Research briefing setting out the government’s commitments covering foreign affairs and international development for the House of Lords debate on the 2024 King’s Speech.
King’s Speech 2024: Foreign affairs and international development (322 KB , PDF)
The Labour Party set out its approach to foreign affairs and international development in a chapter of its general election manifesto entitled ‘Britain reconnected’.
The chapter set out Labour’s ambition to “reconnect with allies and forge new partnerships to deliver security and prosperity at home and abroad”. It argued that a “strong and connected Britain” was a necessary response to a “more volatile and insecure” world, exemplified by war having returned to Europe, violence in the Middle East, and geopolitical tensions exacerbated by rapid technological change and a changing climate. David Lammy, the new foreign secretary, reiterated that this ambition would inform the new Labour government’s approach to foreign affairs following his appointment.
‘Britain reconnected’ was the theme of a speech delivered by Mr Lammy at an event hosted by the foreign affairs think tank Chatham House in January 2023. Mr Lammy later expanded on this policy approach in Parliament, in the press and in further speeches, including one delivered at the Institute for Government in May 2024.
The Library’s briefings for the King’s Speech draw on the Labour Party’s manifesto and other material in the public domain. They have been written in advance of the 2024 King’s Speech to help members of the House of Lords prepare for the debate on the speech. They do not constitute official information about the government’s intentions or provide a complete list of bills to be announced.
King’s Speech 2024: Foreign affairs and international development (322 KB , PDF)
An estimated 2.3 million people aged 16 years and over experienced domestic abuse in the year ending March 2024. Domestic Abuse Commissioner Nicole Jacobs has raised concerns about inconsistent support for victims and survivors and has called for urgent reform. The government has recently announced several policies aimed at enhancing this support, including a pilot of ‘domestic abuse protection notices’ and ‘domestic abuse protection orders’.
The House of Lords European Affairs Committee welcomed the EU and UK response to the war in Ukraine “in general terms”. In its January 2024 report, the committee said some areas of UK-EU cooperation had been broadly effective. The committee said the report’s aim was to consider a longer-term approach and make recommendations to strengthen the UK-EU response. It called for more formal arrangements in several security and foreign policy areas.
Current and recent governments agree that the rule of law is a fundamental British value. However, the House of Lords Constitution Committee and legal sector organisations have raised concerns that the rule of law has been eroded. Law officers in the Labour government have committed to uphold and promote the rule of law.
