Conservative Party Releases Alternative King's Speech Proposing ECHR Withdrawal and North Sea Drilling

The Conservative Party has outlined 16 proposed bills in an alternative King's Speech released ahead of the Labour government's official legislative programme. The measures focus on welfare, immigration, crime, energy and defence policy. The package seeks to address decisions taken by the current government and earlier Conservative administrations.

Party leader Kemi Badenoch said the document shows a renewed Conservative Party is returning with a plan to deliver. The proposals follow 18 months of policy development since the party lost power in the 2024 general election. Badenoch has previously apologised for mistakes made by past Conservative governments on tax and immigration.

The plans include an ECHR (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill and a Human Rights Act (Repeal) Bill. These measures are intended to reduce legal barriers to deporting individuals without a right to remain in the UK. Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said membership of the ECHR and the Human Rights Act had protected everyone except the British public.

Philp added that the proposed Take Back Our Streets Bill would triple stop-and-search powers, deploy 10,000 additional officers and roll out live facial recognition in high-crime areas. The party also proposed a Get Britain Drilling Bill to reduce legal obstacles to new North Sea oil and gas projects.

Supporters argue this would help address elevated energy prices linked to conflict in the Middle East. Badenoch said the alternative King's Speech would deliver strong borders, proper defence, support for business and upheld law. She stated that the current situation illustrates the difficulties of a party entering government without a prepared plan.

The full list of proposed bills also includes measures on welfare reform, high streets, reducing bureaucracy, protecting veterans and restoring school standards. The party suffered losses in local elections this week, losing hundreds of council seats in England.

Badenoch said the results showed signs of renewal after the party regained control of Westminster from Labour, retained majorities in Bexley and Kensington and Chelsea, and became the largest party in Wandsworth.

The proposals represent the outcome of extended policy work following the 2024 defeat. Badenoch has acknowledged errors by previous Conservative governments, including on post-Brexit immigration rules. The alternative speech is positioned as both a critique of current government actions and a correction of past Conservative decisions.

This week's local election results saw the Conservatives lose ground overall while making specific gains in certain London boroughs. The party described these mixed outcomes as evidence of political recovery. The alternative King's Speech is intended to present a forward-looking platform ahead of future national elections.