A long, long, time ago a new prime minister promised to “tread more lightly on your lives” and there was widespread rejoicing in the realm. The people were tired of being issued with a barrage of instructions and business had become increasingly frustrated by unhelpful interventions from a remote administration. The prospect of a period of relative calm was widely applauded as enthusiasts uttered the oft-quoted line: “They govern best who govern least”.
That maxim still rings true, but the promise was quickly forgotten. Which is a shame as it was only made in July 2024, during Keir Starmer’s first speech in his new role. Whatever his intentions, he quickly fell victim to the disease that seems to afflict almost every administration: the desperate urge to legislate.
In its first parliamentary session, Starmer’s government launched 50 bills, many of them extremely heavy, both in their weight and potential effect. By the time it reached the statute books, the Crime and Policing Act ran to 582 pages.
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It created new crimes where, arguably, there was no need, including, for instance, a specific offence of assaulting a shop worker. Clearly, shop workers should not be assaulted. But then neither should waiters or bus drivers or anyone else. Assault was already treated as a crime.
The Employment Rights Act fills 334 pages and many businesses argue that it hampers their ability and enthusiasm for creating new jobs. And Starmer the football fan even managed to generate almost 130 pages of legislation relating to the sport.
By May this year, when King Charles was in the surreal position of having to read out a speech outlining the agenda for the second session of a government whose leader looked to be on the way out, Starmer had clearly completely ditched any idea of “treading lightly”.
Instead, the promise was of “a more active government” that would be “on the side of the British people”. The idea that it might be on any other side would be extraordinary and the monarch could have been forgiven for a raised eyebrow as he read that strange line. The King’s Speech proposed 40 or so new bills.
Now the country has a new prime minister and one who wants to bring about radical change. Andy Burnham’s plans for devolution will require legislation, as will the tax rises that he has indicated might have to come.
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But he should move fast to make the changes he has promised and then revive that initial Starmer pledge. After shifting power from the centre to the regions, he could give his legislative pen a break and let the newly powerful regional authorities get on with their jobs.
Burnham has been propelled into power by the continuing deep-rooted sense of discontent in the country. The UK has numerous problems, many of them the result of decades of neglect and denial. The failure of the water companies to serve customers due to crumbling Victorian sewers feels like a metaphor for the national situation. Britain suffers from a prolonged failure to invest in infrastructure; bungled privatisation; appallingly bad regulation and abject management.
But it also has some thriving technology and creative industries, some great universities and, somewhat remarkably, it remains attractive to outsiders. The new prime minister has an opportunity to unleash a positive spirit. But that will not be achieved by simply issuing more and more legislation.
