Westminster

[Continential]

The place where it happens.

Westminster:

The thread for the House of Commons, here is where legislation will be proposed, debated and voted on and where the government will be formed.

[S019]

The Queen's Speech:

My Lords and Members of the House of Commons,

My government will focus on providing the people with a second choice on the exit from the European Union, an end to austerity, and electoral reform

My government will revoke Article 50, and will begin preparations for a second referendum. My government will not offer the choice of a hard departure, due to the damage that it would cause to the United Kingdom. My government will offer the choice to stay in the European Union or leave with a deal. My government will have the deal on the ballot so that the people of this nation can read it and make their own decision. My government will campaign to stay in the European Union, because we believe that the cost of leaving the European Union is too great. My government will also commit to keeping the Northern Ireland border open if the United Kingdom does choose to leave again, my government will do away with the stopgap measure proposed in past withdrawal agreements.

My government will end the austerity measures implemented in the past several ministries. We will invest in the National Health Service, to ensure that all Britons have access to quality health insurance. We will end the attempts by past Home Departments to take funding away from our police forces, which keep us all safe.

My government will offer the chance for the people of Scotland to make their voice heard on if they wish to remain part of this union or not. My government will campaign for remaining in this union, but ultimately the choice is that of the Scottish people. If the Scottish people do choose to leave, I will do my best to help the Scottish Parliament and First Minister, as they prepare to become an independent country. Even if Scotland does become independent, my government will make one promise that the border between the United Kingdom and Scotland will remain open, even if the United Kingdom leaves the European Union.

My government will take on electoral reform. My government believes that the current electoral system leads to outcomes that are unrepresentative of the will of the British people. My government will consider a form of proportional representation, which my government believes more accurately represents the will of the British people.

My government will create two new Cabinet offices, the Housing Secretary and the Secretary of State for Women and Equalities. My government will work to take on the issue of affordable housing. My government will commit to building new housing to reduce the homeless population of this nation. My government will also work to attain gender equality. My government hopes that these two new departments can take on these important issues.

Members of the House of Commons:

Estimates for the public services will be laid before you.

My Lords and Members of the House of Commons:

Other measures will be laid before you.

I pray that the blessing of Almighty God may rest upon your counsels.

[GoTfan]

The SNP will vote aye. Three line whip

[S019]

Labour MPs will vote AYE, three line whip

[Left Wing]

Liberal Democrats will vote Aye. Three line whip.

[Continential]

The DUP will vote Nay, three line whip
Sinn Fein will abstain
Plaid Cymru will vote Aye, two line whip
Alliance will vote Aye, two line whip
Caroline Lucas of the Greens will vote Aye
Richard Tice of Brexit will vote Nay
Tom Elliott of the UUP will vote Nay
Colum Eastwood of the SDLP will vote Aye
The Speaker abstains
Claire Wright votes Aye

[RGM2609]

Conservatives vote NAY, three line whip

[Continential]

The Queens Speech passes

[S019]

The Article 50 Act

1. Her Majesty's Government will immediately revoke the United Kingdom's invocation of Article 50 of the Treaty on the European Union

2. The Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union shall travel to the European Council in Brussels to negotiate a possible withdrawal argument

3. The negotiated withdrawal agreement will be voted on in the House of Commons and in the House of Lords

4. Following a successful vote in the affirmative in both chambers, a date for a second referendum on the United Kingdom's continued status shall be set, with the options in the referendum being to remain in the United Kingdom or to leave with the negotiated agreement

5. In the event of a negative vote in either house of Parliament, the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union shall return to Brussels to negotiate an agreement and it shall be voted on, this process shall occur until a deal is reached that receives an affirmative vote in both houses of Parliament

[RGM2609]

Boris Johnson's speech during the debate on the Article 50 Act

It would appear as if this short-lived, chaotic government is doing its best to do as much damage as it can before it goes down. The damage the far left is causing right now to democracy is beyond anything in the past. They are relitigating a referendum instead of following its results because they don't like those results! That is not democracy, Ladies and Gentlemen! But you will fail: the British people voted to leave the European Union once and they will do so again, and this time, the Conservative Party is going to fight for the outcome that the British people have already stated they are in favor of!

