King's Speech (Motion for an Address): Amendment (l)
117Ayes
384Noes
Defeated · majority 267 · Government won146 did not vote
647 Members · Aye 117 · No 384 · DNV 146 · grey dots in centre are abstentions
Analysis
Commons
Commons
On 23 July 2024, the House of Commons voted on amendment (l) to the motion for an Address in Reply to the King's Speech, a formal mechanism by which opposition parties register disagreement with the new government's legislative programme. The amendment was defeated by 384 votes to 117. The King's Speech sets out a government's policy and legislative plans for the parliamentary session. Amendments to the motion for an Address allow opposition parties to put on record their objections without blocking the speech itself. Defeating amendment (l) confirmed parliamentary support for the Labour government's stated agenda as a whole, clearing the procedural path for that programme to proceed. The vote divided almost entirely along party lines. All 332 Labour MPs and 39 Labour and Co-operative MPs voted no, joined by Independents, the Greens, and the two SDLP members. The 103 Conservative MPs present voted aye, along with all six Reform UK MPs who voted, the three DUP members who voted, and one Ulster Unionist. No Conservative or Reform UK MP voted no. Three Independents voted aye and seven voted no, reflecting the mixed character of that group following the July 2024 general election. There were no notable cross-party rebels.
Voting Aye meant
Support amendment (l) to the King's Speech address, signalling dissatisfaction with the Labour government's stated legislative programme
Voting No meant
Oppose the amendment, backing the King's Speech and the Labour government's legislative agenda as presented
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
332
29
Conservative and Unionist Party
Whipped Aye
103
0
13
Liberal Democrats
—
0
0
71
Labour and Co-operative Party
Whipped No
0
39
3
Independent
—
3
7
4
Scottish National Party
—
0
0
9
Reform UK
Whipped Aye
6
0
1
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
—
0
0
4
Social Democratic and Labour Party
—
0
2
0
Your Party
—
0
2
0
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
—
0
0
1
Restore Britain
—
1
0
0
Speaker
—
0
0
1
Traditional Unionist Voice
—
0
0
1
Ulster Unionist Party
—
1
0
0
Source · Hansard · UK Parliament Votes API · whip status from announced positions; “free vote” indicates the whip was formally removed
Criticized Labour's cancellation of Rwanda asylum scheme, effective amnesty for illegal arrivals, and poor diplomatic handling; defended Conservative policing and migration records while accusing Labour of abandoning tough rhetoric.Conservative · Voted aye · Read full speech (4,153 words) →
Outlined three-pillar Home Office strategy (crime/policing, borders/asylum, security); criticized Conservative legacy on police numbers, visa system mismanagement, and Rwanda scheme's wasteful £700m spend with minimal results.Labour · Voted no · Read full speech (4,485 words) →
Welcomed Home Secretary's openness to cross-party working; supported scrapping Rwanda scheme and called for proper community policing, court backlog reduction, and better immigration system for economy and genuine refugees.Liberal Democrat · Voted no_vote_recorded · Read full speech (1,767 words) →
Acknowledged election defeat; defended Rwanda scheme as part of deterrent strategy and criticized its abandonment; emphasized need for international development spending and returns agreements as long-term solutions.Conservative · Voted aye · Read full speech (1,006 words) →
Focused on poverty, inequality, and disabled people's rights; welcomed King's Speech measures on child poverty, social security, and living standards as remedy to 14 years of Conservative cuts.Labour · Voted no · Read full speech (1,228 words) →
Emphasized impact of Conservative cuts on schools, housing, health, and children's mental health; welcomed Labour's legislative programme for child poverty, education, and young people's wellbeing.Labour · Voted no · Read full speech (1,213 words) →
Sources
Division dataUK Parliament Votes API
DebateHansard · Commons
Stance analysisAI analysis · Claude 4.x
LicenceOpen Parliament Licence v3.0