Sir Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak placed on present of bromance
Sir Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak did their best to look relaxed in each other’s company today as they smiled and laughed while walking side-by-side before the King’s Speech.
The pair were seen exchanging small talk during the traditional procession from the Commons to the House of Lords for the State Opening of Parliament – which saw Labour dismantle some of the Tories‘ flagship policies.
The show of togetherness follows a bruising election campaign where they exchanged numerous barbs, including Mr Sunak’s claim that Sir Keir would cause ‘irreversible damage’ to Britain in his first 100 days in power.
The Labour leader was equally blunt when discussing his opposite number, at one point accusing him of ‘lying about Labour’s tax plans during a bad-tempered TV debate.
Sir Keir has already ended the Tory government’s Rwanda scheme to tackle illegal migration, and today’s King’s Speech revealed their mooted reforms of union powers – including minimum service standards on the railways – will also be abolished.
Sir Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak were seen exchanging small talk during the traditional procession from the Commons to the House of Lords for the State Opening of Parliament
The pair did their best to look relaxed in each other’s company as they exchanged pleasantries this morning
Sir Keir’s convincing election victory against Mr Sunak’s Conservatives has handed him the large majority needed to enforce his will on the new Parliament.
Today’s King’s Speech saw the monarch outline a blizzard of around 40 bills in the new government’s maiden legislative programme, with the PM vowing to deliver ‘real change that transforms lives’.
The measures include a major overhaul of the planning system, renationalising the railways, a Net Zero push, a truancy crackdown and bringing Channel smuggling gangs under terror laws.
Amid the usual pomp and ceremony, the King said ministers will go ahead with controversial class-war plans to impose VAT on private school fees.
The ban on current 15-year-olds ever buying cigarettes is being revived, after the previous attempt was lost when Rishi Sunak called the election.
The show of togetherness follows a bruising election campaign where they exchanged numerous barbs
While there is no suggestion both men are close, their relationship certainly appears to be better than the one Sir Keir shared with Boris Johnson
However, Labour is already facing a backlash over weakening protections for the ‘green belt’ and stripping communities of rights to object to construction. Instead it will be a question of ‘how, not if’ homes are built.
Businesses have voiced concerns about moves to roll back curbs on unions and give workers ‘default’ rights to flexible working ‘from day one’.
Sir Keir has also confirmed that the Rwanda deportation scheme is being axed, despite hopes it was already having a deterrent effect.
And there was no sign of Labour’s flagship pledge to bring in votes for 16-year-olds, which critics claim is an attempt to ‘gerrymander’ elections. Sources insisted it has not been prioritised because there are no ballots looming.
The two party leaders laugh together inside the Commons chamber today
