Disguised behind the pomp and ceremony, Labour have set out their stall on what they want to achieve in Parliament over the next year or so. While we can draw lots of conclusions from what was included and what wasn’t, what is very clear is that this is a government with ambition. This King’s Speech was second only to Tony Blair’s in 2005 in terms of the number of pieces of legislation it covered and shows a Labour Government wanting to do a lot with its time in parliament.

Of the 40 bills announced last week, around 10 handled the climate and nature crises directly, a handful more indirectly addressed the climate emergency. Keir Starmer’s plans for a national energy body, Great British Energy, took pride of place and the government reaffirmed its election commitments to use the new body to roll out clean energy projects across the country towards its aim of decarbonising the energy sector by 2030. We can also glean that transport is a huge focus for the new government, with a number of bills planned to address changes in the sector. These included measures to expand public transport in the North of England, bring routes under national control, and give more powers to local authorities to improve their bus routes. 

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But what was missing from the King’s Speech? Surprisingly, Nature didn’t seem to be on the government’s in-tray, a fact many of us would argue against. Whilst the government has announced their Water Bill, cracking down on river and sea pollution, and reiterated how important wildlife and nature are to their plans, some could say that they haven’t gone far enough. The radical change that our natural environment needs to rescue it from decline will require tough, well-informed, and, importantly, speedy legislation.

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King’s Speeches, before the actual toil of legislating and delivering on promises, are usually the yardstick by which early governments are judged. They show us what a government is prioritising, what it thinks needs changing first and, perhaps cynically, what it thinks voters need to see results on quickly in order to retain their trust. Do you think that the government needs to be reaching further and doing more for the climate and nature crises?

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The election might be over but you still have a vital role to play in setting this government’s priorities, holding it accountable to its promises, and pushing it to meet the ambition of the public. These first months of the new government are an incredibly important democratic moment where the stage will be set for the rest of this crucial decade and where we can get back on track and face the climate emergency. There has never been a better time to meet with your new MP and learn more about how to make your voice heard. You can check out our resources page to learn more with resources dedicated to making the most of the first 100 days or check out one of our many free workshops.

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