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The King's Speech 2023

His Majesty’s most gracious speech to both Houses of Parliament.

The King’s Speech

My Lords and members of the House of Commons

It is mindful of the legacy of service and devotion to this country set by My beloved Mother, The late Queen, that I deliver this, the first King’s Speech in over 70 years.

The impact of Covid and the war in Ukraine have created significant long-term challenges for the United Kingdom. That is why my Government’s priority is to make the difficult but necessary long-term decisions to change this country for the better.

My Ministers’ focus is on increasing economic growth and safeguarding the health and security of the British people for generations to come. 

My Government will continue to take action to bring down inflation, to ease the cost of living for families and help businesses fund new jobs and investment.

My Ministers will support the Bank of England to return inflation to target by taking responsible decisions on spending and borrowing. These decisions will help household finances, reduce public sector debt, and safeguard the financial security of the country.

Legislation will be introduced to strengthen the United Kingdom’s energy security and reduce reliance on volatile international energy markets and hostile foreign regimes. This Bill will support the future licensing of new oil and gas fields, helping the country to transition to net zero by 2050 without adding undue burdens on households.

Alongside this, my Ministers will seek to attract record levels of investment in renewable energy sources and reform grid connections, building on the United Kingdom’s track-record of decarbonising faster than other G7 economies.

My Government will invest in Network North to deliver faster and more reliable journeys between, and within, the cities and towns of the North and Midlands, prioritising improving the journeys that people make most often.

My Ministers will strengthen education for the long term. Steps will be taken to ensure young people have the knowledge and skills to succeed, through the introduction of the Advanced British Standard that will bring technical and academic routes into a single qualification. Proposals will be implemented to reduce the number of young people studying poor quality university degrees and increase the number undertaking high quality apprenticeships. 

My Ministers will take steps to make the economy more competitive, taking advantage of freedoms afforded by the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union. A bill will be brought forward to promote trade and investment with economies in the fastest growing region in the world. My Ministers will continue to negotiate trade agreements with dynamic economies, delivering jobs and growth in the United Kingdom.

My Ministers will introduce new legal frameworks to support the safe commercial development of emerging industries, such as self-driving vehicles, introduce new competition rules for digital markets, and encourage innovation in technologies such as machine learning. Legislation will be brought forward to support the creative industries and protect public interest journalism. Proposals will be published to reform welfare and support more people into work.

My Government will promote the integrity of the Union and strengthen the social fabric of the United Kingdom.

Working with NHS England, my Government will deliver its plans to cut waiting lists and transform the long-term workforce of the National Health Service. This will include delivering on the NHS workforce plan, the first long-term plan to train the doctors and nurses the country needs, and minimum service levels to prevent strikes from undermining patient safety.  Record levels of investment are expanding and transforming mental health services to ensure more people can access the support they need.  My Government will introduce legislation to create a smokefree generation by restricting the sale of tobacco so that children currently aged fourteen or younger can never be sold cigarettes, and restricting the sale and marketing of e-cigarettes to children.

My Ministers will bring forward a bill to reform the housing market by making it cheaper and easier for leaseholders to purchase their freehold and tackling the exploitation of millions of homeowners through punitive service charges. Renters will benefit from stronger security of tenure and better value, while landlords will benefit from reforms to provide certainty that they can regain their properties when needed.

My Government will deliver a long-term plan to regenerate towns and put local people in control of their future. Legislation will be brought forward to safeguard the future of football clubs for the benefit of communities and fans. A bill will be introduced to deal with the scourge of unlicensed pedicabs in London.

My Government is committed to tackling antisemitism and ensuring that the Holocaust is never forgotten. A bill will progress the construction of a national Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre in Victoria Tower Gardens.

My Government will act to keep communities safe from crime, anti-social behaviour, terrorism and illegal migration.

A bill will be brought forward to ensure tougher sentences for the most serious offenders and increase the confidence of victims. My Ministers will introduce legislation to empower police forces and the criminal justice system to prevent new or complex crimes, such as digital-enabled crime and child sexual abuse, including grooming.

At a time when threats to national security are changing rapidly due to new technology, my Ministers will give the security and intelligence services the powers they need and will strengthen independent judicial oversight. Legislation will be introduced to protect public premises from terrorism in light of the Manchester Arena attack.

My Government will deliver on the Illegal Migration Act passed earlier this year and on international agreements, to stop dangerous and illegal Channel crossings and ensure it is the government, not criminal gangs, who decides who comes to this country.

My Government will continue to champion security around the world, to invest in our gallant Armed Forces and to support veterans to whom so much is owed. My Ministers will work closely with international partners to support Ukraine, strengthen NATO and address the most pressing security challenges. This includes the consequences of the barbaric acts of terrorism against the people of Israel, facilitating humanitarian support into Gaza and supporting the cause of peace and stability in the Middle East.

My Government will continue to lead action on tackling climate change and biodiversity loss, support developing countries with their energy transition, and hold other countries to their environmental commitments.

The United Kingdom will continue to lead international discussions to ensure that Artificial Intelligence is developed safely.

My Government will host the Global Investment Summit, the European Political Community, and the Energy Conference, leading global conversations on the United Kingdom’s most pressing challenges.

I look forward to welcoming His Excellency the President of the Republic of Korea and Mrs. Kim Keon Hee for a State Visit later this month.

My Government will, in all respects, seek to make long-term decisions in the interests of future generations. My Ministers will address inflation and the drivers of low growth over demands for greater spending or borrowing. My Ministers will put the security of communities and the nation ahead of the rights of those who endanger it. By taking these long-term decisions, my Government will change this country and build a better future.

Members of the House of Commons.

Estimates for the public services will be laid before you.

My Lords and Member of the House of Commons.

Other measures will be laid before you.

I pray that the blessing of Almighty God may rest upon your counsels.

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The King's Speech

2010, History/Drama, 1h 58m

What to know

Critics Consensus

Colin Firth gives a masterful performance in The King's Speech , a predictable but stylishly produced and rousing period drama. Read critic reviews

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The king's speech   photos.

