King Charles has unveiled Sir Keir Starmer’s blueprint for Britain, with draft laws on planning reform, employment rights and transport.

Here is everything included in the King’s Speech, along with some notable exceptions.

Border security

A Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill gives Sir Keir’s Border Security Command powers to use counter-terrorism-style powers to investigate and smash the people-smuggling gangs.

Tougher penalties will be introduced for advertising people-smuggling services and supplying materials to organised crime gangs, such as boats, motors and safety belts.

The King’s Speech confirms the new command will be funded by scrapping the Rwanda deportation scheme, which will save £100 million in future payments and “tens of millions of pounds” that would have been paid for relocated migrants.

It also pledges to clear the backlog of asylum claims including some 90,000 migrants who would have been sent to Rwanda and end the use of hotels to house them.

Equality

An Equality Bill will put race on the same footing as sex in equal pay claims to “create a more equal society and support a growing economy”.

Under the reforms, ethnic minorities and disabled people will have a “full right to equal pay” enshrined in law, bringing their legal protections on par with those of women.

In Labour’s view, this would make it “much easier” for people from minority groups to bring a claim against their employer because they would no longer have to prove “direct discrimination”.

Renters’ rights

A Renters’ Rights Bill will abolish Section 21 “no-fault evictions” and empower tenants to challenge rent increases “designed to force them out by the back door”.

It will also crack down “bidding wars” driving up prices for renters and give tenants the right to request a pet, which landlords cannot “unreasonably refuse”.

Awaab’s Law, which forces social landlords to repair mouldy homes, will be extended to the private rented sector, along with a “decent homes standard” to ensure properties are “secure and hazard free”.

The Bill will also make it illegal for landlords to discriminate against tenants receiving benefits or those with children, and will support “quicker, cheaper” resolutions when there are disputes, while giving councils new investigating powers to fine “bad actors”.

Meanwhile, it will create a “digital private rented sector database” to bring together key information for landlords, tenants, and councils.

Crime and policing

Respect orders – a revamped form of Asbos – will give police powers to place restrictions on adults to tackle anti-social behaviour. Breaching the orders would be a crime, punishable by imprisonment and/or a fine.

The new Crime and Policing Bill will give police new powers to quickly scrap noisy dirt and quad bikes causing havoc in neighbourhoods. An extra 13,000 neighbourhood police officers and PCSOs will be deployed as part of the crime crackdown.

The Bill will also make assaulting a shop worker a specific offence and scrap the £200 limit on the amount of goods stolen so police are required to investigate such “low-level” thefts.

It will also close loopholes which allow the sale of ninja swords and samurai swords, the type of weapon used to kill 14-year-old Daniel Anjorin in London earlier this year. Tech firm executives will face up to two years in jail if banned zombie knives and machetes are sold on their platforms under the new law.

A Terrorism Bill will introduce Martyn’s Law, under which premises will be required to take preventative measures to mitigate against a terror attack. It is named after Martyn Hett, one of 22 victims of the Manchester Arena attack in 2017.

A Victims’ Bill will give courts powers to force convicted offenders to attend their sentencing hearings, while there will be restrictions on the ability of sex offenders to change their names.

Education

A Children’s Wellbeing Bill will deliver on Labour’s manifesto pledges to introduce free breakfast clubs in every primary school and limit the number of branded uniform items that schools can require in a bid to cut costs for parents.

Academies will be required to teach the national curriculum, bringing them in line with maintained schools.

All teachers entering the classroom will be required to hold, or be working towards, Qualified Teacher Status, while support staff will be given a “national voice” when it comes to setting their pay and conditions.

Elsewhere, the Bill will give Ofsted stronger powers to investigate unregistered independent schools and require all schools to work with councils on admissions and special needs.

It will also strengthen safeguarding provisions and force local authorities to keep a register of children not attending school.

Separately, Labour will establish Skills England, a body convening employers, unions, education and training providers to develop a “single picture” of Britain’s skills needs.

Planning

A Planning and Infrastructure Bill will speed up the planning process to help build 1.5 million homes by 2029.

It will reform compulsory purchase rules to ensure that money paid to landowners is fair but not excessive.

Town hall planning committees will be modernised, and planning authorities will be given extra capacity to provide quick decisions.

