King's Speech (Motion for an Address): Amendment (h)
111
Ayes
—
390
Noes
Defeated · Government won
145 did not vote
Analysis
Commons
Commons
**What happened:** On 22 July 2024, the House of Commons voted on Amendment (h) to the King's Speech, a Conservative motion criticising the new Labour government's legislative programme and proposing alternative policy priorities. The amendment was defeated by 390 votes to 111, with the government's position prevailing comfortably. **Why it matters:** The King's Speech sets out the government's legislative agenda for the parliamentary session, making it the foundational statement of what a government intends to do in office. A successful amendment would have represented a formal parliamentary rebuke of Labour's programme, though in practice such amendments are symbolic rather than legally binding. The vote confirmed that Labour's agenda, covering areas including the constitution and democracy, would proceed without formal parliamentary opposition being recorded on the face of the motion. **The politics:** The vote divided almost entirely along party lines. All 103 Conservative MPs who voted backed the amendment, joined by four Reform UK members, three Democratic Unionist Party MPs, and two independents. Labour, the Labour and Co-operative Party, Plaid Cymru, the Greens, and the Social Democratic and Labour Party all voted against. There were no notable rebels on either side. This was one of several opposition amendments tested across the King's Speech debate, with related divisions on amendments (d), (k), and (l) the following day producing similarly lopsided results, reflecting Labour's substantial Commons majority following the July 2024 general election.
Voting Aye meant
Support the opposition's amendment criticising or seeking to modify the government's stated legislative priorities for the parliament
Voting No meant
Back the Labour government's King's Speech and its proposed legislative programme, rejecting the opposition's challenge
501 voting MPs. Each dot is one vote; left-to-right by party. Grey dots in the centre are the 145 who did not vote.
Aye
No
Absent
Labour PartyWhipped No
0
337
25
Conservative and Unionist PartyWhipped Aye
103
0
13
Liberal Democrats
0
0
72
Labour and Co-operative PartyWhipped No
0
38
4
Independent
2
6
6
Scottish National Party
0
0
9
Reform UKWhipped Aye
4
0
3
Sinn Féin
0
0
7
Democratic Unionist PartyWhipped Aye
3
0
2
Green Party of England and WalesWhipped No
0
4
—
Plaid CymruWhipped No
0
4
—
Social Democratic and Labour Party
0
1
1
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
0
0
1
Speaker
0
0
1
Traditional Unionist Voice
0
0
1
Ulster Unionist Party
1
0
—
Your Party
0
1
—
The government inherited terrible economic conditions after 14 years of Conservative mismanagement; we will restore stability, drive growth through planning reform, investment, and pension schemes reform, and govern with fiscal responsibility.Labour · Voted no · Read full speech (4,312 words) →
The government's claim of the worst inheritance since WWII is false; we left fastest G7 growth, unemployment halved, and inflation at target; Labour's hidden tax agenda will undermine growth and contradict their manifesto promises.Conservative · Voted aye · Read full speech (3,115 words) →
Labour inherited genuine economic damage from Conservatives; we support growth and stability measures but demand immediate action on NHS, social care, child poverty, and small business support.Liberal Democrat · Voted no_vote_recorded · Read full speech (1,834 words) →
While acknowledging improved economics allow welfare reform, Conservatives should join Labour in scrapping the two-child benefit cap on moral and compassionate grounds as part of a broader child poverty strategy.Conservative · Voted aye · Read full speech (1,058 words) →
The government's growth strategy must reduce extreme wealth inequality through devolved economic power, employment rights, infrastructure investment, and reformed pension funds used for civic capitalism.Labour · Voted no · Read full speech (1,098 words) →
The UK economy was recovering well in 2024 with positive IMF forecasts; the government should explicitly rule out IMF-recommended tax measures (CGT, inheritance tax reform, road pricing, care cost changes) to avoid hidden tax rises.Conservative · Voted aye · Read full speech (933 words) →
The shadow Chancellor committed to tax cuts during the election campaign but admitted they were unaffordable; this is a broken manifesto promise.Labour · Voted no · Read full speech (92 words) →
Sources
Division dataUK Parliament Votes API
DebateHansard · Commons
Stance analysisAI analysis · Claude 4.x
LicenceOpen Parliament Licence v3.0