King's Speech (Motion for an Address): Amendment (h)
111Ayes
390Noes
Defeated · majority 279 · Government won145 did not vote
646 Members · Aye 111 · No 390 · DNV 145 · grey dots in centre are abstentions
Analysis
Commons
Commons
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. 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 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
Each row is one party. The stacked bar gives the within-party split of Aye / No / Absent; the columns on the right give the raw counts. The whip column shows the published party position — “Free vote” means the whip was formally removed for this division.
Party
Whip
Aye / No / Abs
Aye
No
Abs
Labour Party
Whipped No
0
336
25
Conservative and Unionist Party
Whipped Aye
103
0
13
Liberal Democrats
—
0
0
72
Labour and Co-operative Party
Whipped No
0
38
4
Independent
—
2
7
5
Scottish National Party
—
0
0
9
Reform UK
Whipped Aye
4
0
3
Sinn Féin
—
0
0
7
Democratic Unionist Party
Whipped Aye
3
0
2
Green Party of England and Wales
Whipped No
0
4
0
Plaid Cymru
Whipped No
0
4
0
Social Democratic and Labour Party
—
0
1
1
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
—
0
0
1
Restore Britain
—
0
0
1
Speaker
—
0
0
1
Traditional Unionist Voice
—
0
0
1
Ulster Unionist Party
—
1
0
0
Your Party
—
0
1
0
Source · Hansard · UK Parliament Votes API · whip status from announced positions; “free vote” indicates the whip was formally removed
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