England's Prince Albert (Colin Firth) must ascend the throne as King George VI, but he has a speech impediment. Knowing that the country needs her husband to be able to communicate effectively, Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter) hires Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush), an Australian actor and speech therapist, to help him overcome his stammer. An extraordinary friendship develops between the two men, as Logue uses unconventional means to teach the monarch how to speak with confidence.

Rating: R (Some Language)

Genre: History, Drama

Original Language: English

Director: Tom Hooper

Producer: Iain Canning , Emile Sherman , Gareth Unwin

Writer: David Seidler

Release Date (Theaters): Jan 28, 2011  wide

Release Date (Streaming): Apr 1, 2017

Box Office (Gross USA): $138.8M

Runtime: 1h 58m

Distributor: Weinstein Co.

Production Co: Bedlam Pictures, See-Saw Films

Cast & Crew

Colin Firth

King George VI

Geoffrey Rush

Lionel Logue

Helena Bonham Carter

Queen Elizabeth

King Edward VIII

Timothy Spall

Winston Churchill

Derek Jacobi

Archbishop Cosmo Lang

Jennifer Ehle

Myrtle Logue

Anthony Andrews

Stanley Baldwin

Claire Bloom

Wallis Simpson

Michael Gambon

King George V

David Seidler

Screenwriter

Executive Producer

Mark Foligno

Harvey Weinstein

Bob Weinstein

Iain Canning

Emile Sherman

Gareth Unwin

Danny Cohen

Cinematographer

Tariq Anwar

Film Editing

Eve Stewart

Production Design

Alexandre Desplat

Original Music

Leon McCarthy

Art Director

Set Decoration

Jenny Beavan

Costume Design

News & Interviews for The King's Speech

RT on DVD & Blu-Ray: The King’s Speech and Rabbit Hole

Best of the Best Pictures!

RT’s Oscar Picks

Critic Reviews for The King's Speech

Audience reviews for the king's speech.

A true masterwork of modern cinema laced with exceptional acting and a story which makes for a nearly perfect period piece. One of the best films of the 21st Century by far.

The Duke Of York hires an unconventional speech therapist when faced with Royal duties in the burgeoning media age to help him with a stammer that prevents his public speaking. The premise behind The King's Speech is a rather dry one and the trailers themselves make it seem to be a cross between The Madness Of King George and Pygmalion, but thanks to some winning performances and an interesting script portraying a behind the scenes window onto recent history it transcends the traditional comedy of manners formula that nearly all British films seem obliged to follow. Colin Firth's portrayal of a man thrust into the public eye by events beyond his control is sublime and it's fascinating to see a snapshot of the man behind a public face completely controlled by propriety and social convention. There's a real warmth in his unlikely friendship with a brewer's son from Australia and the gentle humour and subtle direction makes a very refreshing change from the ADHD firework displays that seem to make up the vast majority of modern cinema. Maybe not the masterpiece its multi-award winning reputation suggests, but a quality cast and sensitive storytelling make for a fine lightly comic and insightful historical character study.

Please spell me out the "clichéd" and "formulaic" elements in The King's Speech, because even if it is a doubtful Academy Awards conqueror, Tom Hooper built a proper historical account about the struggle of a man to become a symbol of national resistance in imminent war times that were about to shape the world. It has been accused of being "predictable" as well. Maybe that's because the story was based on true events? The art of cinema retelling true stories resides in the ability to properly, yet respectfully carry on the task of dramatization, one of the main successes of <i>The King's Speech</i>. I applaud the performances and the execution. Dialogue handling was impeccable, and the cinematography was worthy of a disciple of Carol Reed, capturing the size of the scenarios, the tension of the situations and the psychological difficulties faced by King George VI. I wonder, therefore, what would the opinion of the audiences be if this had been a film directed by Carol Reed in the 40s. Perhaps they would have been quicker to applaud. Do not let the debated Academy Awards be distractions to you. 78/100

It's the sign of a talented director that a bunch of scenes of people talking (or stammering) in rooms can look cinematic.

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Keir Starmer dismisses king’s speech as ‘exercise in economic miserabilism’ – as it happened

Labour party leader criticises speech as ‘admission that government has no faith in Britain’s ability to avert decline’

• 7 Nov 2023 Early evening summary
• 7 Nov 2023 Johnson did say he would rather 'let bodies pile high' than order another lockdown, Covid inquiry told
• 7 Nov 2023 Simon Case said he had 'never seen people less well equipped to run country' than Johnson and his team, Covid inquiry told
• 7 Nov 2023 Johnson at one point proposed being injected with Covid on TV to show people it was harmless, inquiry hears
• 7 Nov 2023 Covid inquiry hears how Johnson and Sunak resisted lockdown in autumn 2020, with PM considering 'medieval measures'
• 7 Nov 2023 Former PM Theresa May urges Sunak to 'press the accelerator' on transition to net zero
• 7 Nov 2023 Starmer dimisses king's speech as 'exercise in economic miserabilism'
• 7 Nov 2023 Starmer says Sunak cannot be serious PM with Braverman as home secretary pursuing her 'divisive brand of politics'
• 7 Nov 2023 MPs debate king's speech
• 7 Nov 2023 Seven measures left out of king's speech
• 7 Nov 2023 Republic claims turnout for its anti-monarchy protest shows 'republicanism on the rise'
• 7 Nov 2023 Campaigners criticise omission of long-promised bill to reform Mental Health Act from king's speech
• 7 Nov 2023 UK faces 'significant long-term challenges' because of Covid and Ukraine war, says king
• 7 Nov 2023 Starmer says Tories just offering 'gimmicks, division and more of the same'
• 7 Nov 2023 Justice secretary Alex Chalk declines to back Braverman in calling pro-Palestinian demonstrations 'hate marches'
• 7 Nov 2023 Suella Braverman ‘fails to get ban on charities giving tents to homeless included in king’s speech’

Starmer dimisses king's speech as 'exercise in economic miserabilism'

Starmer said there should been a planning bill in the king’s speech.

