general election comes into view. this is in every respect a momentous day. in the house of lords, look at the magnificence of the chamber. such expectation. the peers and guests have already started to arrive to secure their seats for the biggest event in the parliamentary calendar. you don t get in if you appear without the suitable attire. it is a case of first come, first served as well. once on the throne, there it is, the monarch s throne and the consort of s thrown beside it. the king will unveil the government s legislative programme for the session ahead. it is a political moment and a first for rishi sunak on his first state opening as prime minister. we will be discussing all the wider political context later in the programme. once the imperial state crown is on, the political gloves are well and truly off and we will get a real sense of the battle lines over the next year or so, the issues that will win or lose the election. so to explore what all of this, and the