King's Speech 2026

Thursday 14 May 2026: King Charles III delivered the second King's Speech of the current Parliament on 13 May 2026, setting out the Government's legislative programme for the 2026-27 parliamentary session. The speech contained over 35 bills and draft bills, framed under the themes of national security, economic, energy and defence, and fairness.

What will impact West End businesses?

The Government has again signalled its commitment to economic growth and removing barriers to investment, which is good news for the West End, a high-performing, globally significant economic cluster that should benefit from that commitment.

Here's the topline on the biggest changes announced.

Significance	Bill	Topline
HIGH	Visitor Levy	Gives local authorities the power to introduce a charge on overnight stays in accommodation. Relevant to hospitality.
HIGH	Small Business Protections (Late Payments) Bill	Mandatory interest will be put on late payments. Relevant to hospitality supply chains.
HIGH	Regulating for Growth Bill	Reduces unnecessary regulatory burden. Potential benefit for the operating environment.
WATCH	Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill	This will cap ground rents and expands leaseholder rights. Affects property owners.
WATCH	Remediation Bill	This will accelerate cladding remediation. Affects hotel and mixed-use property owners.
WATCH	Railways and Passenger Benefits Bill	Nationalises railways under Great British Railways with transport connectivity implications.
WATCH	European Partnership Bill	UK-EU alignment on trade and standards with tourism and supply chain implications.
INFO	Energy Independence Bill	Scales up renewables; EV charger rollout. It could have operational cost and sustainability implications.
INFO	Civil Aviation Bill	This will unlock airport expansion. Long-term inbound tourism capacity signal.

What will this mean for our members' advocacy priorities?

Earlier this year, we convened a roundtable from the hotel sector to discuss the proposed visitor levy. They expressed strong concerns about the introduction of an overnight visitor levy. While levies can support destination management when well designed, the industry argues that current economic conditions make implementation high-risk unless alternative tax arrangements for VAT, business rates and reinstatement of VAT-free shopping are put in place in tandem with this proposal.

Read more on this and Ros Morgan's reaction to the King's Speech in The National.

What wasn’t included?

Businesses will be deeply disappointed that the King’s Speech failed to address business rates reform - the number one issue facing many firms, particularly those investing in physical premises, jobs and high streets. The Government promised fundamental reform to level the playing field between bricks-and-mortar businesses and online operators, and businesses now need to see that ambition translated into action. The Real Rates Reform campaign is calling for a hybrid business rates model that ensures online businesses pay their share, while supporting growth, investment and vibrant city centres. 

Read more about the Real Rates Reform campaign