He dismissed it as “an exercise in economic miserabilism” and “an admission that his government has no faith in Britain’s ability to avert decline”.

And he was particularly critical of the oil and gas bill. He explained:

A bill that everyone in the energy sector knows is a political gimmick. Even the energy secretary admits it will not take a single penny of anyone’s bills.

He also accused Sunak of being wrong about clean energy.

They are wrong about clean energy. It is cheaper. It is British and he can give us real security from tyrants like Putin. But more importantly, they are wrong about Britain. We can win the race for the jobs of tomorrow. We can work hand in glove with the private sector and invest in the critical infrastructure.

UPDATE: Starmer said:

We needed an employment bill. Time and again – this bill has been promised. Time and again – it fails to materialise. When we could be scrapping fire and rehire, ending zero-hours contracts, making work pay with a real living wage and saying, unambiguously, that strong workers’ rights are good for growth. What we got instead is an exercise in economic miserabilism. An admission that his government has no faith in Britain’s ability to avert decline. Take the oil and gas bill announced today. A bill that everyone in the energy sector knows is a political gimmick. And that even the energy secretary admits will not take a single penny off anyone’s bills. I don’t know which of his seven bins, the prime minister chucked her meat tax in but this one will follow soon. Nonetheless, it’s a gimmick that tells a story. A King’s speech with no concern for the national interest, wallowing in a pessimism that says the hard road to a better future isn’t for Britain. It’s been this way for 13 years now.

Early evening summary

King Charles has delivered his first king’s speech, outlining the UK government’s plans for laws to create potential dividing lines with Labour before the next general election with a tough approach to criminal justice and the green agenda, but little legislation to improve Britain’s struggling public services. And here is Rowena Mason ’s analysis.

The two most senior civil servants in the UK exchanged messages describing those inside Boris Johnson’s Downing Street as “poisonous”, “mad” and unfit to run the nation, the inquiry into Covid has heard.

Amnesty International has called on the police in London not to bow to “political pressure” to ban this Saturday’s pro-Palestinian march in the city.

Johnson did say he would rather 'let bodies pile high' than order another lockdown, Covid inquiry told

At PMQs in April 2021 Boris Johnson categorically denied saying that he had would rather “let the bodies pile high” than agree to a further lockdown. He was responding to a question from Keir Starmer , who asked if it was true that Johnson had made the remark in late October 2020, as he agreed to a second lockdown.

Dominic Cummings subsequently told a Commons committee that he had heard Johnson make the remark. But Cummings’ evidence was not enough to trigger an investigation into whether or not Johnson had lied to MPs, partly because he clearly had a grudge against Johnson and some MPs questioned his credibility.

At the Covid inquiry hearing today an extract from Ed Lister ’s witness statement was shown saying he heard Johnson make this remark. Lister is a highly credible witness who hasn’t fallen out with Johnson. Assuming he is right, the only defence Johnson would have against the charge that he told a direct lie to Starmer at PMQs would be timing; Starmer asked if Johnson had made the comment in October, but Lister said he heard Johnson use the phrase in September.

Lord Lister’s written evidence also confirms Boris Johnson said in September 2020 that he would rather “let the bodies pile high” than impose another lockdown. This was denied by cabinet ministers when first alleged in April 2021. pic.twitter.com/lb4854Ni4I — Laura Hughes (@Laura_K_Hughes) November 7, 2023

Simon Case said he had 'never seen people less well equipped to run country' than Johnson and his team, Covid inquiry told

Simon Case , the cabinet secretary, described Boris Johnson’s team at No 10 as “so mad” and said he had “never seen a bunch of people less well equipped to run the country”, the Covid inquiry heard.

Case made the comment in an exchange with Mark Sedwill, his predecessor, on 2 July 2020. Case also said that he had told Johnson that lots of high-quality people he had approached about working in No 10 “had refused to come because of the toxic reputation of his operation”.

This is from Peter Walker.

If you were in any doubt about the chaos inside Johnson's No 10, look at this exchange between Mark Sedwill (then-cabinet secretary) and Simon Case (his successor). Case calls it "mad", "poisonous", "never seen a bunch of people less well-equipped to run a country". pic.twitter.com/tppDGFCzWM — Peter Walker (@peterwalker99) November 7, 2023

Johnson at one point proposed being injected with Covid on TV to show people it was harmless, inquiry hears

At the Covid inquiry Ed Lister (now Lord Udny-Lister), who was Boris Johnson’s chief of staff in No 10, confirmed that at one point Johnson suggested he should be injected with coronavirus on TV to show people they had nothing to fear from it.

Asked about the comment in his witness statement, Lister said:

It was before the Italian situation had really become apparent to everybody. It was a time when Covid was not seen as being the serious disease it subsequently became. It was a moment in time – I think it was an unfortunate comment.

When it was put to him that people knew at that point that Covid was deadly, Lister replied:

We were still living in the forlorn hope that it wasn’t going to come – it was wrong. I fully accept it’s a comment that shouldn’t have been made, but it was made in the heat of the moment, that’s all.

Lister said he was unsure exactly when Johnson made the comment.

This is from my colleague Peter Walker.

Lord Lister's main contribution so far has been to confirm that at one point early in Covid, Boris Johnson proposed being injected with the virus on TV "to demonstrate to the public that it did not pose a threat". Lister tells in inquiry this was “an unfortunate comment”. pic.twitter.com/mWkDq68hV9 — Peter Walker (@peterwalker99) November 7, 2023

Covid inquiry hears how Johnson and Sunak resisted lockdown in autumn 2020, with PM considering 'medieval measures'

Rishi Sunak and Boris Johnson pushed repeatedly against lockdown measures during the second wave of Covid in autumn 2020, with the government’s chief scientist accusing the then chancellor of using “spurious” arguments against new rules, the inquiry into the pandemic has heard. Peter Walker has the story here.

Peter has posed on X two extracts from Sir Patrick Vallance ’s diaries that confirm this.

