General elections are always an exciting time for lawyers. Particularly when a new government – with new ideas – is almost a dead cert. Out with the old. And in with the new. But if you are expecting a ‘big bang’ on 5th July 2024, you’ll be disappointed. Once the initial furore of a new administration has died down, there will be a lull for a couple of months, when almost nothing happens. Then there will be the ‘Queen’s’, I’m sorry, the ‘King’s’ speech, when the new government will outline its legislative programme. So what are we likely to see in that legislative programme?
Well for a start, I would expect to see the Renter’s Reform Bill coming back to the floor of the House and pushed through to royal assent. Also, secondary legislation to bring into force the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024, which received royal assent in the dying days of the Sunak government. So I thought that I’d look at the Labour Party Manifesto just to see what we’ve got in store. Nothing much, it hasn’t yet been launched. Just a few generalisations about economic stability; reducing NHS waiting lists; new border controls; setting up a new energy company; cracking down on anti-social behaviour and recruiting more teachers. Is anyone going to argue with that? And haven’t we heard all that before? If I turn to the Lib Dem manifesto, I discover that Ed Davey is going to launch this at 11am tomorrow. And all while falling off a surfboard. I shan’t be tuning in.
BRUCE AND HOLLY 