The way critical infrastructure is approved will also be streamlined, allowing upgrades to the National Grid and onshore wind turbines.

Workers’ rights

An Employment Rights Bill will increase the minimum wage, taking account the cost of living and removing discriminatory age bands.

It will ban exploitative zero-hour contracts, ensuring that workers have a right to a contract that reflects the number of hours they regularly work.

The Bill will end the practice known as “fire and rehire”, where people lose work-based benefits.

It will extend flexible working, making it the default from day one in employment that firms must seek to accommodate people’s requests.

Tory trade union legislation since 2010 will be repealed and benefits such as parental leave and sick pay will be available from day one on the job.

It will bring in a new “fair pay agreement” for the adult social care sector.

Transport

A Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill will bring rail companies back into public ownership when their contracts expire, or if they fail their customers. There will be no compensation.

A Railways Bill will set up a new body, Great British Railways, to manage the rail network and bring in a simpler ticket system and automatic compensation for delays.

A High Speed Rail (Crewe to Manchester) Bill will provide powers to improve train lines in the north of England. It will not reverse Rishi Sunak’s decision to cancel the Birmingham to Manchester leg of HS2.

A Better Buses Bill will allow councils to launch publicly owned bus companies and give operators greater responsibilities to provide routes in certain areas.

Economy

A Budget Responsibility Bill will introduce a “fiscal lock” to ensure that all future Budgets must be subject to an independent assessment by the Office for Budget Responsibility. This is designed to avoid the mistakes of the disastrous Liz Truss “mini Budget”.

A National Wealth Fund Bill will establish a £7.3 billion fund to invest in projects across the country which can deliver growth. It will incorporate the British Business Bank and the UK Infrastructure Bank.

A Bank Resolution (Recapitalisation) Bill will make it easier for the Bank of England to help small banks and expand the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.

Companies

An Arbitration Bill will support more efficient dispute resolution between firms. The hope is that it will attract more international legal business.

A Product Safety and Metrology Bill will support businesses by reforming the way products are regulated, with a particular focus on the opportunities of Artificial Intelligence and the dangers of e-bikes.

A draft Audit Reform and Corporate Governance Bill will set up a new register to ensure businesses report their financial position truthfully.

Pensions

A Pension Schemes Bill will increase the amount that people who pay into private pensions can draw on in retirement.

It will prevent people from losing track of their pension pots from different companies they have worked for by consolidating them into one.

Trust-based defined contribution schemes will have to demonstrate they deliver value for money. People with terminal illnesses will be able to receive money at an earlier stage.

Football

A Football Governance Bill will introduce an independent football regulator to ensure the financial stability of clubs across England, a plan initially proposed by the Tories but shelved after Mr Sunak called the general election.

Under the reforms, professional clubs will need to have a licence to operate. They will also need to seek permission from fans to change their home shirt colours and get the watchdog’s approval to sell their stadium or relocate.

Meanwhile, the legislation will bar clubs from joining closed-shop, breakaway or unlicensed leagues following the row over proposals to form a European “Super League”.

Health

The new Government will resurrect Mr Sunak’s flagship smoking ban, barring anyone born after 2009 from buying cigarettes.

The legislation had cross-party support, but ran out of time at the end of the last parliament.

Labour’s Tobacco and Vapes Bill will introduce a “progressive smoking ban” to gradually end the sale of tobacco products across the country.

It will also crack down on vapes marketed to children and give ministers new powers to regulate flavours and packaging to “help stop the next generation from becoming hooked on nicotine”.

Conversion therapy

Labour is pushing ahead with its plans to ban conversion therapy despite fears that outlawing the practice, which attempts to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity, would risk criminalising parents who try to help children who think they are trans.

Currently in draft form, the Conversion Practices Bill proposes a “fully trans-inclusive” ban on actions not covered by existing legislation.

A briefing on the Bill states that it must not outlaw “legitimate psychological support, treatment, or non-directive counselling”.

“It must also respect the important role that teachers, religious leaders, parents and carers can have in supporting those exploring their sexual orientation or gender identity,” it adds.

Palestine

The King declared in his speech that Labour is “committed to a two-state solution” in the Middle East “with a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state”.

“My Government will play its part in trying to secure long-term peace and security in the Middle East,” he said.

