Rishi Sunak, the former prime minister and current Leader of the Opposition, will respond to the Labour Party’s Speech from the Throne. Sunak acknowledges that Labour “played on the public’s desire for change” during the election and urges his successor, Prime Minister Keir Starmer, to “deliver” on his commitments.Rishi Sunak, the former prime minister and current Leader of the Opposition, will respond to the Labour Party’s Speech from the Throne. Sunak acknowledges that Labour “played on the public’s desire for change” during the election and urges his successor, Prime Minister Keir Starmer, to “deliver” on his commitments. Sunak emphasizes the Conservative principles of sound public finances, limited government intervention, and a strong national defense. He pledges that the Conservative Party will serve as an effective opposition, scrutinizing the government’s actions and holding it accountable for its promises. Sunak stresses the importance of economic growth and calls on the government to honor its pledge not to raise taxes for working people. He highlights the decline in Conservative votes and the loss of 251 seats in the recent election, indicating that the party will closely monitor Labour’s actions. Sunak’s speech underscores the Conservative Party’s commitment to its core values and its role as a robust opposition to the newly elected Labour government.
Rishi Sunak will admit the Labour Party “played on the public’s desire for change” in his response to Wednesday’s Speech from the Throne, urging his successor as prime minister to “deliver” on his commitments.
Sunak will make his second speech in opposition parliament since the election, pledging to lead an effective opposition guided by Conservative principles.
The caretaker Conservative Party leader also pledges not to resist “for the sake of resistance”.
But he will add: “When we disagree with what the government is doing, it is our responsibility as the opposition to say so.”
Featured
Highest number of MPs ever accept secular confirmation
Featured
MDU urges new government to reform health care regulation to improve morale
Sunak will stress the importance of the government’s duty to defend the UK and will call on the prime minister to commit to spending 2.5 per cent of GDP on defence by 2030. He has championed a policy in government that he will accuse Labour of scrapping.
The Conservative leader will also point to Labour’s election pledge not to raise taxes for working people, a key point he says his party will now scrutinise Keir Starmer on.
***Politics.co.uk is the UK’s leading digital-only political news website. Subscribe to our daily newsletter for the latest election news and analysis.***
Wednesday’s Speech from the Throne, the first under a Labour government in 14 years, is expected to place a heavy emphasis on securing economic growth, the first of Keir Starmer’s five “missions for national renewal”.
The new Labour government will introduce more than 35 bills in its first Speech from the Throne. The legislation is expected to cover spending rules, clean energy, border security and planning reform.
It will be the most significant event of Keir Starmer’s premiership so far, following Labour’s historic victory in the general election earlier this month.
After that election, in which the Conservatives suffered a huge defeat, Rishi Sunak’s party now has just 121 MPs, a drop of 251.
The number of votes for the Conservative Party also fell from 13.9 million at the last election in 2019 to just 6.8 million.
In a speech the morning after the election result, Sunak confirmed that he will step down as leader of the Conservative Party, but only once arrangements have been made to choose his successor.
Addressing the nation for the last time as prime minister, Sunak said: “Following this result I will step down as party leader, not immediately, but once the formal arrangements for selecting my successor are in place.”
The former prime minister has since unveiled an interim shadow cabinet, drawn from the much-reduced group of 121 Tory MPs. Sunak’s top opposition team will play a key role in the debates on the Speech from the Throne, which will follow the Speech from the Throne on Wednesday.
Last week, Sunak addressed the House of Commons for the first time as Leader of the Opposition, congratulating the Speaker of the House, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, on his re-election.
In his speech, the former prime minister also reflected on his election loss and apologized to the Conservative MPs who lost their seats. The former prime minister then congratulated his successor. “In our politics, we can argue fiercely, as the prime minister and I have done over the last six weeks, but we still respect each other,” he said.
In his speech to parliament after the Speech from the Throne, Rishi Sunak will therefore deliver his most overtly political message since the election.
He will say: “In the national interest, we will serve as an effective opposition. We will not oppose for no reason, but if we disagree with what the government is doing, it is our responsibility as an opposition to say so.
“What will guide us are our principles: sound public finances, the belief that people know how to spend their own money better than governments, that private enterprise — not state intervention — is the key to delivering growth and prosperity. Public services that work for those who need them, an education system that gives everyone the best start in life, secure borders and a strong national defence.
“The party across the street played on the public’s desire for change. But they must now deliver change: and we on this side of the House will hold them accountable for delivering on the commitments they have made to the British people.
“The Labour Party promised no tax rises for working people and no plans for tax rises beyond what is in their manifesto, in full knowledge of the public finances. They cannot now claim that things are worse than they thought and not deliver on those promises. We will hold the government to its own promises.”
Josh Self is editor of Politics.co.uk, follow him on X/Twitter here.
Politics.co.uk is the UK’s leading digital-only political news website. Subscribe to our daily newsletter for the latest election news and analysis.
