No amount of pomp will hide the unravelling of this Government
==============================================================


**People gave Keir Starmer a huge majority for stability - what we've got is chaos**


©House of Commons

*The King with the Queen as he delivered his speech at the State Opening of Parliament on 13 May 2026*

 

It is very hard not to feel a sense of patriotic pride at the State Opening of Parliament. All the history, pomp, and ceremony on full display at the only time all three constituent parts of Parliament (the monarch, House of Lords, and House of Commons) actually meet.  


The King’s Speech sets out the Government’s plans for the year ahead. It’s a natural point to take stock of what the government has achieved, and then, for Opposition MPs like me, to scrutinise what is on offer to the country for the future.


But the focus this time was sadly not on the Government’s policy programme. The headlines are being dominated by questions about Keir Starmer himself. Will he keep his job? If so, for how long? And if not, who will replace him?


Why? Because his government has let the country down. He came to power promising change, but the only change most people have felt is that they are getting poorer. Taxes are up, as is borrowing, inflation, unemployment, and government spending. People feel poorer because they are. And they've had enough.


Governing is hard. Governing the UK right now is especially hard. We’ve had years of sluggish growth. Inflation surged after Covid and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The pandemic has left us with higher debt, along with an appetite for generous state support, irrespective of people’s contributions.


None of this was a secret in the run up to the last election. But Labour did nothing to prepare for it. Except for Ed Miliband’s Net Zero mission and a bonanza of trade-union drafted red tape, they had no plan for Government and now don't know what to do.


Most Labour MPs hold a principled belief that spending more of other people’s money is the answer to every problem. Even if Starmer held a different view, he doesn’t have what it takes to win his MPs over.


So what now? In the days/weeks/months ahead, Labour MPs need to pick someone who can make a decent fist of being Prime Minister. The country hopes they succeed.


Because beyond Westminster, people are despairing. Family breadwinners are losing their jobs, homes are being sold to pay the bills, and young people are losing hope of getting on the career ladder. Millions have drifted out of work altogether; claiming benefits makes more sense. Businesses are struggling with rising costs and regulation, while inflation has quietly hollowed out living standards.


Threats are growing more serious too. Russian vessels are probing our critical infrastructure. Government borrowing costs are rising by the hour. And still the welfare bill goes on up.


More of the same is not the answer. Government spending must come down, along with taxes and borrowing. Swathes of red tape must go. Only then will we get the growth and jobs needed to start turning things around. To me it seems obvious. But to the Labour MPs choosing their next leader? I doubt it.


The problem isn’t just Starmer; it’s also the MPs behind him. They clamoured for more welfare spending and the lifting of the two-child cap. They cheered taxes on farmers, family businesses and schools. And though some pay lip service to defence investment, the will to find the money simply isn’t there.


With his back against the wall, it’s no surprise that Keir Starmer’s King’s Speech contained no welfare savings, no support for businesses drowning in red tape, no lightening of the tax burden and no serious plan for funding defence. What it did promise was the so-called ‘Regulation for Growth Bill’ – a contradiction in terms if ever there was one.


In anticipation, we set out our Alternative King’s Speech outlining 16 bills to deliver our plan for the country. It covers all those gaps: £23 billion of welfare savings, a list of business regulations we would repeal, cuts to business taxes, the end of stamp duty, investment in defence – along with tougher measures on crime, leaving the ECHR, and drilling in the North Sea.


As I said in Parliament as we debated the King’s Speech, being in power is not an end in itself: what matters is what you do with the power voters trust you with.


We have learnt from our mistakes, and we are also learning from theirs. [Read our Alternative King’s Speech]([link removed]) and you will see what I mean.


*Thank you to everyone who signed and supported my ‘Stop the Sprawl and Save Kent’s countryside’ petition which I took to Downing Street today - nearly 7,000 people signed it in total. Read more [*here*]([link removed])*


**Hospitality is hurting**


I have been visiting hospitality businesses and tourism destinations across Faversham and Mid Kent, and their story is the same: they are drowning under ever-increasing costs.


Many of these increased costs are down to choices made by this government – like the jobs tax, which has increased the cost of employment by £900 for the average worker, and increased business rates. 

Read more [here]([link removed])


**Catapult attacks must be stopped**


That’s why I am calling on Maidstone and Swale Borough Councils to introduce Borough-wide Public Space Protection Orders (PSPO) banning them in public spaces.


These bans would mean that anyone over the age of 16 who fails to hand over their catapult to a council or police officer when asked to do so would be committing an offence.

See my letters to the councils [here]([link removed]).


**South East Water - under new leadership**** **


Thank you to everyone who signed my petition calling for the CEO of South East Water to go.


I have handed it into the head of the Water Regulator leaving him in no doubt about how unhappy people are.

Watch my video [here]([link removed])


**Canvassing Queen Eleanor** 


I could not resist canvassing Queen Eleanor of Castile while on a recent visit to Leeds Castle. 


Click [here]([link removed]) to find out how she would vote.


Leeds Castle is brilliant at bringing history to life and this time they have pulled a blinder with their AI-informed ‘avatar’ of Queen Eleanor. 


**Like Clockwork Brock was back on for Half Term. **


If, like me, you've had enough of Brock being deployed every single school holiday, sign my petition [here]([link removed]).


[*o*]([link removed])


**The Pepperbox Inn wins my English Tourism Week shoutout**


The Pepperbox Inn was the clear winner – thank you to everyone who commented and liked comments on my post on Facebook.


The Pepperbox Inn is a delightful country pub – I am only sad that it moved out of my constituency at the General Election and Katie Lam is now its MP.

Next time you will have to choose a pub in Faversham & Mid Kent!


**MBC and Homes England are pushing ahead with Heathlands**


The more I see of the plans, the more it brings to life the horrible reality of how this development will urbanise swathes of rural countryside. I urge them both to think again.


You can watch my video [here]([link removed]).


**Historic churches are at risk of slipping into disrepair**


Many historic churches will no longer be able to afford essential maintenance work. The Listed Places of Worship Scheme is no longer accepting applications meaning churches can no longer claim back VAT for repairs. 


The Conservatives are committed to restoring funding for the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme to pre-Labour levels and abolishing the £25,000 cap on repair claims. You can read more [here]([link removed]).

#### 


**There is not enough water for an extra 20,000 houses in Faversham and Mid Kent**


Yet again I have asked Ministers about how they propose to supply water to an extra 20,000 houses in Faversham and Mid Kent when there is not enough water for the current houses, and yet again I have been fobbed off with platitudes.


Watch me ask Ministers about our water supply [here]([link removed])


*Macknade in Faversham** is supporting the Meningitis Research Foundation as their charity of the year in memory of their late much-loved colleague, Juliette Kenny, who tragically died from meningitis earlier this year.  *

*Their fundraising efforts will begin with a ‘Ride to Verona’ spinathon, challenging their team to collectively ride the equivalent distance from Faversham to Verona  on tomorrow (10 June). Read more [*here*]([link removed]).*


If there's anything else I can help you with please email me at [email protected]

Please pass this email onto anyone you think might be interested and encourage them to sign up to these newsletters on my website, [here]([link removed]).


*Copyright © 2025 Member of Parliament for Faversham and Mid-Kent, All rights reserved.*
 

House of Commons, SW1A 0AA, London

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