After a busy few days of political manoeuvring, this week the government appears to be refocused on delivering on its promises.
Long-standing trade negotiations might come to an end, with a deal between the UK and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) possibly being announced, while the Labour government begins introducing its legislative agenda for the year ahead to Parliament.
Eyes on GCC-UK
Another long-awaited trade deal could finally be settled. Hopes are rising that the UK-GCC deal could be agreed this week.
The FT reports that an agreement-in-principle could be reached “within days”, citing anonymous officials on both sides.
In a statement last week, the GCC said that its secretary general Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi met with UK deputy prime minister David Lammy on the sidelines of the Euro-Gulf Geopolitical and Investment Summit in Greece. The statement said:
“During the meeting, they discussed several topics, most notably bolstering the strategic partnership, including overcoming all obstacles and aligning views on all aspects of the free trade agreement between the two sides, paving the way for its signing in the near future.”
A UK government insider told the FT that talks were “ongoing…and are at an advanced stage.”
However, officials also warned that the deal was not yet done and that the UK-GCC deal had reached a similar state of completion before, only to stall.
Talks have been ongoing since 2022, under the previous Conservative administration of PM Boris Johnson.
King’s Speech
The implementation in Parliament of the government's new legislative agenda, set out in last week’s King’s Speech, continues.
The first bill from the speech was laid down last week, after the Nationalisation (Steel) Bill was introduced by the government, with a parliamentary debate set for this week.
Potentially adding to the intrigue are the Liberal Democrats, who have have put forward an amendment to the King’s Speech, calling for the government to immediately begin talks with the EU over joining a customs union.
The Lib Dems only have 72 MPs in parliament, so would require a fairly sizeable rebellion from the Labour backbenches, uniform support from the Greens, Scottish Nationalist Party and Plaid Cymru, and a large number of abstentions from the Conservatives and Reform UK, for the vote to pass.
In another piece of parliamentary news: the ballot for Private Members’ Bills takes place on Thursday (21 May). Throughout the parliamentary year, 13 Fridays are set aside for Private Members’ Bills, legislation introduced by an individual MP rather than the government.
These are often used to discuss contentious political issues, including previous bills on Brexit and the relationship with Europe. The Ballot is a random draw, with debates guaranteed on the top-ranking bill.
Treasury updates
UK chancellor Rachel Reeves is set to announce a series of measures to deal with the rising cost of living, focusing on the rising cost of energy.
The Times reports that Reeves will scrap a 5p rise in fuel duty in her first move to help businesses and families deal with the escalating prices caused by the war in the Middle East.
Other measures are expected, as the chancellor says she will do “everything in my power” to help deal with the situation caused by the US/Israel-Iran war, which has spiked the price of gas and oil.
More details on easing banking regulations are also expected, following pro-investment policies set out by Labour in the King’s Speech.
Over the weekend
· Former health secretary Wes Streeting has said he will stand in any future Labour leadership competition and said that, if successful, he would pursue a UK return to the EU
· The US ambassador to the EU, Andrew Puzder, has insisted that Brussels implement its trade deal with Washington
· Bulgarian musician Dara won the 2026 edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, which saw the UK’s entry receive one point, and was overshadowed by a political row about Israel’s inclusion in the competition
Other dates for the diary
· Monday: International Day for Women in Maritime 2026, focusing on embedding gender equality at every level of the shipping and maritime industry
· Tuesday: Scottish Parliament set to elect its First Minister
· Wednesday: International Energy Agency’s report on the Global Electric Vehicle Outlook released
· Thursday: Hay Festival 2026 begins
· Friday: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President António Costa and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum to meet in Mexico City for the eighth EU-Mexico summit
· Saturday: Cannes Film Festival ends
· Sunday: Premier League season ends
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