What to expect in Labour’s year of pomp and show?

Wednesday marks the beginning of a long process of passing at least 30 bills. It will include a few dozen new laws, and complete some of the old government’s unfinished business, as Labor begins to breathe new life into its manifesto.

Top of the list is growing the economy – priorities No. 10 and 11. So the plans are expected to shake up the planning system, encourage house building and give more powers to the government’s budget watchdog, the Office for Budget Responsibility.

Look at Great British Energy, the government’s plans to create an energy company, expand workers’ rights, create a National Wealth Fund – using the power of the public purse for long-term investments – and give new powers to officials across the country. Away from Westminster in the Take Back Control Bill (get it?).

Two new bills are expected to come from the Home Office – a border security bill to treat smugglers like terrorists and a crime bill to tackle anti-social behavior and county line drug trafficking.

Plans have been promised to reform the Mental Health Act. Taking the rail industry into public ownership, voting for 16-year-olds and changes to the House of Lords have also been considered.

Rishi Sunak’s smoking ban is expected to be followed through, as well as a pledge by the former government to end no-fault evictions, and to introduce ‘Martin’s Law’ – legislation forcing places to prepare for terrorist attacks. , named after one of the victims. Manchester Arena tragedy. Plans are also underway to strengthen regulation of AI.

Ministers have been given strict instructions not to be specific about what has been cut and what has not – even in private.

An enormous amount of work was done for the speech before Labour’s election victory was secured, but protocol is that these announcements have to be made by the monarch.

So to this day, we can’t be completely sure whether some of the more controversial plans passed during this time.

Also be wary of promises of “review” or “consultation.” Sometimes it is the logical thing to consider an issue well in advance of new laws – at other times, it is a way of silencing those arguing for action when ministers are not quite ready.

If an idea has not been included in the speech this time, it does not mean that it never will be. Governments are always able to put forward other laws at a later date.

But the speech is the government’s formal agenda, so Wednesday’s priorities are the government’s priorities.

Remember, Labor is in a hurry to show they can get the job done. I am told that great efforts have been made to draft laws that are “rigorous” and “workable”, and “full Parliament proof” – meaning laws that pass through the House of Lords. Can happen.

The government has an overwhelming majority in the House of Commons, but they have a separate audience on the red benches at the other end of the Palace of Westminster.

They don’t want to have time-consuming battles with the Lords, or make laws that have to be added to their Lordships with hundreds of possible amendments – subsidiary changes – to them.

Wednesday will be a big moment.

The buglers will blow the bugle. The black stick will hit the door.

Yeomen of the Guard would conduct a formal search for explosives, in acknowledgment of the 16th-century Gunpowder Plot.

The King will wear the crown and put his name to Labour’s plans for the next few years.

Hundreds of new MPs will walk through the historic halls of Westminster.

And Sir Keir Starmer’s project officially begins in Parliament.

The minister is already trying hard to tell the story of how bad the condition of the government he has inherited is.

“You can’t overstate how dysfunctional this has been,” one minister told me.

The Justice Secretary also accused the Tories of being “guilty individuals” late on Friday.

Obviously there is some information that is only really available to people in government, but it’s worth saying that much of the information the new minister is describing as ‘surprises’ – like waiting lists and prisons Population size of – a matter of public record.

As we discussed last week, Labor made a conscious decision to tell the public that “it’s worse than we thought” before winning the election.

A former Tory minister said: “We need to call this out in spades”.

The surprise announcements also do not match Labour’s claim to be incredibly well prepared to government after months of careful homework and talks with senior officials.

But maybe the shock of being in charge is real.

A member of the new government said: “I still wake up every morning thinking that the previous day was a dream.”

The power is real. And on Wednesday we’ll learn more about how Labor plans to use it.

Supremacy Image: Reuters