Today marks the return of Parliament after the party conference recess and with it the longest continuous sitting of the Houses since the General Election was called. Over the coming weeks, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer will be preparing himself for the next major event in the parliamentary calendar – Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ Budget statement on the 30th October. It is expected the Chancellor will be making a series of unpopular announcements, intended to help the Government recover cash to fill the £22 billion ‘black hole’ in the UK’s finances, and for which the Prime Minister will have to carefully communicate to ensure his Government doesn’t swiftly fall out of the public's favour.
Before he can get to this though, the Prime Minister has his own internal difficulties to deal with. Following the, perhaps unsurprising, announcement that Cabinet Secretary, Simon Case, will be stepping down at the end of the year, last week was rounded out by Starmer’s divisive Chief of Staff Sue Gray announcing she would be following suit. On Sunday, after weeks of negative press, No 10 confirmed the formerly all-powerful Chief of Staff would instead be taking on a new role as the Prime Minister’s envoy for the regions and nations. Morgan McSweeney, Starmer's faithful aid during the election campaign and one of the leaders of the thinktank Labour Together, is promoted to Chief of Staff.
Although these changes – which were made alongside a number of other new appointments in the Prime Minister’s office – indicate an element of chaos in the Government’s first 100 days, Starmer sought to redefine the narrative. Discussing his new team, the Prime Minister stated he made the changes to “strengthen” his office at this crucial time. The Opposition, however, has been quick to embrace the message that the Government is in chaos, asking “who will run the country now?” - an ironic statement considering the Conservative Government's own leadership changes while in power.
Away from domestic matters, over the weekend the Prime Minister marked the one year anniversary of the October 7th attack in Israel. Writing for the Sunday Times, Starmer warned the conflict in the Middle East risks inflaming tensions at home and urged all parties to “act with restraint and return to political, not military, solutions”. As the conflict in the Middle East looks set to progress over the coming days, and with significant protests on the matter taking place across the UK, this is a matter that will inevitably be high on the Government’s agenda for some time to come.
The anniversary will also be highlighted in Parliament, with a debate on the issue being led by Labour MP Jon Pearce in the Commons, today. Another issue being discussed in the Chambers this week is a Westminster Hall Debate on the removal of VAT and business rate exemptions for private schools. It's tricky timing for the Government as the Treasury confirmed it will go ahead with instilling the VAT change from 1 January, despite wavering on this previously. With intense pressure from industry voices, unions and tax experts, amongst others, surrounding this policy, expect further change to this government plan over the coming months.
Monday 7th October
House of Commons
- Oral questions: Department for Work and Pensions
- General debate: Lord Darzi’s independent investigation into NHS performance
- Adjournment: First anniversary of the 7 October attacks by Hamas
House of Lords
- Oral questions: Building a closer relationship with the European Union
- Oral questions: The national £2 cap on bus fares scheduled to end on 31 December
- Oral questions: Diplomatic tensions between Ethiopia and Somalia
- Oral questions: The report of the Commission on Justice in Wales, chaired by Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd
- Legislation: Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill - second reading
Tuesday 8th October
House of Commons
- Oral questions: Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
- Opposition Day Debate
- Adjournment: Health services in Bridlington
- Westminster Hall Debate: Removal of VAT and business rates exemptions for independent schools
- Westminster Hall Debate: Support for creative industries in Stoke on Trent
- Westminster Hall Debate: SEND provision in the East of England
- Westminster Hall Debate: The matter of tackling sewage discharges in chalk streams
- Westminster Hall Debate: Cultural and economic contribution of the Edinburgh Festivals
House of Lords
- Oral questions: UK's membership of Horizon Europe
- Oral questions: Appointing an independent legal expert to review the seven allegations of child sex abuse against Sir Edward Heath left unresolved
- Oral questions: Assessment of public bodies and services procuring professional services through processes which purport to be “onshoring” to firms which contract third parties outside the UK to do the work
- Oral questions: Implications for the UK's strategic relationship with the USA of the decision to cede sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory
- Legislation: Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and International Committee of the Red Cross (Status) Bill - third reading
- Legislation: Product Regulation and Metrology Bill - second reading
Wednesday 9th October
House of Commons
- Oral questions: Women and Equalities
- Prime Minister’s Question Time
- Legislation: Renters’ Rights Bill: Second Reading
- Adjournment: Higher education in Staffordshire
- Westminster Hall Debate: Government support for the RSPCA
- Westminster Hall Debate: Environmental impact of the proposed salt marshes at Pawlett Hams and other sites
- Westminster Hall Debate: Maternity services in Gloucestershire
- Westminster Hall Debate: Skills England
- Westminster Hall Debate: Sepsis awareness
House of Lords
- Oral questions: Increasing apheresis capacity in NHS hospitals in England
- Oral questions: Impact on the UK economy caused by speculation about rises in Capital Gains Tax and other taxes
- Oral questions: Studying computer science at English universities
- Legislation: Water (Special Measures) Bill - second reading
- Debate: Improving productivity in the public sector
Thursday 10th October
House of Commons
- Oral questions: Department for Transport
- General debate: General Debate on sport, following the Olympic and Paralympic Team GB successes
- Adjournment: Cost of rail fares
- Westminster Hall Debate: Improving support for mental health
- Westminster Hall Debate: Humanitarian aid and Gaza
House of Lords
- Oral questions: Assessment of the United Kingdom’s future combat air capability
- Oral questions: Recognising Somaliland as an independent nation
- Oral questions: Implications of imposing VAT on school fees with effect from 1 January 2025
- Debate: The state of social care in England, and the case for a comprehensive social care strategy and further support for unpaid carers
- Short debate: Steps to ensure farmers are supported and recompensed for their role in flood prevention
- Debate: Bilateral relations between the United Kingdom and Europe on issues of culture, diplomacy and security
Friday 11th October
The House of Commons and House of Lords is not sitting