MP’s from across Cumbria gathered in the House of Lords this week to hear the King’s speech which set out the government’s legislative agenda for the next year.

Amidst the pageantry and tradition which divides opinion every year, the speech plays an important role in the functioning of British democracy.

The seemingly bizarre traditions, including slamming the door of the commons in the face of ‘black rod’ and the parliamentarians sending a ‘hostage’ the royal household, all demonstrate the authority of the commons and remind us that despite being a constitutional monarchy, the elected officials are the real base of legislative power.

The content of the King’s speech had been widely trailed in the media prior to the main event, but including bills focused on more severe sentences for the worst offenders, licences for oil and gas projects in the North Sea to be awarded annually, under the Offshore Petroleum Licensing Bill and a Tobacco and Vapes Bill will deliver plans for a phased ban on smoking introduced by the Prime Minister at the Conservative party conference.

Commenting on the speech, Conservative MP for Carlisle, John Stevenson said: “If we are going to improve people’s lives for the better in Carlisle, we have to deliver long-term solutions to the problems families and business face.

“That is why I welcome the Conservative Government’s new, long-term legislative agenda, set out at the King’s Speech.

“This King’s Speech proved the Prime Minister will continue to break the old model of doing politics and deliver the long-term decisions needed for a brighter future.”

John said he particularly welcomed the inclusion of the Football Governance Bill.

The Bill, which has the support of the EFL, includes the case for an independent regulator, a body expected to have targeted powers to address the financial sustainability of clubs, focussing in particular on how money can be channelled from the Premier League to lower division clubs.

“I am delighted to see this Football Bill included in the King’s Speech today,” said John.

“Supporting clubs like Carlisle United is vital for the future of the sport and recognises the important role clubs like ours play in producing home grown talent and the excellent work they do in the local community. 

“I shall be following the progress of this Bill with interest.”

Mr Stevenson was joined in praise of the King’s speech by Penrith and the Border MP, Dr Neil Hudson who said it was an ‘absolute privilege’ to be in the Lords to hear the speech.

“This King’s Speech proved the Prime Minister will continue to break the old model of doing politics and deliver the long-term decisions needed for a brighter future,” said Dr Hudson.

"Having campaigned hard for a number of issues to be addressed - including bolstering energy security, clamping down on youth vaping and banning live animal exports - I’m incredibly pleased the Prime Minister has listened to me and my Conservative colleagues to improve people's lives for the better.

"To be at the entrance to the House of Lords while the King delivered his first King’s Speech was an absolute privilege and I pay tribute to a man who has given so much to serve us and our great nation and continues the great legacy of his mother, our late Queen."

Dr Hudson said he was a great supporter of the new Tobacco and Vapes Bill will ban the sale of tobacco products in England for children born on or after 1 January 2009.

“I’ve worked incredibly hard to crack down on youth vaping which I feel is one of the biggest problems facing younger generations,” said Dr Hudson.

Tackling this issue, we can boost the mental and physical health of our children, boost educational attainment and prevent them from developing lifelong addictions.

“There is no safe age to smoke, and I know no fellow parent ever wants their child to start smoking.

“It is the leading cause of preventable deaths in the UK, unduly burdening the NHS and the British taxpayer.

“I thank Government for listening to me and safeguarding generations against the harms of tobacco.”

Labour has said that Rishi Sunak can ‘rely’ on their votes in implementing both the Tobacco and Vapes Bill and the Football Bill as they are serving in the ‘national interest’ but has criticised other elements of the speech.

Opposition parties criticised the King's Speech by saying that it was "cheap gimmicks and reheated policies" and that it didn't represent an ambitious programme for government.

The King’s speech did not introduce any piece of legislation designed to help clean up rivers and waterways which have seen a rise in the amount of sewage pumped into them.

Westmorland and Lonsdale’s Liberal Democrat MP, Tim Farron, called for urged action to end this ‘national scandal’.

“There was not a single mention of sewage in the King's Speech, not one,” said Tim.

“A national environmental scandal is taking place every day in our precious lakes and rivers, but the Conservative Government simply don't care.”

Labour said that the speech reached a 'new low' for the Conservatives.

“Today’s address shows, just how ridiculous that posturing is because what we have before us, is a plan for more of the same,” said Keir Starmer.

“More sticking plasters, more division, more party-first, country-second gimmicks, and no repudiation of the utterly discredited idea that economic growth is something the few hand down to the many.

“In fact, today we reach something of a new low.

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“Because they’re not even pretending to govern anymore, they’ve given up on any sense of service.

“They see our country’s problems as something to be exploited not solved and in doing this, they underestimate the British people.”

With a general election on the horizon, the King’s speech represented an opportunity for the Conservative’s to change the narrative and put pressure on Labour and whilst there is cross party support for some of their plans, the Conservatives will have to do more to overturn Labour’s vast polling lead and win the next election.