Yesterday, Rishi Sunak announced that we will have a General Election on 4 July.  Long awaited by some, too soon for others. The question for many, including lawyers, will be: so what happens to all the bills that are wending their way through the legislative process?

All washed up?

Parliament will be dissolved on 30 May, and there will be a rush to get as many government bills through as possible in the so-called “wash-up”. The wash-up period refers to the last few days of a Parliament before dissolution. Any unfinished business is lost at dissolution and the government may need the co-operation of the Opposition in passing legislation that is still in progress.

In the past some Bills have been lost completely, while others have progressed quickly but in a much-shortened form. 

We've taken a look at some of the Bills most likely to be of interest to our clients, and set out below our best guess of which Bills will become law, and which will go back to the drawing board for an incoming government to reconStarmer, I mean reconsider.

Ai, ai, ai

As well as the Government Bills, a private members' AI Regulation Bill has been passing through the Lords - private members' bills rarely become law in any event, but Labour have said that if they win the election they will reconsider how to regulate AI.

Next week you can come back and mark our homework!

Bill, bill, bill!