In one extract, from early October 2020, Vallance wrote:

Very bad meeting in no.10… PM talks of medieval measures than ones being suggested. Perhaps we should look at another approach and apply different values … Surely this just sweeps through in waves like other natural phenomena and there is nothing we can do. As Simon Ridley [head of the Cabinet Office’s Covid taskforce] said final slide, PM said ‘Whisky and a revolver’. He was all over the place. CX [the chancellor] using increasingly specific and spurious arguments against closing hospitality. Both of them clutching at straws … There are really only three choices for the high prevalence areas … 1) Do a proper lockdown 2) Use military to enforce the rules 3) Do nothing and do a ‘Barrington Declaration’ and count the bodies (poor, old and BAME). When will they decide.

Covind inquiry sees another damning extract from Patrick Vallance's diary, about Oct 2020 meeting where Johnson and Sunak resisted a circuit-breaker lockdown. Johnson wonders if Covid should just "sweep through". Sunak made "spurious" arguments against closing hospitality. pic.twitter.com/gMhgoCf0Ej — Peter Walker (@peterwalker99) November 7, 2023

And in another extract Vallance said:

Ridley meeting – positioned PM meeting as ‘a chance to step back/but avoid making a whole load of decisions that then get undone by Cx (Chancellor)’. I asked what PM thinks objectives are ‘what he wants to achieve is a series of mutually incompatible options’. He ‘owns’ the reality for a day and then is buffeted by a discussion with Cx.

Another extract from Patrick Vallance's diary ses him saying it was necessary to not make decisions "that then get undone by the chancellor". Johnson, Vallance writes, "owns the reality for a day, and then is buffeted by a discussion with CX [Sunak]". pic.twitter.com/1ngM1pBDTA — Peter Walker (@peterwalker99) November 7, 2023

Former PM Theresa May urges Sunak to 'press the accelerator' on transition to net zero

Theresa May, the former Conservative PM, has criticised Rishi Sunak for watering down some of the govenment’s net zero policies.

Speaking in the debate on the king’s speech, she started by saying she was surprised to see a claim by the party recently, after Sunak made his net zero U-turn in September, saying Sunak was unlike previous PMs because he was tackling long-term issues like climate change. She points out that she was the PM who actually legislated to put the 2050 target for net zero into law.

A different approach was needed, she said:

What we need to do now is press the accelerator on transition to a green economy, not try to draw back.

She said this applied to the skills agenda too. The government should be training people in the skills they would need in a green economy – by teaching gas engineers to install heat pumps, for example, she said.

She said the government should be acting faster on the transition to net zero because addressing climate change was necessary to protect people.

May cited this as one of three elements she felt was missing from the speech.

She said she also wanted it to include further measures to tackle modern slavery.

And she said she was disappointed by the failure to include a bill on reforming the Mental Health Act. (See 12.32pm and 12.37pm .)

May said, on a recent visit to Cox Green school in her constituency, she had asked pupils about the issues that mattered most to them. Mental health and climate change were both priorities, she said.

May’s language in her speech is surprisingly similar to what Keir Starmer said about net zero in his speech to the Labour conference . Starmer said:

So when Rishi Sunak says row back on our climate mission, I say speed ahead. Speed ahead with investment. Speed ahead with half a million jobs. Speed ahead with Great British Energy.

UPDATE: May said:

I think in relation to the king’s speech, and the government’s programme on climate change and environmental degradation, the government is missing an opportunity. What we need to do now is press the accelerator on the transition to a green economy, not try to draw back, and I fear that despite the fact that the king’s speech says ministers will seek to attract record levels of investment in renewable energy sources, that that is not sufficiently strong in ambition from the government to make sure that they are making that transition quickly enough to ensure that we reach net zero in 2050. It’s no good waking up on January 1, 2045, and saying we’ve got five years to do something. Let’s do it now because that will be even more costly for members of the public … I also worry that we are giving some mixed messages to investors. They need to have the confidence to invest in our transition to a green economy and we need to show that the government is pressing the accelerator on that, because the best long-term decision that we can make is about climate change, because the long-term future of this country and of the people of this country depend on us dealing with climate change and environmental degradation. So I want the government to press the accelerator not to roll backwards.

Rishi Sunak wanted the pro-Palestinian march in London scheduled for Saturday to be cancelled, No 10 said. At a lobby briefing the PM’s spokesperson said:

The prime minister himself does not think it’s right for these sorts of protests to be scheduled on Armistice Day. He believes that is provocative and disrespectful.

According to a Times story by Matt Dathan , the government was planning to publish its draft criminal justice bill tomorrow – but has delayed publication because several cabinet ministers are opposed to Suella Braverman’s plan to include in it her scheme to ban charities from distributing tents to homeless people in cities.

Stephen Flynn , the SNP leader at Westminster, is speaking now.

He started by reiterating the SNP call for a full ceasefire in Gaza.

And he said he hoped MPs would get a chance to vote on this soon.

One obvious option for the SNP is to table an amendment to the king’s speech motion calling for a ceasefire. That would create a problem for Labour , because many Labour MPs would want to vote for a ceasefire.

Sunak says he wants to close with a reference to the armed forces, with Armistice Day coming up.

They are the best of us, he says.

Labour tried to make Jeremy Corbyn PM, a man who wanted to abolish the armed forces, who wanted to withdraw from Nato, and who sided with the UK’s enemies, he says.

He says, above all, the king’s speech delivers change. It takes long-term decisions for a better future, he says.

Sunak defends his plans on net zero. He claims Starmer is not against all oil and gas – just British oil and gas.

He says the government will create the first smoke-free generation.

He says he is most proud of the Conservative party’s record on education. Under his plans, people will study maths and English up to 18, he says.

And he says he is particularly proud of Network North, which he says is the most ambitous scheme for transport in the north from any government.

Chris Bryant (Lab) intervened. He said many people who sleep rough are army veterans or have brain injuries. Does he agree with Suella Braverman that homelessness is a lifestyle choice? And if he doesn’t, will he sack her?

