King Charles III delivers throne speech as UK PM Starmer faces leadership crisis

King Charles III delivered the traditional throne speech at Westminster on Wednesday, May 13, outlining 37 bills the Labour government wants to pass in the next parliamentary session, as Prime Minister Keir Starmer fought to remain in power amid a mounting leadership crisis.

The ceremony, which included traditional rituals such as searching the cellars for explosives, was overshadowed by calls from 86 Labour MPs for Starmer's resignation following poor local election results and the resignation of four junior ministers on Tuesday in a sign of defiance. Eleven trade unions affiliated with Labour withdrew their support for Starmer, saying in a statement that while the government had made progress on workers' rights and the minimum wage, the local election results were "devastating" and it was "clear that the prime minister cannot lead the Labour Party into the next election and that at a certain point a date must be set for the election of a new leader."

Starmer met Health Secretary Wes Streeting, a potential rival, on Wednesday morning for less than 20 minutes. Streeting left the meeting without comment, fueling speculation about a leadership challenge. Starmer has said he wants to "continue to govern," and 110 Labour MPs signed a letter supporting him, saying it is not the time for a leadership contest. The UK "finds itself at a pivotal moment: moving forward with a plan to build a stronger, fairer country or returning to the chaos and instability of the past," Starmer said in a statement released by Downing Street on Tuesday evening.

In the speech, the king said the UK is threatened by an "increasingly dangerous and unstable world," citing the conflict in the Middle East. The bills include nationalisation of British Steel, lowering the voting age to 16, and closer EU cooperation. The speech also included a pledge to "urgently act to combat antisemitism" and ensure all minorities can live peacefully and safely. Other measures include a new immigration and asylum bill, at a time when more than 200,000 migrants have crossed the English Channel in small boats since 2018.

The ceremony marked the third time Charles has delivered the speech since his accession in September 2022. The king spoke from a golden throne in the House of Lords, alongside his wife Camilla, and is bound by strict political neutrality. Before the king's arrival, royal guards searched the cellars for explosives, a tradition dating to the failed 1605 Gunpowder Plot. A lawmaker was symbolically held hostage at Buckingham Palace to ensure the king's safe return.