What Starmer’s government means for universities and R&D

Stopping universities going bust, shaking up research funding, Securonomics—how Labour could reshape the sector

Labour began the business of government with a King’s speech on 17 July setting out plans for 39 pieces of legislation in the coming parliament. That figure was billed as exceeding the tally introduced by Tony Blair when the party took power in 1997.

While the number of bills may be on the high side, and although the new government has a huge majority, many political observers—and some in Labour—felt the mood of the Speech was notably cautious.