Queen's Speech — Energy Prices — Europe — Tuition Fees — Public Sector Pay — Minimum Wage — Student Grants — 29 Jun 2017 at 16:50

The majority of MPs voted against an energy price cap; against a properly resourced industrial strategy; against maintaining the benefits of the European Single Market and Customs Union; against maintaining the existing rights of EU nationals living in the UK and EU nationals living in the EU; against increased funding of public services; against scrapping university tuition fees; against restoring Education Maintenance Allowance, maintenance grants and nurses’ bursaries; against ending the public sector pay cap and against increasing the minimum wage.

MPs were considering the following motion:

• That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, as follows:
• Most Gracious Sovereign,
• We, Your Majesty’s most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Parliament assembled, beg leave to offer our humble thanks to Your Majesty for the Gracious Speech which Your Majesty has addressed to both Houses of Parliament.

the amendment rejected in this vote was:

• at the end of the Question to add:
• but
• respectfully regret that the Gracious Speech fails to end austerity in public services, to reverse falling living standards and to make society more equal;
• further regret that it contains no reference to an energy price cap and
• call on the Government to legislate for such a cap at the earliest opportunity;
• call on the Government to commit to a properly resourced industrial strategy to increase infrastructure investment in every nation and region of the UK;
• recognise that no deal on Brexit is the very worst outcome and therefore
• call on the Government to negotiate an outcome that prioritises jobs and the economy, delivers the exact same benefits the UK has as a member of the Single Market and the Customs Union, ensures that there is no weakening of cooperation in security and policing, and maintains the existing rights of EU nationals living in the UK and UK nationals living in the EU;
• believe that those who are richest and large corporations, those with the broadest shoulders, should pay more tax, while more is done to clamp down on tax avoidance and evasion;
• call for increased funding in public services to expand childcare, scrap tuition fees at universities and colleges and restore Education Maintenance Allowance, maintenance grants and nurses’ bursaries;
• regret that with inflation rising, living standards are again falling; and
• call on the Government to end the public sector pay cap and increase the minimum wage to a real living wage of £10 per hour by 2020.”.

Debate in Parliament |