Sunak said homelessness among veterans was at a record low. And he said rough sleeping was down by a third from its peak.

Sunak is saying very little about what is in the king’s speech. Instead he is focusing more on criticising Labour .

He says the government has introduced freeports, using Brexit freedoms that Starmer would abandon.

And he also claims that Labour would allow an extra 100,000 EU migrants into the UK every year.

The Full Fact factchecking organisation has published a factcheck on this claim in the past . It says it is misleading.

Sunak says Labour will borrow and copy anything – as Rachel Reeves showed with her book.

And he claims Starmer was going to write a book but abandoned the idea – after his publishers concluded he did not have a vision.

Sunak is now paying tribute to Robert Goodwill and Siobhan Baillie for their speeches, and their parliamentary records more generally.

Both speeches, apparently, were “in the finest traditions of this house”.

Turning to Starmer, he claims Starmer has abandoned his previous republicanism, which he says he welcomes as a U-turn.

Rishi Sunak is speaking now.

He started by talking about Israel and Gaza, stressing the UK’s support for Israel’s right to defend himself.

He said more than 100 Britons have now left Gaza.

And he said the government would “not stand for the hatred and antisemitism we have seen on our streets”. He went on:

It sickens me to think that British Jews are looking over their shoulder in this country that children are going to school covering up their school badges for fear of attack. This government will do whatever it takes to keep the Jewish community safe.

Starmer says Sunak cannot be serious PM with Braverman as home secretary pursuing her 'divisive brand of politics'

Starmer is now engaged in a sustained attack on Suella Braverman , the home secretary.

He says the Conservative party it is “so devoid of leadership. It is happy to follow a home secretary who describes homelessness as a lifestyle choice.”

He says protecting the public from extremism is “the most basic job of government”.

But Braverman is using the threat posed by extremism as “legitimate terrain for her divisive brand of politics”.

He says as DPP he worked with the police and counter-terrorism forces. Their job is hard enough without the home secretary using these issues as a “platform for her own ambition”.

He also criticises what Braverman said about homelessness.

Homelessness is a choice. It’s a political choice.

We needed a King’s Speech that would draw a line under 13 years of Tory decline. A king’s speech for national renewal and a serious plan for growth. But instead we have a party so devoid of leadership, it is happy to follow a home secretary who believes homelessness is a “lifestyle choice”, and that the job of protecting us all from extremists – the most basic job of government – is legitimate terrain for her divisive brand of politics. As Director of Public Prosecutions I worked very closely with police and counter-terrorism forces and their job is hard enough already without the home secretary using it as a platform for her own ambitions. So I say to the prime minister, think very carefully about what she is committing your government to do and think very carefully about the consequences of putting greater demands on public servants at the coalface of keeping us safe. Because without a serious home secretary there cannot be serious government and he cannot be a serious prime minister.

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The King's Speech

• The story of King George VI , his unexpected ascension to the throne of the British Empire in 1936, and the speech therapist who helped the unsure monarch overcome his stammer.
• Britain's Prince Albert must ascend the throne as King George VI , but he has a speech impediment. Knowing that the country needs her husband to be able to communicate effectively, Elizabeth hires Lionel Logue, an Australian actor and speech therapist, to help him overcome his stammer. An extraordinary friendship develops between the two men, as Logue uses unconventional means to teach the monarch how to speak with confidence. — Jwelch5742
• Tasked with serving as the voice of freedom and leading a nation into conflict with Adolf Hitler 's Nazis, the future King of the United Kingdom, King George VI , must first address a chronic, debilitating condition. As Prince Albert of York struggles to overcome his stammering problem to no avail, his wife, the worried Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother , seeks help from unconventional London speech therapist Lional Logue . But to deal with the terrible speech impediment, Prince Albert must persevere through fear and humiliation to take on the burden of the monarchy. And with courage, determination, and unexpected friendship, the nation will eventually have a leader. — Nick Riganas
• The true story of the journey of King George VI to the throne and his reign as he develops a friendship with a therapist who helps him overcome his speech impairment to help him in life and all of his duties in the British Monarch while he is king. — RECB3
• Biopic about Britain's King George VI (father of present day Queen Elizabeth II) and his lifelong struggle to overcome his speech impediment. Suffering from a stammer from the age of four or five, the young Prince Albert dreaded any public speaking engagement. History records that his speech at the closing of the 1925 Commonwealth exhibition in London was difficult for both him and everyone listening that day. He tried many different therapies over many years, but it was only when he met Lionel Logue, a speech therapist, that he truly began to make progress. Logue did not have a medical degree, but had worked as an elocution coach in the theater and had worked with shell-shocked soldiers after World War I. Through a variety of techniques and much hard work, Albert learns to speak in such a way so as to make his impediment a minor problem and deliver a flawless speech heard around the world by radio when the U.K. declared war on Nazi Germany in 1939. The King and Logue remained life-long friends. — garykmcd
• Prince Albert, Duke of York (later King George VI), "Bertie" (Colin Firth), the 2nd son of King George V, speaking at the close of the 1925 British Empire Exhibition at Wembley Stadium, with his wife Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter) by his side. His stammering speech unsettles the thousands of listeners in the audience. The prince tries several unsuccessful treatments and gives up, until the Duchess persuades him to see Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush), an Australian speech therapist in London. In their first session, Logue requests that they address each other by their Christian names, a breach of royal etiquette. Logue is unorthodox in his approach & Albert is not convinced it will be of any help. Logue makes a recording of Bertie with full music in background (so Bertie can't hear himself) & gives it to Bertie. In 1934, King George V (Michael Gambon) declares Bertie's older brother unfit for the throne & demands Bertie to improve his speech. He plays Logue's recording & finds himself speaking perfectly. He returns to Logue & he gently probes the psychological roots of the stammer. The Prince reveals some of the pressures of his childhood: his strict father; the repression of his natural left-handedness; a painful treatment with metal splints for his knock-knees; a nanny who favored his elder brother-David, the Prince of Wales--deliberately pinching Bertie at the daily presentations to their parents so he would cry and his parents would not want to see him, and--unbelievably--not feeding him adequately ("It took my parents three years to notice," says Bertie); and the early death in 1919 of his little brother Prince John. Logue & Bertie become friends. On 20 January 1936 George V dies, and David, the Prince of Wales (Guy Pearce) accedes to the throne as King Edward VIII, & wants to marry Wallis Simpson (Eve Best), an American divorcee, which would provoke a constitutional crisis. Bertie confronts David, who only accuses Bertie of having designs of his own & makes fun of his speech impediment. Even Logue suggests that Bertie can be King, & this causes a rift in their friendship as Bertie is not thinking in that way. When King Edward VIII does in fact abdicate to marry, Bertie becomes King George VI. Feeling overwhelmed by his accession, the new King realizes that he needs Logue's help and he and the Queen visit the Logues' residence to apologize. When the King insists that Logue be seated in the king's box during his coronation in Westminster Abbey, Dr Cosmo Gordon Lang, the Archbishop of Canterbury (Derek Jacobi), questions Logue's qualifications. This prompts another confrontation between the King and Logue, who explains he had begun by treating shell-shocked soldiers in the last war. When the King still isn't convinced about his own strengths, Logue sits in St. Edward's Chair and dismisses the Stone of Scone as a trifle, the King remonstrates with Logue for his disrespect. The King then realizes that he is as capable as those before him. Upon the September 1939 declaration of war with Germany, George VI summons Logue to Buckingham Palace to prepare for his radio speech to the country. As the King and Logue move through the palace to a tiny studio, Winston Churchill (Timothy Spall) reveals to the King that he, too, had once had a speech impediment but had found a way to use it to his advantage. The King delivers his speech as if to Logue, who coaches him through every moment. As Logue watches, the King steps onto the balcony of the palace with his family, where thousands of Londoners, gathered to hear the speech over loudspeakers, cheer and applaud him. A final title card explains that, during the many speeches King George VI gave during World War II, Logue was always present. It is also explained that Logue and the King remained friends, and that, "King George VI made Lionel Logue a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in 1944. This high honor from a grateful King made Lionel part of the only order of chivalry that specifically rewards acts of personal service to the Monarch."

