Keir Starmer is plotting to stage the King’s Speech as he scrambles to ‘reset’ after potentially apocalyptic local elections.
The PM is believed to be lining up the State Opening of Parliament for May 12 or 13 – less than a week from the polls.
Laying out a new slate of legislation would be a way of drawing a line under what looks like being a bloodbath for Labour.
Speculation has been mounting about Sir Keir’s prospects of survival, despite having been propelled into No10 with a massive majority just last year.
Angela Rayner, Wes Streeting and Manchester mayor Andy Burnham are among the big hitters regarded as ‘on manoeuvres’ in case the premier is forced out.
Mayoral and council elections on May 7 are seen as a critical moment, despite the government having controversially delayed some of the contests.
Keir Starmer is believed to be lining up the State Opening of Parliament for May 12 or 13 – less than a week from the polls
Getting the King (pictured) to lay out a new slate of legislation would be a way of drawing a line under what looks like being a bloodbath for Labour
Labour insiders fear that Reform is poised to make more huge gains in traditional heartlands.
One government source told the BBC that the King’s Speech would blunt an expected backlash against Sir Keir’s agenda.
‘It will be much harder for somebody to challenge the PM and say we need to go in a different direction when the King is about to come to parliament to announce what we’re doing for the next year,’ they said.
Downing Street refused to comment on ‘speculation’, saying the date will be announced ‘in the normal way’.
One source said it was common knowledge that the government was looking at a State Opening in the Spring, suggesting May was often the month chosen.
The current session has been running since July 2024, which is longer than normal.
The looming problems for Sir Keir were underlined yesterday with a stark poll showing Labour faces being put to the sword in Wales by Plaid Cymru and Reform.
The party appears doomed to lose the First Minister post for the first time since devolution, with support dwindling even further since the last YouGov research in September.
Kemi Badenoch goaded Sir Keir over the crisis as they clashed at the final PMQs before Christmas.
The Tory leader pointed to infighting in the premier’s own ranks, accusing him of blaming everyone else for his failure and branding the Cabinet ‘turkeys’.
‘All his MPs want for Christmas is a new leader,’ she jibed to laughter in the chamber.