King Charles III delivers the King's Speech in the House of Lords Chamber during the State Opening of Parliament on May 13, 2026, in London, England. [Photo/Agencies]
United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer sought to shift the focus from personalities to policy on Wednesday as the King's Speech to Parliament set out his government's legislative agenda for the coming year.
The speech, written by the government but delivered with royal pageantry by King Charles III, outlined new initiatives on energy security, defense, immigration and education reform, but it was the internal wranglings of the governing Labour Party that continued to dominate the headlines across the UK.
Starmer, who has been in office for less than two years, has faced mounting pressure following Labour's dismal performance in last week's local elections, with his leadership being picked out as one of the main causes of voter rejection.
On Tuesday, four ministers resigned in protest against Starmer's continued leadership. The most high-profile departure was Health Secretary Wes Streeting, widely regarded as a serious contender to replace him.