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What will be in the King's speech? Here's what we're expecting - from smoking crackdown to focus on crime

We take a look at what to expect from today's ceremony - and examine what plans for the country's future might be unveiled.

Political reporter @NifS

Tuesday 7 November 2023 07:23, UK

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Westminster will be awash with pomp and ceremony today as parliament hosts the King's Speech.

Update: First King's Speech in decades as tougher sentences for serious offenders announced

But what will the day involve and how will it play out? And what plans for the country's future are likely to be unveiled?

Read on to find out all you need to know.

What is the King's Speech?

While a parliament - meaning the period of time between general elections - can last for up to five years, a new parliamentary session is normally launched annually. It gives the government of the day a chance to outline its legislative plans for the year ahead.

The start of a new session is marked with the grandest of ceremonies, the State Opening of Parliament.

It brings together members of the House of Commons and House of Lords, as well as the monarchy, dressed up in their finest regalia for the day ahead. Look out for the robes, britches and, of course, the crown.

After numerous traditions are played out - from searching the bowels of the building for gunpowder to slamming a door in Black Rod's face - peers and MPs gather in front of the monarch to listen to them deliver the King's (or Queen's) Speech.

While the address may be read out by the head of state, the content is written by the government and sees their legislative agenda given a stately introduction to the ears of parliamentarians and the public.

The speech will fall to King Charles III in his first state opening as monarch - though he had a dry run back in May 2022, when he stood in for his mother due to her mobility issues.

The late Queen Elizabeth II delivered the speech a total of 67 times during her reign, and only missed it on a handful of occasions, including when she was pregnant with Prince Andrew and then Prince Edward.

After the document is read out, MPs return to the Commons and spend around five days debating its content, but not before two backbench MPs nominated by the prime minister kick off proceedings by giving a loyal address to parliament - a light-hearted affair, often littered with some cringeworthy jokes.

What will the speech mean for Rishi Sunak?

This is the first time this prime minister has had his plans delivered in a King's Speech since he moved in to Number 10.

Liz Truss's short premiership meant she missed out on this particular spotlight for her policy agenda. Boris Johnson was the last prime minister to oversee a state opening 18 months ago .

Read more: King's Speech: Plans centred around criminal justice to be unveiled King will have to announce measures we know he's bound to dislike Hard to see how Sunak's first King's Speech won't be his last - analysis

King's Speech live: Watch our special programme on Sky News, hosted by Sophy Ridge, from 10.30am today. You will also be able to follow the event live via the Politics Hub on the Sky News app and website .

Tuesday's ceremony is likely to be the final King's Speech of this parliament as Mr Sunak will have to call a general election by the end of January 2025 at the latest.

That means it may also be his last chance to show both his party and the public what he stands for, following his first year of trying to steady the ship after the chaos surrounding last autumn's revolving door in Downing Street.

Hard to see how Rishi Sunak's first King's Speech won't be his last

Political editor

The King's Speech is supposed to be the landmark moment in the life of parliament.

It is the occasion for a prime minister to set down his or her mission for government, and outline the laws they will pass to try to achieve their goals.

But this year, the moment will belong to King Charles III, rather than Rishi Sunak, for two reasons.

First is the sheer symbolism of the new monarch delivering the first King's Speech in over seven decades.

An epoch-making moment, it reminds us all in the most formal of settings, laced with symbolism, that we have passed from the first Elizabethan era to the new Carolean age.

Second is the reality of Mr Sunak's predicament.

His first King's Speech in power will be less about landing a vision and more about holding position, for this is a prime minister running out of time and with little space to push through new ideas.

Read Beth Rigby's full analysis here

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Mr Sunak will also need to bring his MPs and members with him to ensure they back his leadership going into the looming general election, so he may choose to be cautious with his priorities - while throwing some red meat to please particular wings of the Conservative Party .

