Spencer West Partners React to The King’s Speech

Spencer West partners respond to the King’s Speech, delivered on 13 May 2026. Partners from various practice areas comment on Bills across immigration, cyber security, digital identity, regulatory reform, energy, financial services, and building safety.

Immigration and Asylum Bill – Lawrence Lupin, Immigration Partner

The Immigration and Asylum Bill was among the most closely watched announcements in the King’s Speech. Lawrence Lupin, Spencer West’s Immigration Partner, examines what the proposals mean in practice, and who they are likely to affect.

“Behind the relatively measured language of the King’s Speech sits a far more significant shift in immigration policy.

The wider immigration proposals behind the speech point towards a deliberate narrowing of human rights protections in immigration cases, particularly through restrictions on Article 8 family and private life claims.

While the government is clearly seeking to project control and toughness on immigration, there is a real risk that increasingly restrictive legislation will affect genuine families and long-residence cases rather than simply targeting abuse of the system.

At the same time, there are signs of possible cooperation with the EU on certain mobility arrangements, particularly for younger workers and students.

For individuals and businesses alike, the immigration landscape is becoming increasingly complex and fast moving. The legal and constitutional debate around the balance between immigration control and fundamental rights is therefore likely to intensify considerably over the coming months, making clear strategic legal advice for both business and individuals more important than ever.”

Cyber Security and Resilience Bill & Digital Access to Services Bill – James Clark, AI & Digital Regulation Partner

Two significant pieces of digital legislation featured in the King’s Speech – the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, which extends cyber-security obligations across the UK’s technology supply chain, and the Digital Access to Services Bill, which sets the framework for a national voluntary digital identity scheme. James Clark analyses both measures and what they mean for businesses operating in the digital space.

“The King’s Speech confirms the government’s intention to finish work on the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, the long-awaited strengthening of the UK’s cyber-security laws, extending responsibility to IT companies in the supply chain as well as to key infrastructure providers such as data centres. This law will bring the UK into closer alignment with the EU’s updated standards (NIS 2), whilst taking a different approach by focusing more on supply chain security, rather than a broad expansion of the scope of sectors regulated as critical infrastructure.

The government is also moving forward with a national digital ID scheme, aimed at modernising public services and streamlining identity verification. It’s likely this will dovetail with the framework for digital verification services that was set out in last year’s Data (Use and Access) Act. Whilst an initial proposal for a mandatory “BritCard” has been abandoned due to backlash, the government is proceeding with a voluntary system designed to be used for accessing services, with important questions about inclusion, privacy and security to be answered.”

Regulating for Growth Bill – Edward Garston, Corporate Partner

The Regulating for Growth Bill was presented as one of the government’s flagship pro-business measures, promising to modernise a regulatory environment to compete with technological change. Edward Garston comments on what it means for SME businesses.

“It was encouraging to hear the announcement of the “Regulating for Growth Bill”, which seeks to streamline and update the regulatory environment. Even the government admits our regulatory environment has failed to keep pace with a world of accelerating change, and if this Bill is successfully adopted, then it could enhance the UK’s standing on the world stage in attracting AI and other emerging technology startups.

But this initiative alone is unlikely to be the shot of adrenaline that SME businesses so desperately need, as they battle the many headwinds of increased employment costs and employment rights, business rates, and some of the highest industrial energy costs across the developed world.”

Electricity Generator Levy Bill – Mark Tan, International Corporate Tax Partner

The Electricity Generator Levy Bill proposes extending the government’s ability to claim a larger share of exceptional returns from energy generators. Mark Tan identifies the tension at the heart of the proposal.

“For the businesses this affects, this proposal raises real questions about forecasting, contracts, group structures, financing covenants and the future economics of existing projects.

There is an important imbalance to consider: where market conditions produce exceptional receipts, Government wants a larger share of that upside; however, the downside risk — capital costs, financing risk, project delays and long-term operational exposure — remain with the private businesses.

This imbalance matters. The country needs substantial private capital to build and maintain energy infrastructure, and whilst a higher levy may be attractive in the short term, once again, this pushes capital elsewhere. It risks doing little for the wider economy and even less for long-term energy security. As always, the detail of the Bill will matter.”

Enhanced Financial Services Bill – Charles Herbert, Dispute Resolution Partner

The Enhanced Financial Services Bill encompasses some of the most wide-ranging regulatory reform proposed in the King’s Speech, delivering key elements of the Leeds Reforms and touching everything from the Financial Ombudsman Service to the Senior Managers and Certification Regime. Charles Herbert sets out what the changes mean for regulated firms – and where important questions remain.

“Regulated financial services firms should take note of the reference in the King’s Speech to reforms that support higher growth and legislation that will reduce the burden of unnecessary regulation. The government’s briefing notes provide key further detail on the Enhancing Financial Services Bill. This aims to deliver key parts of the Leeds Reforms set out by the Chancellor in 2025, modernise how the sector is regulated, enable it to grow, lend more to businesses, and make consumer protections fit for the digital age.

Specifically, reform to the Financial Ombudsman Service, where there has been criticism of the consistency, pace and clarity of decision-making, is much needed. The Ombudsman continues to provide a valuable service, particularly in sparing consumers, regulated firms and the court system from volume litigation and its associated cost. There remain valid concerns moving from the Ombudsman’s “fair and reasonable” test to a position where the Ombudsman must find in a firm’s favour where it has complied with FCA requirements might have unintended consequence, particularly pushing more consumers to litigation without initial reference to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Consolidating the Payment Systems Regulator within the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), meaning firms would deal with fewer overlapping regulators, is certainly welcome and should provide faster decision-making. Regulated firms will also appreciate the reduction of the administrative and cost burden of the Senior Managers and Certification Regime (SM&CR) — the framework that holds senior leaders in financial firms personally accountable — by 50%. Changes here will still allow focus on accountability of the most senior figures in financial services. However, reform should lead to far less inconsistency among regulated firms in the application of the SM&CR to Certification Staff, particularly with regard to determination of breaches of the Conduct Rules and regulatory references. Updating the statutory framework underpinning the ring-fencing regime, which requires major banks to separate their UK retail banking services from investment banking activities could also have a profound effect for SMEs particularly.

Of course, on the day of the King’s Speech, the political landscape is unsettled. The current stated direction and focus are however positive for the financial services sector, which accounts for around 8 per cent of UK output and employs more than 1.1 million people across the country.”

Building Safety Remediation Bill – Paul Lowe, Construction & Insurance Partner

The Building Safety Remediation Bill arrives against a backdrop of sustained government activity on building safety, including a new Strategic Plan for regulation and a White Paper on construction product regulation. Paul Lowe examines what the proposed legislation adds to that picture — and what to watch for next.

“The announcement of the Building Safety Remediation Bill follows recent news from the UK Government of i) a Strategic Plan for building safety regulation to cover 2026–27 and ii) the publication of a ‘White Paper’ policy document, giving direction as to the future of UK construction product regulation.

The Bill is said to bring about measures to compel cladding product manufacturers to pay towards the costs of remediation, establish a new ‘legal duty’ to remediate, generate a register of buildings 11–18m — ie a record of ‘medium rise’ buildings in England, and introduce facilities for third parties to carry out remediation works where that has become a necessity.

Governments together with regulators have adopted varying approaches towards building safety. The prospect is new legislation in building safety which is designed to look in a fresh way at remediation in an area where the UK Government has continued to dedicate attention and activity.”