King's Speech includes Bill to scale-up home-grown renewable energy and protect living standards
Wed 13 May 2026
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The Government's legislative agenda outlined in the King's Speech includes an Energy Independence Bill to “scale-up homegrown renewable energy and protect living standards for the long-term”.
Set against the backdrop of rising energy security concerns as a result of the Iran War, the Government says that "energy independence must be a long-term goal of national security and that the nation’s energy security requires long-term investment and reform, as demonstrated by recent events in the Middle East”.
The Bill will provide a framework to support a commitment to transition the UK energy market away from fossil fuels towards alternative forms of energy, including nuclear and renewables. It will introduce measures to support energy consumers, including reforms to the remit and powers of the energy regulator, Ofgem.
Accompanying briefings suggest that the Bill will ban the allowance of new licences for oil and gas exploration in the North Sea, in line with a Labour manifesto commitment.
While the Energy Independence Bill reinforces the Government's commitment to clean power, there was nothing explicit in the King's Speech about road transport decarbonisation targets.
A Draft Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Bill aims to modernise Victorian-era licensing rules, strengthening public safety while removing barriers for disabled passengers, and creating a single national framework for taxi and PHV law. The Bill made no explicit reference to zero emission requirements or EV transition targets for the licensed trade. For a sector that runs disproportionately high mileage in urban areas and which could benefit significantly from mandated electrification timelines, this may be an opportunity missed.
Image: Courtesy Dan Johnston, Pixabay
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