Sir Keir has previously said that recognising Palestine needs to be “part of the process” of securing peace in the region, and suggested he would be willing to take the step before the US or Israel.

Private schools

Labour’s plan to impose VAT on private school fees also featured in the King’s Speech, despite not being tied to a specific Bill.

The move, which will be included in the next Budget, will be a key part of the Government’s agenda for the coming year.

Turning to education, King Charles said: “My ministers will seek to raise educational standards and break down barriers to opportunity.

“Action will be taken to get people back in employment following the impact of the pandemic. A Bill will be introduced to raise standards in education and promote children’s wellbeing.

“Measures will be brought forward to remove the exemption from Value Added Tax for private school fees, which will enable the funding of six and a half thousand new teachers.”

Lords, young voters and the two-child benefit cap: everything Starmer left out

While the King’s Speech does deliver on Labour’s pledge to strip hereditary peers of their seats, there is no mention of its commitment to force members to retire at 80.

The latter measure had attracted criticism from Labour peers, who labelled it “ageist”.

A briefing on the House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill says it will be a “short and narrowly focused” piece of legislation to “bring about modernisation by removing the right of the remaining hereditary peers to sit and vote in the House of Lords”.

There is no mention of Labour’s second manifesto commitment to “introduce a mandatory retirement age”, meaning that “at the end of the Parliament in which a member reaches 80 years of age, they will be required to retire from the House of Lords”.

Votes at 16

Labour’s pledge to lower the voting age to 16 does not feature at all in the speech. It is understood that it will not be enacted in this parliamentary session.

The policy was set out in the party’s manifesto, which said: “We will increase the engagement of young people in our vibrant democracy, by giving 16- and 17-year-olds the right to vote in all elections.”

Two-child benefit cap

Despite coming under pressure from campaigners, Sir Keir has stood firm on his refusal to scrap the two-child benefit cap.

He now faces a potential backbench revolt, with Kim Johnson, the Labour MP for Liverpool Riverside, pledging to lay an amendment to the King’s Speech to enact the change.

An anti-ageing drug that could help people to live longer and healthier lives is on the horizon after scientists extended lifespan in mammals by 25 per cent.

Imperial College discovered that switching off a protein called interleukin 11 (IL-11) prevented cancer, boosted vision and hearing, and improved metabolism, lung health and muscle function in middle-aged mice.

It may even prevent hair loss and greying.

Videos released by Imperial showed untreated mice with greying patches on their fur, hair loss and weight gain, while the treated mice appeared sprightly with thick, glossy coats.

The treated mice also lived for an average of 155 weeks, compared with 120 weeks in untreated mice.

Prof Stuart Cook, from the Medical Research Council Laboratory of Medical Science, at Imperial, said: “These findings are very exciting.

“The treated mice had fewer cancers, and were free from the usual signs of ageing and frailty, but we also saw reduced muscle wasting and improvement in muscle strength. In other words, the old mice receiving anti-IL11 (treatment) were healthier.

“While these findings are only in mice, it raises the tantalising possibility that the drugs could have a similar effect in elderly humans.”

Humans inherited the interleukin-11 gene from fish hundreds of millions of years ago.

But while the adaptation was useful then – and still helps limb regeneration in some species – it is now thought to be largely redundant in humans, and caused thickening and scarring of the tissues and inflammation, which brings ageing and disease.

Researchers hit upon the idea that silencing IL-11 might be implicated in ageing after noticing that the protein increases dramatically in laboratory animals with age.

‘Really excited’

Anissa Widjaja, an assistant professor at Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore, which was working with Imperial, said: “Out of curiosity, I ran some experiments to check for IL-11 levels. From the readings, we could clearly see that the levels of IL-11 increased with age and that’s when we got really excited.

“We found these rising levels contribute to negative effects in the body, such as inflammation and preventing organs from healing and regenerating after injury.”

The team had already discovered that the protein causes inflammation and stopped tissues from regenerating properly, so wanted to see if switching it off could dial down the ageing process.

In an initial experiment on genetically edited mice that had the gene producing IL-11 deleted, the simple gene deletion extended the lives of the mice by more than 20 per cent on average,

Next, scientists treated 75-week-old mice – the equivalent of about 55 years in humans – with an injection of an anti-IL-11 antibody, which stops the effects of the IL-11 in the body.