But the upcoming national poll also leaves questions over how much legislation the prime minister and his government can push through in a short space of time - during which MPs will also want to be out on the doorstep campaigning to keep their seats.

What will be in the speech?

While the spectacle of the speech is designed for a new legislative agenda to be proposed, the government can also "carry over" some bills from the previous session that it was unable to pass into law.

According to the House of Commons Library, five carry-over motions have been agreed for bills, giving them another 12 months to achieve royal assent, namely:

• Data Protection and Digital Information (No 2) Bill - which aims to update the UK's data protection laws post-Brexit

• Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill - which proposes new powers to improve competition between online businesses and new protections for consumers

• Economic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill - which would introduce a ban on public bodies, such as councils, from boycotting other countries, with a special status for Israel

• Victims and Prisoners Bill - which aims to improve support for victims of crime, along with reform of the parole system

• Renters (Reform) Bill - which features proposed changes to regulations covering the rented housing sector

Two so-called "hybrid" bills will also continue to be scrutinised in the next parliament - one on the future of the northern leg of HS2, which was scrapped by Mr Sunak at his party's conference , and one on a Holocaust memorial in Westminster.

The Commons' researchers have also highlighted several bills announced in the last session that were never officially introduced, meaning they could return under Mr Sunak.

They include the much-touted ban on conversion therapy - though some on the right of the party could influence Number 10 to chuck it out - as well as further measures to tackle modern slavery and a transport bill to bring in some of the HS2 replacement projects announced by the prime minister.

What new proposals are we expecting?

Ministers have already confirmed there will be a bill to phase out leaseholds, with all new houses in England and Wales having to be sold as freehold properties.

Mr Sunak's party conference announcement to raise the legal age for buying cigarettes in England by one year every year to phase out smoking is sure to get a showing too.

But reports suggest the major focus will be on crime , not just with existing plans being finalised - such as compelling criminals to attend sentencing - but with the introduction of bills to introduce tougher sentences for serious crimes, such as rape, and a scheme to rent prison space abroad.

The prime minister is also expected to accelerate his plans to disrupt existing net zero policies with the introduction of an annual system to award new oil and gas licences.

Meanwhile, the government could give its backing to establishing an independent football regulator .

By lunchtime on Tuesday, we will have the full list of what Mr Sunak has in store.

It could either be his springboard to winning the next election - or his last legislative dance while still holding the keys to Number 10.

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King’s Speech 2023: What time is it on Christmas day and how to watch

The royal tradition allows the sovereign head of state to reflect on the year and values of the nation in a ten minute pre-recorded speech

• 10:12, 24 Dec 2023

King Charles ' second Christmas Day speech as monarch is nearly upon us. Royal fans and critics alike are waiting to hear how he will reflect on the year which has passed.

Last year, it was King Charles' first King's Christmas Day speech in nearly seventy years, following the death of Queen Elizabeth II . He said: "Christmas is a particularly poignant time for all of us who have lost loved ones. We feel their absence at every familiar turn of the season and remember them in each cherished tradition."

Ever since the first festive address of this kind was delivered in 1932, the annual tradition has become a key event for families across the country, who gather together to remind themselves of what has come and what to look forward to in the next year.

Here's what you can expect from the 2023 speech, plus how and where to watch it.

What time is the King's speech?

King Charles' festive broadcast is set to air on Monday, December 25.

The speech is due to be broadcast at 3pm on Christmas Day in keeping with tradition.

It will be shown on BBC One, BBC Two, ITV , and Sky News. On BBC One, the broadcast will be followed by a screening of Toy Story 4. Meanwhile, In For a Christmas Penny will follow the broadcast on ITV.

For those looking to watch online, the Christmas Address has also been streamed on the Royal Family YouTube Channel and Facebook page in the past.

What to expect

The contents of the King's Speech aren't known yet and won't be revealed until broadcast. However, the Christmas address typically reflects on the events of the year.

It's expected that King Charles III will speak about his coronation, alongside the issues affecting the UK and broader global events, before looking ahead to 2024.

How many people will watch the King's speech?

Millions of Brits are expected to watch the King's speech on Christmas Day. Last year, King Charles’s Christmas Day message was the most watched address by a monarch on record, viewing figures have shown.

Around 10.6 million tuned in for the eight-minute briefing. Back in 2020, the Queen's speech was crowned the most viewed programme of the day after 8.2 million people turned in. Meanwhile, the 2021 version brought in a staggering 9.1 million viewers - again securing the top spot.

What will be different this year?

This year's message from King Charles will reflect his green credential by including a living Christmas tree for the first time.

It was covered with “natural and sustainable decorations, including hand turned wood, dried oranges, brown glass, pine cones and paper” and it will be replanted.

There were no clues to content of Charles second Christmas address, recorded in the Palace’s Centre Room, part of the private quarters and near the balcony where he celebrated his Coronation.

Charles, 75, is said to have written the 10-minute speech without the help of his advisers.

MORE ON ITV BBC1 Christmas The Queen Royal Family

King Charles III Christmas Address

King Charles III delivered his 2023 Christmas address from Buckingham Palace. He reflected on the themes of service and caring for the Earth.

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In a video announcement, Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, announced that she is undergoing chemotherapy treatment for cancer. The news comes after months of speculation about the Princess of Wales’ health following an undisclosed abdominal procedure in January. March 22, 2024

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Pope Francis on Palm Sunday: Jesus entered Jerusalem as a humble king

By Courtney Mares

Vatican City, Mar 24, 2024 / 09:45 am

On Palm Sunday, hundreds of priests, bishops, cardinals, and laypeople solemnly carried large palm branches in procession through St. Peter’s Square to begin the first liturgy of Holy Week.

“Dear brothers and sisters, since the beginning of Lent until now we have prepared our hearts by penance and charitable works,” Pope Francis said in a soft voice at the beginning of Palm Sunday Mass on March 24.

“Today we gather together to herald with the whole Church the beginning of the celebration of our Lord’s paschal mystery, that is to say, of his passion and resurrection.”

