Programme for Government — Workers' Rights — Cost of Living — Climate — Benefits — Windfall Tax — Devolution — Human Rights — 18 May 2022 at 18:33

The majority of MPs voted not to express support for a series of policy proposals put forward by the leader of the Scottish National Party Ian Blackford MP. The policies in question were: protecting workers' rights, doing more in respect of the cost of living and climate change; increasing benefits; imposing windfall taxes; retaining existing EU derived law and retaining the existing Human Rights Act.

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 include bills that protect workers’ rights, tackle the cost of living crisis, or the climate emergency;
• further regret that the Gracious Speech does not contain provision to uplift benefits and implement a windfall tax on companies which are benefiting from significantly increased profits as a result of impacts associated with the pandemic or the current international situation; and
• reject the proposals both for a Brexit Freedoms Bill, which will undermine devolution, and the Bill of Rights, which will weaken human rights protections.

The rejected motion was proposed by the leader of the Scottish National Party Ian Blackford MP. Generally PublicWhip does not not note which MP proposed a motion, but in this case it is key context for the nature of the motion.

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• [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

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