King’s speech shows Sunak’s cupboard is bare

KING Charles III gave the UK’s first King’s Speech in parliament in over seven decades on Tuesday (Nov 7). Yet the address – which is traditionally written by the government of the day for the monarch – will not be remembered in the history books for its contents.

To be sure, the speech was big on words, and was the longest such address by a monarch since 2005. However, all the more shame that it was so short on new ideas, especially for domestic policy where the emphasis appeared more on a series of short-term measures designed to try to win headlines.

Even senior Conservatives criticised the lack of ambition. Former Cabinet minister Greg Clark, now the chair of the House of Commons Science and Technology Select Committee, condemned the “disappointing” failure to include an artificial intelligence Bill that would help regulate the sector following last week’s big summit on this topic.