[GoTfan]

Ian Blackford (Secretary of State for Scotland) responds

Mr Speaker, the Right Honourable gentlemen forgets a key aspect of the Brexit referendum: Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland did not vote to leave the European Union. More than that, Conservative prime Ministers have now twice in as many years gone to the British public and asked them for a clear mandate to deliver Brexit. Both times, they not only failed in that mandate, but failed to even gain a parlaimentary majority. The second time around, they failed to even fomr a government.

For the Right Honourable gentlemen to lecture this chamber on ignoring the will of the people after he failed to not only attain a majority, but also failed to form a government in the face of the other major parties openly supporting remaining in the European Union is, frankly, hilarious. He speaks of the damage the far-left is inflicting on this country, but frankly Mr Speaker, after nearly a decade of austerity, harm inflicted on the least fortunate, and the rise of homelessness and poverty under his party, I would say that the far-right has inflicted even more.

[RGM2609]

Boris Johnson responds

And Southern England and the Midlands did not vote for this government, it should resign! In all seriousness now, the Secretary is just dodging. The facts are simple - the British people went to the polls, and were asked a very simple question - do you want us to leave the European Union? And a majority of them, over 17 million to be precise, more than the votes for this government, said yes, we want to leave the European Union! Now this far-left coalition is saying - no, we did not like this decision, we will just ignore it and redo the whole thing because hopefully, we will get the result we want. This is not how democracy works!

Mr. Speaker, the Conservative Party has won the biggest number of seats in every election since 2010 and I will not accept to be given lectures on electoral performance from a representative of a government who is reliant on backroom deals to take away the power from the winners of the election. And the British people will not accept to be denied their right to determine the future of our country by this far-left coalition and will loudly, soundly deny this attempt at thwarting their will.

[S019]

Remarks from the Prime Minister on the Article 50 Act

Mr. Speaker, to reply to the concerns of the Leader of the Opposition. I will note that it has been a rocky path since the 2016 vote, and it has become clear that there were some consequences to leaving the European Union that were not apparent at the time. Every party in this coalition supported some sort of second referendum, as such, now that we are in government, we have an obligation to maintain this promise. We believe that the events of the last three years justify a second vote due to the hindsight that people now have, that they did not have. On the topic of winning the most seats, I will note that simply that does not matter, they did not win enough seats to form government. A plurality of seats does not entitle a party to form government. Also I find it odd how the opposition is criticizing coalitions now, given they got into power in 2010 and 2017 with coalitions. Ultimately, this legislation will allow the people to have a final say on the issue of Brexit, if they wish to leave, then we will indeed leave, if they wish to remain, then we will remain. The official position endorsed by the government shall be to remain, however we will respect the result of this referendum.

[RGM2609]

Response by Boris Johnson

Mr. Speaker, I will end my remarks during this debate by saying that by the logic of the Prime Minister, we should have this referendum every 3 or 4 years to add for the gained hindsight. And there has been no hindsight on the actual matter of discussion because we have not actually left the European Union to see the effects of such a move because of the obstructionism of those now forming the government. Mr. Speaker, I will not continue to engage in this pointless discussion but instead, I shall conclude by saying that the Conservative Party will vote with all of its passion and strength against this heinous act, which will go down in history as one of the worst to have ever been voted by this Parliament given the precedent it sets and afterward we will fight our hardest on the streets of our great country to defeat this blatant attempt at thwarting the will of the people and leave the European Union once and for all.

[Continential]

The vote on the The Article 50 Act has began.

[GoTfan]

The SNP will vote AYE!

[RGM2609]

Conservatives vote NAY

[Left Wing]

Liberal Democrats will vote Aye

[S019]

Labour MPs vote AYE