18 Jul 2024On Wednesday 17 July King Charles III delivered the 2024 King's Speech at the State Opening of Parliament and announced draft laws which include plans to accelerate housebuilding and roll out 'greater devolution' of decision making to metro mayors and combined authorities in England. In the Speech, the government also pledged to: Give renters 'greater rights and protections' by ending no-fault evictions. Remove the VAT exemption for private school fees. Establish publicly owned Great British Energy. Bring train operators into public ownership. Commenting on the Speech, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: 'Now is the time to take the brakes off Britain. For too long people have been held back, their paths determined by where they came from - not their talents and hard work. 'I am determined to create wealth for people up and down the country. It is the only way our country can progress, and my government is focused on supporting that aspiration.' Meanwhile, business group the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), which recently called for the government to introduce measures that help 'unlock investment', stated that the measures included in the Speech 'show the voice of business has been heard'. Shevaun Haviland, Director General of the BCC, said: 'There is much in [the] speech which shows the voice of business has been heard and that government is introducing measures that benefit firms and help unlock investment.? 'We want to work in partnership with the government to make this happen and shift the economy out of first gear to get it motoring again.'