LONDON (AP) 鈥� King Charles III will present the U.K. government’s legislative program to Parliament on Wednesday as uncertainty clouds the future of Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s leadership. Starmer on Tuesday defied calls for him to stand down, following a disastrous showing for his Labour Party in local and regional elections last week. Ahead of the King’s Speech, he met with Health Secretary Wes Streeting, seen as one of his potential challengers, at his office in Downing Street.
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King Charles III visits the Commons
The monarch traditionally travels from Buckingham Palace to the Houses of Parliament, a distance of less than a mile, in a horse-drawn carriage. He then dons the Imperial State Crown and the robe of state before leading a procession into the chamber of the unelected House of Lords.
A Lords official called Black Rod, named for the ebony rod he or she carries, then goes to the House of Commons to summon the chamber鈥檚 members to a joint sitting of Parliament. The doors to the Commons chamber are slammed in Black Rod鈥檚 face to symbolize the chamber鈥檚 independence from the monarchy, and they aren鈥檛 opened until Black Rod strikes the doors three times.
Once members of the Commons have crowded into the Lords鈥� chamber, the king delivers a speech written by the government and laying out its legislative program for the coming session of Parliament.
After the speech is read and the king leaves, the two houses of Parliament begin several days of debate on its contents.
Starmer wins support
At the start of the weekly Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Starmer said he took responsibility for the losses in last week鈥檚 elections but would fight on.
As Cabinet members left 10 Downing Street, some voiced their support for the embattled prime minister.
Works and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said nobody publicly challenged Starmer at the meeting, while Business Secretary Peter Kyle said the prime minister was showing 鈥渞eally steadfast leadership.鈥�
Later, Starmer鈥檚 deputy David Lammy warned Labour lawmakers that the only beneficiary of the party鈥檚 鈥渘avel-gazing鈥� is the populist right and the leader of Reform UK, , in particular.
鈥淗e has my full support, and what I say to colleagues is, look, let鈥檚 just step back,鈥� he said. 鈥淭ake a breath.鈥�
The first resignations
On Tuesday, several junior ministers, some of whom were elected for the first time in in July 2024, resigned and urged Starmer to do the same.
Miatta Fahnbulleh, minister of housing, communities and local government, was the first to quit, urging Starmer 鈥渢o do the right thing for the country.鈥�
She was followed by Jess Phillips, the safeguarding minister and a prominent member of the Labour Party. In her resignation letter, she described Starmer as a 鈥済ood man fundamentally鈥� but unable to make bold changes.
Despite the party鈥檚 dominant win driving out the Conservatives after 14 years in power, Labour鈥檚 popularity has plunged and Starmer is getting much of the blame.
The reasons include a series of policy missteps, a perceived lack of vision on the prime minister鈥檚 part, a struggling British economy and questions over his judgment. Starmer鈥檚 choice of Peter Mandelson as U.K. ambassador to Washington despite ties to the convicted sex offender has continued to haunt him.
Starmer remains defiant as calls for his resignation grow and several ministers quit
Starmer insisted Tuesday that he has no intention of resigning as calls grew louder within his Labour Party for him to step down and some junior members of his government quit in protest.
Starmer鈥檚 future has become a hot topic over the past few feverish days following for the Labour Party in local elections last week, which if repeated in a national election that has to be held by 2029, would see it overwhelmingly ejected from power.
Though no Cabinet member has quit or publicly stated the prime minister should step aside for a change in leader, there鈥檚 growing speculation that the ambitious health secretary, Wes Streeting, will inform Starmer that his days are numbered when they meet on Wednesday.
Streeting has many supporters within the parliamentary party, including some of those who resigned from Starmer鈥檚 government on Tuesday, which stoked speculation that Starmer could suffer the fate of Boris Johnson in 2022 when dozens of ministers quit en masse and .
Speech likely to include proposals to address cost of living and asylum rules
The King鈥檚 Speech is part of the state opening of Parliament, a traditional set piece of the political calendar. Many of the expected proposals have been announced previously, raising questions over Starmer鈥檚 capacity to win over his doubters.
The speech is expected to include proposals to address the cost of living crisis, create a national wealth fund to stimulate private investment in public infrastructure and tighten rules for asylum seekers.
It may also include the government鈥檚 controversial proposal to abolish jury trials for some cases in England and , lower the voting age to 16 and introduce a 鈥渄uty of candor鈥� for public officials, requiring them to tell the truth and cooperate with investigations.
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