work with anyone invested in the future of our country I've said I'll just complete this I said that we would serve everyone whether they voted for us or not and I meant it so let me say directly to the benches opposite if you're invested in the success of your community we will work with you this is a new era we are turning the page we're turning politics to service because that is what the people of this country want to see from their politicians and service is a stronger Bond than political self-interest that is what country first means the only way we can restore trust and the reason this government of service was elected Mr Speaker we were also elected to repair our Public Services with investment and reform to make them once again beacons of justice for the communities that they serve a signal to our country of the cause that fires National renewal my determination for everyone in our country England Scotland Northern Ireland Wales no matter where they started in life to feel that success belongs to them it is a cause Mr Speaker that I do believe believe unites this house and indeed the people of this great nation so I will Mr Speaker can I commend the Prime Minister there are many within this house both sides of this chamber both uh in opposition but also in your party who welcome your POS your election as prime minister and look forward to the delivery of some fil good factors for all of us great nation and will travel to the Commonwealth hubs of government meeting in Samoa and to Australia this Autumn the king is a true model of Public Service I know that the Prime Minister will value his audiences with his majesty as much as I did and I think we all recognize that the king is aided by the constant support of her majesty the queen and I know the whole house will join me in wishing her a very happy birthday today we also pay tribute to Tony Lloyd Tony served the people of Greater Manchester for 45 years and for 3 six of those as a member of this house he was a great parliamentarian kind and wise his family should have enormous pride in the contribution he made to this place and to the community that he loved and served they are in all our thoughts today I'd also like to welcome all new members to their places being elected as a member of parliament is a great honor and a great responsibility we serve our communities and our United Kingdom I I know that whatever our political differences might be we are all motivated by a desire to make life better for our constituents and our country stronger and I know that the whole house will join me in deploring the assassination attempt on President trump our thoughts are with the victims violence and intimidation have no place in the Democratic process now Mr Speaker I commend the proposer on his excellent speech I know that the whole house will agree with me that The Honorable member for Bole has set a very high bar for speeches in this new Parliament now my little sister always reminds me that being the youngest means you have to learn how to make yourself heard well well The Honorable member is the youngest of eight and it really shows and I had the Good Fortune of getting to know the honorable member when he was Shadow Chief secretary to the treasury and he was always courteous and pleasant as an opposite number to me and as he outlined The Honorable member fbut comes from a family committed to Public Service both of his great uncles were members of this house and he himself even though he was very modest about it has been in public service for more than 40 years the new members of this house have much to learn from The Honorable gentleman and I know I speak for the whole house in saying how much we all admire his personal bravery in campaigning for more victim support for following the tragic death of his daughter in a hit and run accident now not only is he one of the most popular members of this house as we heard he is also the most popular constituency MP enjoying the biggest majority of any member of this place and and in a recent election he even won an astonishing 84% of the vote he might be he might be the only person who can persuade King un of the benefits of democracy although the People's Republic of ble doesn't quite have the same ring to it now I wonder I wonder though I wonder whether he was chosen to speak today actually to head off him reintroducing his 10-minute rule bill I speak of course of the honorable member's bill for a 4-day week now I'm not sure if he's consulted with his whips on how compatible that would be with their desire to make Fridays a new Norm sitting day I'll say this to The Honorable gentleman if they won't let him have his 10-minute rule Bill he should work to rule although I suspect the labor member for Mery side needs no tips from this former Banker on Trade union organizing Now The Honorable member for voxel and Cel green spoke with typical Verve she is someone inspired by desire to serve and her strong faith but she never lets any of this go go to her head today she was chosen because of the high regard she has held in but she is also one of the kindest members of this house regularly baking Victoria sponges for her staff and others although post the election result perhaps red velvet might be now on the menu and The Honorable lady has campaigned bravely against Gan violence both in the London assembly and in this house and she is so right that we must not become desensitized to knife crime she represents the place where she grew up and does so with passion and determination and now that I have a lot more time on my hands I intend to be a regular visitor to her constituency especially in the summer months one of my favorite places to watch cricket is of course the oval and as prime minister I had the privilege of playing there with the wonderful Emily reinford Brent and the young black cricketers on the Ace Program I applaud The Honorable lady for her work with that SK sche I can reassure her though that I won't go as far as the last conservative prime minister to speak from this dispatch box who proposed removing that part of her constituency to a desert island along with his eight favorite records Now The Honorable lady story is truly an inspirational one to go from caring for your mother as a teenager to this house shows what is possible in our country but the online abuse that The Honorable member has received an experience that is far too often common woman in this house shows one of the challenges facing our democracy the intimidation that some candidates received in this election both physical and digital was completely unacceptable and is a threat to our electoral process there can be no excuse Mr Speaker for threats of physical violence or intimidatory protests outside politicians homes Now The Honorable lady will have been picked to Second the loyal address because the Whip's office have got her down as one who will go far if I may offer some words of advice to members opposite on the government benches life comes at you fast soon you might be fortunate enough to be tapped on the shoulder and offered a junior ministerial role then you'll find yourself attending cabinet then in the cabinet and then when the prime minister's position becomes untenable you might you might end up being called to the highest office and before you know it you have a bright future behind you and and you are left wondering whether you can credibly be an elder Statesman at the age of 44 now it is right to begin by congratulating the Prime Minister on his decisive victory in the election he deserves the Goodwill of all of us in this house as he takes on the most demanding of jobs in the increasingly uncertain World in which we now live now the party opposite has successfully tapped into the Public's desire for change but they now must deliver change and we on this side of the house will hold them accountable for delivering on