Researchers said the results were “dramatic”. The mice lived up to 25 per cent longer, and the treatment significantly reduced deaths from cancer in the animals, as well as preventing diseases caused by fibrosis, chronic inflammation and poor metabolism.

‘Better lungs’

Prof Cook added: “The mice had stronger muscles, they had better lungs, they had better skin, better hearing, better vision, multiple improvements.

“So not only can we do it by deleting the gene from birth we can do it with a therapeutic drug given later in life which opens up this possibility of now taking this to humans.”

“Our aim is that one day, anti-IL11 therapy will be used as widely as possible, so that people the world over can lead healthier lives for longer.”

Three companies currently have anti-IL-11 treatments in human clinical trials for scarring lung disease, fibrotic eye disease and cancers.

Lassen Therapeutics, which is conducting trials in the US has said that the drug has “an excellent safety profile”, and experts said it would be relatively easy to start a trial for ageing.

Dr Widjaja added: “Although our work was done in mice, we hope that these findings will be highly relevant to human health, given that we have seen similar effects in studies of human cells and tissues.

“This research is an important step toward better understanding ageing and we have demonstrated, in mice, a therapy that could potentially extend healthy ageing, by reducing frailty and the physiological manifestations of ageing.”

The research was published in Nature and partly funded by the Medical Research Council.

A Harley Street doctor has been suspended from treating patients for five months after he carried out a £3,500 non-essential penis filler procedure during lockdown.

Dr Mohammed Sefahn Chaudhry, 35, kept his private clinic open using his website and put up £1,000 worth of “Barbie tip rhinoplasty” and “lip filler” treatments as giveaways in a prize draw on social media in 2020.

Dr Chaudhry was reported to the General Medical Council after the patient who underwent the penis filler procedure claimed his genitalia had been left “misshapen” and had developed a “lump”.

The unnamed man, known as Patient A, also alleged Dr Chaudhry had posted “before and after” pictures of his penis on his website without his permission, forged paperwork and raised his voice at him when he complained about the results of the procedure.

At the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS), Dr Chaudhry, from Coulsdon, south London was found guilty of serious professional misconduct relating to non-essential work during the pandemic and was suspended from medical practice for five months.

But a disciplinary panel cleared him over allegations he failed to give proper treatment to Patient A and also rejected claims Dr Chaudhry posted the “before and after pictures” online after comparing the images in question to another picture of the man’s penis which he sent to an expert witness in the case as evidence.

The panel also ruled “the clinical notes and consent form completed on 4 May 2020 were more likely than not to have been signed by Patient A”.

The doctor ran two cosmetic clinics, Dermis Clinic Ltd and MC Medical Aesthetics Limited.

The investigation began in October 2020 after Patient A complained about his penis filler procedure which was carried out after he was contacted over WhatsApp the previous April in a “marketing call” by one of Dr Chaudhry’s work colleagues.

The Manchester hearing was told Patient A had wanted “increased penis girth’’ as his partner was “not satisfied’’.

He said in a statement: “The call was purely logistical e.g., when they could see me, how I could get there (given this was during the Covid pandemic), whether Dr Chaudhry had a London clinic etc.

“I confirmed that I was circumcised and asked whether my skin would adapt to the filler, and I was advised that it would.’’

Patient A underwent the procedure on May 4 with Dr Chaudhry and in June attended a second consultation in which he said the filler had not hardened and his penis started to look “misshapen”.

He said there was a lump and the filler remained soft and claimed Dr Chaudhry suggested further filler should be injected for free.

On July 18, Patient A attended Dr Chaudhry’s clinic for a third consultation and procedure and it was agreed that the enzyme Hylase be injected into his penis to dissolve the lump.

But in his statement, Patient A alleged: “Dr Chaudhry raised his voice, implying that he was out of pocket as he had provided some of the filler for free and that it was my fault the filler hadn’t hardened. I didn’t think this was very called for.”

‘Before and after’ images

He subsequently claimed he saw “before and after” images of his penis on the PenisFill website insisting he recognised it in the “before” pictures due to the positioning of the lump and claimed the “after” picture was of his penis immediately after the initial procedure.

Dr Chaudhry denied wrongdoing, claiming the picture was of another patient’s penis, and insisted: “I deny raising my voice at any time during my appointment with Patient A. He seems to be seeking ways to get a refund.”

