Rishi Sunak’s final pre-election package of legislation will include anti-terror law that critics have warned could force small venues like village halls to close, i can reveal.
“Martyn’s Law“- named after Martyn Hett, a victim of the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing – will require venues and local authorities to have preventative plans against terror attacks.
It will be included in Tuesday’s King’s Speech despite “serious concerns” being raised by the Commons Home Affairs Committee about the financial impact a draft version of the legislation posed to small venues. The UK’s independent reviewer of terrorism legislation has said the majority of attacks since 2010 would not be covered by the bill.
In September, Mr Hett’s mother urged the Prime Minister to stick to his commitment to introduce the law and warned against “watering this bill down” to exempt smaller venues.
i understands that ministers are working to ensure a balance between the laws and the impact on venues.
The Government has already said it will review the committee’s recommendations to ensure the law is implemented effectively.
Martyn’s Law will come as part of a package of new legislation which is expected to include a crime bill, with tougher sentencing as its centrepiece.
Also at the heart of the King’s Speech will be Mr Sunak’s attempts to draw a dividing line with Labour on environmental issues, including moves to make oil and gas exploration easier with an annual system of awarding licences, and measures to help motorists, such as restricting the introduction of new 20mph speed limits and schemes like London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone.
But few Conservatives are expecting the speech to be packed full of game-changing pieces of legislation after 13 years in Government.
And the Prime Minister seems unlikely to announce a ban on conversion therapy – leaving him open to more criticism from LGBT equality campaigners who have been left waiting years for the law.
It was first promised under Theresa May’s premiership but was partially watered down by Boris Johnson amid concerns about including transgender people in the ban.
In January, Mr Sunak’s Government committed to a full conversion therapy ban, but said a draft bill would be published for pre-legislative scrutiny given the complexity and sensitivity of the issue.
Since then, nothing has been forthcoming.
Sources say work has been continuing in earnest in the Government Equalities Office but that the PM had not made a decision whether to include it or not.
Others, however, say the draft bill is not ready and there are still areas of contention within it that have not been ironed out.
Equalities Minister Kemi Badenoch is said to be concerned that any legislation protects clinicians who are concerned about medical intervention for children, as well as parents and teachers seeking to discuss gender dysphoria with kids.
The pre-legislative stage would usually take around three months so it could be possible to push the bill through before the next election. But given the strength of feeling among some Tory MPs concerned about its implications, Mr Sunak would face an unwelcome political battle if he tried to do so.
Some Tory MPs feel it is far more important for the Prime Minister to demonstrate competence and delivery on his pledges on the economy, NHS and small boats after years of chaos under Boris Johnson and Liz Truss, rather than passing reams of new laws.
One told i: “Elections aren’t won and lost with what’s in the legislative programme, they are won and lost on competence in running the country.
“For example, the Illegal Migration Act is on the statute book, it’s about making it work. Similarly on the NHS, we don’t need more reform, it’s about making it more cost effective.
“Voters won’t be worried about what new laws are coming into place, they’ll want to see a government competently running the show.”
Asked about the prospects for the King’s Speech to revive the party’s fortunes, another Tory MP said: “I wouldn’t expect anything particularly exciting in that, I really doubt that the Government’s legislation on X is going to get the country’s juices flowing.”
However, others suggested it was an important moment to revive morale and the party’s fortunes, with one MP insisting “we need some good popular policies”.
A Tory insider suggested Mr Sunak had a difficult balance to strike, as the speech provides a rare opportunity to “change the narrative”, but that a cynical public who have seen pledges broken on HS2, 40 new hospitals and other projects might not believe any new laws will affect them.
They said: “Anything you can’t visibly deliver within 12 months is close to being pointless and in some cases counterproductive because it’s just another thing that Labour can say you haven’t delivered.”
But they added: “They’ve only got a few points in time where they can push the change narrative. Rishi has got the office of the PM, that gives you a huge platform. But there are only a few points where you can lay things out.
“He’s had conference, he’s got the King’s Speech, the Autumn Statement, the Budget and then the manifesto – four more points in time to build a structure.
“So in that context it’s significant. What other opportunities does he have to do something dramatic?”
