Programme for Government — Amendment from the Leader of the Liberal Democrats — 18 May 2022 at 18:33

The majority of MPs voted not to express support for a broad set of policies put forward by the leader of the Liberal Democrats. The policies in question were: providing more help to unpaid carers; tackling issues in education relating to special educational needs or disability; supporting pupils impacted by the pandemic; doing more in respect of the cost of living; cutting VAT from 20 to 17.5%; tackling violence against women and girls; providing sanctuary to refugees fleeing war and persecution; tackling the shortage of GPs and dentists; tackling longer ambulance waiting times; restoring the target of 0.7% of Gross National Income for aid, and not cutting the armed forces.

MPs were discussing a motion thanking the monarch for the Queens' Speech.

The debate on the content of the government's legislative programme outlined in the Queens' speech is technically, and traditionally, on the subject of a message of thanks which the house is to send the monarch for the speech.

The text of the motion under consideration was:

• 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 was addressed to both Houses of Parliament.

The amendment rejected by a majority of MPs in this vote was:

• at the end of the Question to add:
• “but respectfully
• regret that the Gracious Speech
• fails to support unpaid carers despite a Bill having been prepared,
• fails to tackle issues in SEND education provision and
• does nothing to ensure pupils affected by the pandemic get extra support to catch up missed education,
• is not sufficiently ambitious in tackling the cost of living crisis and
• should include provision for an emergency tax cut cutting the top rate of VAT from 20 per cent to 17.5 per cent;
• further regret that the Gracious Speech
• fails to tackle violence against women and girls,
• nor does it tackle fraud and scams,
• does nothing to provide safe and legal routes to sanctuary for refugees fleeing war and persecution,
• does nothing to tackle the chronic shortage of dentists and GPs which results in long waiting times for patients requiring essential treatment,
• ignores the growing waiting times for ambulances,
• does not reverse the misguided cut to the armed forces of up to 10,000 troops, and
• fails to restore with immediate effect the 0.7 per cent target of GNI for international development spending.

The amendment was proposed by Ed Davey MP, the leader of the Liberal Democrats. Generally PublicWhip does not note which MP moved a motion, but in this case it is key context for the nature of the motion.

--

• [1] Queen's Speech, 10 May 2022, House of Commons Official Record, TheyWorkForYou.com
• [2] Queen's Speech 2022: background briefing notes, 10 May 2022 , Gov.uk

Debate in Parliament |