He added: “During the Covid pandemic my understanding and belief was that the treatments I offer are medical. Therefore I never viewed them as non-essential.

“Every client that came to us during the pandemic, who was seeking treatments for purely cosmetic reasons, were not seen and advised to come after restrictions had been lifted.

“Our clinic was not open as normal and has strict Covid policies and protocols. I would also like to state, that the area that I work in was an extremely grey area during the pandemic.

“My colleague doctors, working on the same street, were performing hundreds of cosmetic-only procedures. I was not intently or purposefully breaching Covid legislation. 

“Again I am very sorry if this has put the public confidence in doctors at risk and jeopardising the profession’s reputation. I have learnt many valuable lessons from this process.’’

He also said the clinics no longer offered treatments as prize giveaways.

In suspending Dr Chaudhry, Ms Amarjit Sagar, the MPTS chairman, said: “The tribunal did not accept that Dr Chaudhry could have possibly thought that he was permitted to remain open during the period of the pandemic.

“There was wide press coverage and daily broadcast updates about the risks of the spread of Covid-19 yet despite this, Dr Chaudhry chose to continue to work and remain open.

“Patient A had not been in pain with his penis and there was nothing to suggest he required urgent medical attention. The tribunal was therefore satisfied that treating Patient A by injecting him with penis filler was non-essential treatment.

“It determined that in continuing to work, Dr Chaudhry ignored the constraints imposed on the general public and acted as if these did not apply to him.

“During this period, family members could not attend the funerals of their loved ones and major surgeries needed to be postponed. Dr Chaudhry would have been aware of the seriousness of the situation.

‘Obliged to keep patients safe’

“Fellow practitioners were under pressure working during Covid-19 conditions to keep the public safe, and Dr Chaudhry was also obliged to keep patients safe, in this case by closing his clinic.

“The tribunal considered this behaviour to be deplorable and as the public endured the restrictions imposed by Government guidance he continued providing non-essential treatment for financial gain.

“The tribunal considered that Dr Chaudhry was prompting customers to break Covid-19 guidelines by incentivising them with aesthetic procedures worth £1000.

Ms Sagar added: “Dr Chaudhry should have acted promptly to ensure patient safety and as director should have closed the clinics and cancelled any patients that were booked in.

“Failing to do so posed a risk to patients who were travelling, possibly on public transport, to see him, as well as mixing with any staff members at the clinic. He has shown no remorse.”

A “gender critical” council worker was sacked after protesting the use of pronouns on his email signature.

James Orwin was left furious when Caroline Lacey, the council’s chief executive, invited employees to “consider adding pronouns to your email signature, should you wish to do so”.

In “protest”, Mr Orwin, an IT project officer, changed his email footer to “XYchromosomeGuy/AdultHumanMale” rather than he/him.

Mr Orwin said he believed remaining silent when “morals and principles are under threat facilitates the steady creep of evil”.

He insisted East Riding of Yorkshire council was not promoting equality but implementing a “political position it had no mandate to adopt”.

He also claimed the use of pronouns was a “political gesture designed to intimidate anyone who does not embrace the contested ideology of gender identity”.

In Ms Lacey’s email, she wrote: “Clearly this is a matter of individual choice, but I am keen to ensure that all staff know that the choice to do so is available to them and that they will be supported in that choice in line with our workforce principles.”

Mr Orwin said he thought the only way to challenge the policy was “to adopt deliberately provocative pronouns”.

He was suspended and eventually sacked from the council after repeatedly refusing to remove his protest pronouns by bosses who warned they posed a “serious risk” to the transgender community and the council’s reputation.

Mr Orwin sued East Riding of Yorkshire council at an employment tribunal for religion or belief discrimination and unfair dismissal.

He lost his case, with Ian Miller, the employment judge, concluding he had not been discriminated against by being told to change his pronouns.

The tribunal did however accept his gender-critical beliefs amounted to a protected “philosophical belief”.

Mr Miller said: “The real reason that [Mr Orwin] decided to add “XY‐chromosome‐guy/adult‐human‐male” was in protest.

“[He] said that the use of the footer was bound to challenge the agenda of those who are implementing it.