Speaking in St. Peter’s Square adorned with palms and greenery, the pope invited the crowd to follow in Jesus’ footsteps as he entered Jerusalem “so that being made by his grace partakers of the cross, we may have a share also in his resurrection and in his life.”

Pope Francis chose not to read the homily prepared for Palm Sunday Mass at the last minute without explanation. The 87-year-old pope, who arrived at the Mass in a wheelchair, has had aides read some of his speeches for him in recent weeks.

The pope did read the prayers for the Mass and spoke at the end of the liturgy, offering an appeal for peace in Ukraine and prayers for the victims of the terrorist attack in Moscow.

In his peace appeal, Pope Francis gave a brief reflection on the Gospel account of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on a donkey as the Prince of Peace.

“Dear brothers and sisters, Jesus entered Jerusalem as a humble and peaceful king. Let us open our hearts to him. Only he can deliver us from enmity, hatred, violence, because he is mercy and the forgiveness of sins,” the pope said.

Palm Sunday is the only Mass of the year in which two Gospels are proclaimed. The Gospel of Mark’s account of Jesus entering Jerusalem on a donkey was read aloud at the beginning of the Mass and later the Passion of the Lord was solemnly proclaimed with a choir singing the words of the crowd.

Palm Sunday procession of hundreds of priests, cardinals, bishops, and lay people through St Peter’s Square. pic.twitter.com/3oH4gRra2N — Courtney Mares (@catholicourtney) March 24, 2024

An estimated 60,000 people were at the papal Mass, according to the Vatican Gendarmes.

At the conclusion of the liturgy, Pope Francis rode through St. Peter’s Square on the popemobile greeting enthusiastic pilgrims who waved flags and cheered.

Pope Francis has a busy schedule for Holy Week. He will preside over a chrism Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on Thursday morning before going to a women’s prison in Rome to offer Holy Thursday’s Mass of the Lord’s Supper.

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Pope Francis prays for victims of Moscow terrorist attack at Palm Sunday Mass

The pope is also scheduled to preside over a celebration for the Passion of the Lord on Good Friday at the Vatican and lead the Stations of the Cross devotion in Rome’s Colosseum.

On Holy Saturday, Pope Francis is set to preside over the Easter Vigil liturgy, where he will baptize new Catholics. On the morning of Easter Sunday, Pope Francis will be back in St. Peter’s Square for Mass and will give the annual “urbi et orbi” Easter blessing.

At the end of Palm Sunday Mass, Pope Francis said: “And now we turn in prayer to the Virgin Mary. Let us learn from her to stay close to Jesus during the days of Holy Week, in order to arrive at the joy of the Resurrection.”

(Story continues below)

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This article was updated at 3:30 p.m. local time with excerpts of Pope Francis' peace appeal at the end of Mass.

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Kate Middleton Reveals Cancer Diagnosis in Emotional Video: ‘It Has Been an Incredibly Tough Couple of Months’

Amid questions about her whereabouts, Kate Middleton , the Princess of Wales, has confirmed she has undergone treatment for cancer in a health update Friday.

In an emotional video, Middleton said that while her condition was originally thought to be non-cancerous, cancer was found in her system following abdominal surgery and she is now in the “early stages” of preventative chemotherapy. She did not confirm the type of cancer.

“It has been an incredibly tough couple of months for our entire family, but I’ve had a fantastic medical team who have taken great care of me, for which I am so grateful,” she said in the video, which was reportedly recorded in Windsor on Wednesday.

Rumors have been swirling about Middleton’s absence since January, when it was announced that she had been admitted to the hospital for a “planned abdominal surgery.” Palace officials declined to disclose the reason for the surgery, but said Middleton would be staying in the hospital for two weeks and was unlikely to return to her public duties until after Easter.

In her video update, Middleton did not confirm when she would return to public duties, although Easter is now looking increasingly unlikely. “My work has always brought me a deep sense of joy and I look forward to being back when I am able, but for now I must focus on making a full recovery,” she said.

On the same day as Middleton’s surgery was revealed, it was separately announced that King Charles was undergoing a medical exam for an “enlarged prostate.” Just a few weeks later, Buckingham Palace revealed that King Charles had been diagnosed with cancer.

As March began, the public started to grow curious as to Middleton’s whereabouts. Though the first paparazzi photo of her post-op was leaked on March 4, it was grainy and did little to quash conspiracies. Then, on March 10 — Mother’s Day in the U.K. — a photo was posted to Middleton and Prince William’s official social media accounts of Middleton with their three children. Internet sleuths were quick to point out that the photo appeared to be doctored — and sure enough, four of the world’s biggest news agencies eventually issued kill notices for the photo citing “digital manipulation.”

View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Prince and Princess of Wales (@princeandprincessofwales)

Read the princess’s statement below:

“I wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you, personally, for all the wonderful messages of support and for your understanding whilst I have been recovering from surgery.

It has been an incredibly tough couple of months for our entire family, but I’ve had a fantastic medical team who have taken great care of me, for which I am so grateful.

In January, I underwent major abdominal surgery in London and at the time, it was thought that my condition was non-cancerous. The surgery was successful. However, tests after the operation found cancer had been present. My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy and I am now in the early stages of that treatment.

This of course came as a huge shock, and William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family.

As you can imagine, this has taken time. It has taken me time to recover from major surgery in order to start my treatment. But, most importantly, it has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them, and to reassure them that I am going to be OK.

As I have said to them; I am well and getting stronger every day by focusing on the things that will help me heal; in my mind, body and spirits. Having William by my side is a great source of comfort and reassurance too. As is the love, support and kindness that has been shown by so many of you. It means so much to us both.

We hope that you will understand that as a family we now need some time, space and privacy while I complete my treatment. My work has always brought me a deep sense of joy and I look forward to being back when I am able, but for now I must focus on making a full recovery.

At this time, I am also thinking of all those whose lives have been affected by cancer. For everyone facing this disease, in whatever form, please do not lose faith or hope. You are not alone.”

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