King Charles III will outline Labour’s first programme for government in a decade and a half on Wednesday when the United Kingdom parliament formally reopens following the July 4 election. “Now is the time to take the brakes off Britain,” said Starmer, who led his party to a landslide win over the Conservatives. Wearing the diamond-studded Imperial State Crown and a long crimson robe, King Charles will deliver the proposals from a golden throne in the House of Lords upper chamber during a lavish ceremony. Footage showed the king leaving Buckingham Palace, escorted by mounted cavalry, en route to the Houses of Parliament. In keeping with the convention that the monarch is above politics, keen environmentalist King Charles remained expressionless during the last address in November when then Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s government announced new oil and gas licences.

Source: Punch July 17, 2024 19:05 UTC