“[Mr Orwin]’s email footers were seeking to make a point that mocked and derided the suggestion that people could identify their own gender regardless of their physiology.

“The footer was designed to provoke and, we think given his acceptance of possible offence, was designed to offend.”

The judge said the implementation of the policy was “poorly thought through and badly executed”, but added: “However, this does not detract from our conclusion that the purpose and intention of the policy was to comply with [the council]’s public sector equality duty.”

Given his refusal to change the footer, the judge concluded the council was left with “no choice” but to dismiss Mr Orwin.

Dismissing his claims of discrimination, he said: “None of the treatment he experienced was because of his beliefs (or expression of beliefs).

“The treatment – all arising from [Mr Orwin]’s refusal to remove the email signature – was because he used a provocative email sign off that was not acceptable to [the council].”

His claim of unfair dismissal was also dismissed as it was “well within the band of reasonable responses of a reasonable employer”.

A 17-year-old girl who died after attending a music festival in Kent was among 22 people taken to hospital suffering from suspected drug overdoses at the event.

Police declared a major incident over the Worried About Henry drum and bass gig at the Dreamland amusement park on June 29 after at least a dozen people under 18 were taken to hospital, with the youngest being aged 15.

The details of what happened have been revealed after the park, in the seaside town of Margate, was subjected to a review of its licence by Thanet District Council.

One person remains in hospital in a medically-induced coma, Kent Police said.

Emily Stokes has been named in media reports as the teenager who died.

In an online crowdfunding appeal, her sister Megan Stokes said: “To have her taken away so suddenly at just only 17 years old, it has completely broke me.”

She added: “The events on June 29 2024 are tragic and I wish for them never to be repeated. The venue and strategic partners are all really well engaged in ensuring that all efforts are made to minimise this risk in the future.

“I am of the opinion that this and other events have breached the licensing objectives in a number of forms and therefore it is right and proper that a review is completed of the venue’s licence in order to achieve the above and ensure public confidence in all agencies moving forward.

“At this stage, we are not seeking a full revocation of the licence as Kent Police are confident in working with Dreamland prior to any review hearing.”

Suspected dealer arrested

An application by Kent Police for a review of Dreamland’s licence said the over-16s all-day festival began at 1pm and 6,300 tickets were sold in advance, with a further 700 available on the door.

In the early afternoon officers became aware of three people being taken to hospital from the venue believed to be suffering from possible drug overdoses.

At 5pm a man was found with suspected illegal drugs and arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply, and then at 6pm an ambulance was called for a 17-year-old boy who was suffering from the side effects of drugs.

A call shortly after confirmed one of the casualties taken to hospital earlier in the day had been declared dead following a suspected MDMA overdose, according to Kent Police’s application.

The force said it declared a major incident at 7pm, adding: “At this time Kent Police were aware of 11 persons hospitalised due to drug use and potential overdoses”.

Venue ‘well run’

Officers decided not to shut down the festival as this “would likely have caused a large-scale public order incident and … allowing the event to continue would assist in the identification/support of any further casualties who could be treated accordingly.”

The force added: “This was a challenging decision but allowed mitigating factors to be implemented to minimise the risk towards already vulnerable children at the event.”

Dreamland has since cancelled a similar event scheduled for July 27. 

Kent Police said in its application that the park “has been well run” and was “well suited to what we would deem to be lower-risk events”.

‘Deeply saddened’

The force listed several interim measures it said should be put in place, which the council’s licensing sub-committee agreed to at a meeting on July 9.

The recommended steps included the formal cancellation of all similar events and those deemed to be of a “higher risk association with class A and B drug use by those under 18”.

Police also requested more security staff at the venue, zero-tolerance signage and for under-18s to be accompanied by someone aged over 25.

Following the teenager’s death, a Dreamland spokesman said: “We are deeply saddened to learn of the death of a 17-year-old woman in hospital on Saturday June 29.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the young woman’s family and friends and we will continue to work closely with Kent Police where relevant as they investigate this tragedy further.

“The police investigation is still ongoing, and we will therefore not be making any further comment.”

The amusement park has been contacted for further comment following the licensing meeting.

Jay Slater’s death was caused by trauma injuries consistent with falling in a rocky area, officials said as they formally identified his remains.

On Tuesday, teams were seen still searching the area where the 19-year-old was found as locals claimed it was “hard to understand how he got there”.

