00:00Kristen, what did the King actually announce in today's speech?
00:05Well, Finn, it was a King's speech like no other,
00:08as it was possibly overshadowed by the challenges Labour is currently facing.
00:12Some MPs have suggested that Sir Keir Starmer is not capable of leading the Labour Party.
00:17In the King's speech, however, he set out the government's legislative programme for the year ahead
00:23with proposed new laws on the cost of living, trade, infrastructure, public services, housing and defence.
00:28There were plans to strengthen trading links with the European Union,
00:33support small businesses hit by late payments and reduce unnecessary regulation.
00:39On public services, the government proposed reforms to the NHS, policing, the courts, immigration and asylum.
00:46There were also plans to clean up the water industry, establish Great British Railways,
00:51reform special educational needs provision and increase investment in social housing.
00:56So in simple terms, it was a speech focused on stability, growth, public services and national security.
01:03And Kristen, how does this relate specifically to our viewers here?
01:08And what kind of bills and changes might affect them particularly?
01:14Well, Finn, for Kent, the biggest headline is the focus on the lower Thames crossing.
01:19That project would connect Kent and Essex through a new road tunnel under the Thames
01:23with the aim of easing pressure on the Dartford crossing.
01:26Supporters say it could reduce congestion, improve journey times and help businesses moving goods across the south east.
01:34But it's also controversial, particularly for communities in North Kent,
01:38because of concerns around traffic, cost disruption, air quality and the impact on the countryside.
01:44But there are other Kent angles as well.
01:47Any move to strengthen trading links with the EU matters here in Kent because it's the gateway to Europe through
01:53Dover,
01:53the channel tunnel and the wider road network that supports fright.
01:58Water reform is also significant for our country with major coastal communities.
02:03We've heard a lot recently that there are problems with sewage and our waterways.
02:07We've covered those stories recently.
02:08And with that reform, that could be really astounding.
02:11Something could change there.
02:12Real reform will matter to southeastern passengers,
02:15especially with those frustrated by reliability, fares and service levels.
02:19And the NHS, SEND and housing announcement all touch issues we hear about regularly in Kent.
02:25From pressure on GP services and hospitals to families struggling for support in schools
02:30and young people being priced out of the area.
02:33To find out a little bit more about how this would affect Kent economically,
02:37we spoke to Tudor Price from the Invicta Chamber of Commerce.
02:42It's one of the biggest infrastructure projects we've seen in this part of the world for a very, very long
02:46time.
02:47So, I mean, we're really keen to see the government continue to sort of endorse and support.
02:51I think leveraging that private sector investment has been a critical element to the project now.
02:56We've got past all the planning.
02:58We've got all the sort of groundwork that started underway.
03:00We've got all the suppliers and the opportunities in place.
03:03So, seeing this move forward to the next stage is going to be absolutely fundamental
03:07to some of the economic prosperity we will face here in Kent and Medway.
03:11We are already doing a huge amount with the supply chain,
03:13making sure that, you know, the opportunities are felt here locally.
03:16But also, there's a long-term social impact and legacy that's going to be created from the skills
03:21and career choices that will be sort of brought off the back of this
03:23are going to be really, really significant.
03:25So, this is a real positive thing.
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