the commitments that they made to the British people in the National interest we will not oppose for the sake of it but when we disagree with the government it is our responsibility as the opposition to say so and what will guide us will be our principles sound public finances a belief that people know how to spend their own money better than governments do that private Enterprise not State intervention is the key to delivering growth and prosperity public services that work for those who need them an education system that gives everyone the best start in life secure borders and a strong National Defense now I welcome the government's decision to bring forward Martin's law I'm sure that the Prime Minister will find as I did that one of the most humbling parts of the job is seeing people whose lives have been touched by tragedy and seeing how they don't turn to anger or bitterness but campaign to en sure that other families do not have to endure the same pain that they did and I particularly commend fan Murray for her work to get this law onto the statute book I can assure her that this measure will command consensus in this house and we will work with the government to make sure that it becomes law as soon as possible I'm also glad that the government will continue with plans for a smoke free generation I know there are deeply held views on both sides of this issue and I have deep respect for those especially on my own Ben es who disagree with me on this question measures that end access to products are never easy but I do believe that ensuring that our children can be the first generation that doesn't have to suffer the false choice to quit smoking or not because they will have never started is a truly worthy aim it will make us a healthier fairer country where people live longer and better lives now the first duty of government is the defense of the realm and we're fortunate in our country to be to be protected by Armed Forces who are unrivaled in the world for their professionalism bravery and skill and I know the whole house will agree with me that they are truly the best of us every month in my previous job I became more concerned about the threats to our country's security we live in an increasingly uncertain world we need greater investment in our military if we are to deter our enemies and defend our interests and as I warned earlier this year there is an act of authoritarian States who are a threat to our values Freedom democracy and the rule of law and we must collectively stand up to them the world is more dangerous now than it has been at any time since the end of the Cold War so I would urge the prime minister to commit to boosting defense spending to 2 and a half% of GDP by 2030 and if we lead the way on this we can make 2 and a half% the new NATO Benchmark for defense investment this is the single Le best way to strengthen the alliance it will show The Americans that we do not expect them to Bear every burden and it would show President Putin that NATO is serious about bolstering its defenses and will also be the most effective way to deter further acts of Russian aggression now in the last few years there has been an impressive amount of consensus across the house on foreign policy on the importance of supporting Ukraine on the centrality of NATO to our National Defense and in that spirit I commend the Prime Minister on his work at the NATO Summit and I'm glad that he and the Secretary of State for defense have taken such rapid steps to demonstrate that while the government has changed this country's commitment to Ukraine security remains constant and I also welcome the right honorable member for tottenham's visit to the Middle East it is of fundamental importance to this country that as we make real progress towards a two-state solution our friend and Ally Israel has a right to defend itself and to live in peace and let me turn next to another crucial issue facing not just our country but the broader Western World illegal migration now the fundamental question is what to do with people who arrive here illegally but cannot be returned to their own home country now our approach was to send them to a safe Third Country the Prime Minister was clear scrap those plans and I acknowledge that and our fear remains that without such a deterrent the country will end up having to accept that a large number of those who cross the channel illegally will end up remaining here and how to prevent that that is something that the government I know will soon look to address and when it comes to Legal migration I urge the Home Secretary to retain the measures that we implemented which have forecast to Har net migration in the next 12 months now if I may turn next to the economy I understand well that the chancellor is Keen to paint oblique a picture as possible but I would just gently point out that this is not exactly what the facts [Applause] say in inflation at 2% unemployment 4% and the fastest growing economy in the G7 so far the party opposite has inherited an economy that is already on an upward trajectory now the government the government have set out plans the government has set out plans to strengthen the role of the office for Budget responsibility and we will examine those proposals carefully but the work of the obpr already means that the party opposite did have the full details of the public finances when they set out their Manifesto now the obr has rightly taken away from governments the ability to make forast say what they want them to but they have also taken away from oppositions coming into government the ability to say that they did not know the true state of the public as Paul Johnson of the institute for fiscal studies has said the books are wide open fully transparent in his words trying to pretend that things are worse than expected really won't wash now the party opposite promis no tax Rises on working people and no plans for tax Rises Beyond what's in their Manifesto in full knowledge of the public finances it would be difficult for them to claim that things are worse than they thought and then Rene on those pledges and we will hold the government to its own promises come the [Applause] budget I note plans for new employment legislation now in this country our employment rate is far lower than the European average and that is thanks in part to our flexible labor market I would urge the party opposite not to impose new burdens on businesses that Business Leaders themselves have warned of the unintended consequences of those plans that they could lead to firms being less likely to invest less likely to hire and so increasing unemployment in the long term and I further note the government's desire to impose new potentially rigid legislation on Technologies like artificial intelligence now we are third only to the US and China in the size of our fast growing technology sector and lead the world when it comes to AI safety and we should all in this house be careful not to endanger this country's leading position in this field which will drive growth and prosperity for decades to come and while today's speech did contain a slew of bills what was missing was a concrete plan to tackle the unsustainable post covid rise in the welfare bill without action the cost of providing benefits to the working age population with a disability or health condition will rise to 90 billion more than we spend on our National Defense schools or policing now that's not only unsustainable but also unfair to taxpayers and that's why in government we had laid out a plan to significantly reduce the welfare bill but crucially to support all those that could back into work now I hope the government looks at those proposals when it has the time to study them in detail on this side of the house we will continue to advocate for a welfare system that is both compassionate and fair to those who need it but also fair to