The Canary Islands High Court of Justice said it had identified the teenager’s body with the use of fingerprint technology after the remains were discovered near the village of Masca in Tenerife on Monday.

Debbie Duncan, Mr Slater’s mother, said in a statement: “I just can’t believe it – we’re here with the embassy staff waiting for an update and now it’s come – the worst news.”

The 55-year-old added: “I just can’t believe this could happen to my beautiful boy. Our hearts are broken.”

LBT Global, a charity which provides crisis support for British families overseas, previously said the remains were found with the young man’s clothes and possessions near his last known location.

The Spanish Civil Guard said Mr Slater, from Oswaldtwistle in Lancashire, could have fallen in the steep and inaccessible area where his body was discovered.

Following a preliminary post-mortem examination, a Canary Islands High Court of Justice spokesman said: “We have positively identified [Jay Slater]. 

“We can confirm from fingerprints that the body is that of Jay Slater and the death was due to polytrauma compatible with a fall in a rocky zone.” 

Polytrauma is a medical term which describes multiple fractures and injuries to body organs.

Mountain rescue workers, volunteers, drones, dogs and helicopters spent weeks hunting for the teenager, who had been visiting Tenerife with friends to attend the NRG music festival.

Video footage released by Spanish police showed people clambering across near-vertical rocky mountainsides covered in thick vegetation while looking for Mr Slater. 

He left the festival sometime between 3am and 6am on Sunday June 16 in the car of two other British men he had met earlier that evening, and stayed at an Airbnb property they had rented on the island’s west side near Masca.

Ofelia Medina Hernandez, the owner of the cottage, saw him outside just before 8am the following morning.

After she told him the next bus to his resort in Los Cristianos, in the south of the island, would not come for two hours, Mr Slater decided to start walking. She drove past the teenager around 10 minutes later, and said he was walking “quite fast”.

Twenty minutes later, Mr Slater phoned his friend Lucy Mae Law, who had been with him at the music festival, saying he was lost, thirsty, had one per cent charge left on his phone’s battery and had cut his leg on a cactus.

She called the police, and the apprentice bricklayer’s phone was last recorded at a point north of the cottage he had stayed at.

Search efforts continued

After 12 days of searching, the Guardia Civil said its hunt for the teenager had “ended” but the case remained open, promising that “any new clues will be investigated”.

Mr Slater’s family, who flew to Tenerife, continued their search for him after police said official efforts were ceasing

Yet the Guardia Civil later said it had continued efforts to locate him.

A family source told The Sun that Mr Slater’s mother was “completely devastated”. 

They added: “It’s the news they’ve all been dreading. She has a lot of questions which she hopes will be answered in the coming days.

“It hasn’t completely sunk in yet. The hardest thing for her is to hear he was found so close to the original search site. It’s hard to take.

“It means it’s entirely possible they have walked past his body whilst searching for him.

“It seems incredible so many people walked that area and yet he was so close. As we have seen with mountainous terrain and ravines, it does happen no matter how hard that is to believe.”

Funeral arrangements

Matthew Searle, from LBT Global, said the charity was working with the family to organise the return of Mr Slater’s remains to the UK.

He said: “The announcement does seem to confirm that Jay died of injuries consistent with an accidental fall from a considerable height. There will of course be many more hurdles for the family to face in the coming days and we will work with them to make this horrific time as easy as possible.

“We are working with the family now to sort out the next steps of taking Jay home, recovery of his belongings and laying him to rest back. We will not be releasing details of travel timings or funeral arrangements at this time and ask again for privacy for the family.

“I ask now that this is the end of all the hurtful comments on social media and elsewhere.”

Meanwhile, the remote valley where Jay was found was searched again by rescue teams on Tuesday, Sky News reported.

One local told the broadcaster that it was “exceptionally difficult” to safely navigate down the valley on foot.

Another resident said: “It is sad – the spot where they found him shows he had gone a long way into the ravine.

“It is hard to understand how he got there.”

More than half a million people joined a Facebook group where bizarre theories about Mr Slater’s disappearance were posted. Ms Duncan described them as “awful comments” that were “very distressing” for the family to read.

Some media commentators suggested the police had pretended to shut down the initial search in the hope that amateur detectives would pack up and go home.