A speech to...forget? From Aiken's Pedicabs triumph, to Braverman's tent-tirade, this week's Who's Top Who's Not delves into all the fallout from this week's King's Speech!
Flying high: Nickie Aiken
So, there we have it! The first King's Speech in seven decades! But hold the applause, because with a mere 21 pieces of legislation, the fewest since 2014, and little mention of salient issues such as the NHS or the cost of living, Sunak may have missed an opportunity to present himself as the real change candidate.
That said, there is one person who is stealing the spotlight this week after four years of tireless campaigning for regulation of pedicabs in London. Nickie Aiken MP will be punching the air after the King’s announcement of a bill to kick unlicensed pedicabs to the kerb in London. The pedicab clampdown appeared in the last Queen’s Speech as part of the proposed Transport Bill but it ran into the sand following Johnson’s resignation. This didn’t stop Aiken from banging the drum, and the new legislation is expected to be based on two Private Members' Bills which Aiken tried to get through Parliament previously.
So, whilst we can be expecting a rather thin legislative agenda, Aiken’s long-standing campaign serves as an example of how effective collaboration with local people, community groups and residents associations can actually turn the needle, and that Private Members' Bills can occasionally succeed (even if they do follow an unorthodox route). All eyes now turn to the Autumn statement, an opportunity for the government to roll up its sleeves and deliver a coherent plan.
Middle of the road: Keir Starmer
Starmer is still battling to reassert his authority within the Labour party over the conflict in Gaza, following shadow minister Imran Hussain’s exit.
Starmer’s got his hands full, and his focus will remain on attempting to placate internal divisions within his party. The SNP has now submitted an amendment to the King’s Speech calling for an immediate ceasefire in the war. If the speaker selects it for a vote next week (likely given the salience of the issue and its cross-party support) it could force Labour MPs to show their hands. Some are suggesting Starmer should allow his party to have a free vote on the issue to quell further dividing lines (as Welsh Labour did in the Senedd) but to do so on a matter of war and peace would be odd and would likely create different political problems.
Slowly sinking: Suella Braverman
Shock horror, Braverman's at it again. While the Home Secretary is no stranger to controversial statements, she may have taken it too far this time…
In a jaw-dropping performance on Saturday, Braverman confirmed that she wanted to restrict tents for rough sleepers. To her dismay, her tent-tirade then failed to make it onto the government's legislative agenda, which probably explains the timing of her announcement.
But wait, there’s more! In an explosive article for The Times Braverman doubled down on a previous description of a pro-Palestine march planned to take place this weekend as being a "hate" march and accused the Metropolitan Police of a "double standard" in how it responds to protests by different groups. It seems Sunak is reaching his tether, as Downing Street has since disowned Braverman’s article, claiming it ‘was not cleared by No 10’.
The government whips’ office is having a nightmare over the home secretary’s claims, with numerous Tory MPs urging the PM to sack her, and one Minister reportedly stating that the home secretary is “fuelling” far-right sentiment in a “dangerous and totally irresponsible” way.
As for the Braverman’s motives, she’s clearly preparing for her own tory leadership bid but is being sacked a part of that grand strategy or does she want to wait to quit over Rwanda/ECHR and become a right-wing martyr? Whatever the intention, one thing is clear; the Home Secretary is certainly testing the limits.