London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Oct 09, 2025

Queen's Speech: What is it and why is it important?

Queen's Speech: What is it and why is it important?

The Queen's Speech, on Tuesday, will allow the government to set out what laws it wants to pass. This could include areas like planning, the environment and social care.
What is the Queen's Speech?


The Queen's Speech provides the government with an opportunity to highlight its priorities for the months ahead.

It forms part of the State Opening of Parliament ceremony, which marks the start of the parliamentary year.

Normally, the ceremony begins with a procession, in which the Queen travels from Buckingham Palace to Westminster - usually by carriage.

However, in light of the pandemic:

*  the Queen will arrive in a Bentley limousine

*  fewer people will attend and they will need a negative Covid test and face covering

*  ceremonial elements will be reduced - no military band or guard of honour to greet the Queen, for example

This year's Queen's Speech will look very different to previous ones

Before the speech, MPs are summoned to the House of Lords by an official known as Black Rod. Before entering the Commons, Black Rod has the doors shut in their face, symbolising the chamber's independence from the monarchy.

During the speech - read from the throne of the House of Lords - the Queen sets out the laws the government wants Parliament to approve.

It is usually given in the presence of MPs, peers and other dignitaries in the House of Lords. However, only 74 people - including the Queen - will be allowed in the chamber on this occasion, because of Covid restrictions.

When is the Queen's Speech usually held?


Normally, a Queen's Speech happens once a year - usually in spring or after a general election.

The last one, on 19 December 2019, enabled Boris Johnson to set out his agenda, one week after winning the general election.

There are many traditions associated with the State Opening of Parliament
What will be in the Queen's Speech?


The 2019 Queen's Speech set out more than 30 pieces of proposed legislation, known as bills.

There was a heavy focus on Brexit, as the UK was preparing to leave the EU in a few weeks' time.

Now Brexit is less of an issue, the government is expecting to announce a much broader programme.

This could include:

*  speeding up the planning process and helping councils meet new house building targets

*  setting out plans for a post-Brexit asylum system

*  reiterating the government's longstanding pledge to reform how adult social care in England is funded

Some legislation started or drafted in the last session but not completed in time is also likely to be carried over, including

*  giving the power back to prime ministers to call an early general election
*  the Environmental Bill - which aims to improve air quality and tackle plastic pollution

Has the Queen's Speech been controversial?


Mr Johnson wanted to hold a Queen's Speech after becoming prime minister in July 2019.

But his initial attempt was blocked by the Supreme Court over the length of time Parliament was to be closed - known as prorogation - before it was held. Critics said Mr Johnson was trying to stop MPs scrutinising his Brexit plans and the suspension was far longer than necessary to hold a Queen's Speech.

Despite the controversy, Mr Johnson did eventually hold a Queen's Speech on 14 October.

Who writes the Queen's Speech?


It is written by ministers but delivered by the Queen.

Its length depends on the number of proposed laws and other announcements - such as foreign policy objectives - but it normally takes about 10 minutes.

Far fewer people will attend this year's Queen's Speech

Is there a vote on it?


Yes.

About two hours after the speech is delivered, MPs reassemble in the House of Commons to begin debating its contents.

After introductory speeches by two MPs, the prime minister will "sell" the speech to the Commons, setting out their vision for the country.

The leader of the opposition then gets their chance to respond, before other MPs are allowed to contribute.

The last prime minister to lose a vote on the speech was Stanley Baldwin in 1924

The debate on what is known as the "Humble Address" normally lasts about five days.

At the end of the debate there is a vote. It's normally seen as symbolic, as it is extremely rare for a government to lose it.

In fact, the last time a government lost the vote was in January 1924, under Conservative Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin. Mr Baldwin proceeded with a King's Speech - George V was the monarch at the time - despite having lost his majority in the previous month's general election.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
France: Less Than a Month After His Appointment, the New French Prime Minister Resigns
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stated that Hungary will not adopt the euro because the European Union is falling apart.
Sarah Mullally Becomes First Woman Appointed Archbishop of Canterbury
Mayor in western Germany in intensive care after stabbing
Australian government pays Deloitte nearly half a million dollars for a report built on fabricated quotes, fake citations, and AI-generated nonsense.
US Prosecutors Gained Legal Approval to Hack Telegram Servers
Macron Faces Intensifying Pressure to Resign or Trigger New Elections Amid France’s Political Turmoil
Standard Chartered Names Roberto Hoornweg as Sole Head of Corporate & Investment Banking
UK Asylum Housing Firm Faces Backlash Over £187 Million Profits and Poor Living Conditions
UK Police Crack Major Gang in Smuggling of up to 40,000 Stolen Phones to China
BYD’s UK Sales Soar Nearly Nine-Fold, Making Britain Its Biggest Market Outside China
Trump Proposes Farm Bailout from Tariff Revenues Amid Backlash from Other Industries
FIFA Accuses Malaysia of Forging Citizenship Documents, Suspends Seven Footballers
Latvia to Bar Tourist and Occasional Buses to Russia and Belarus Until 2026
A Dollar Coin Featuring Trump’s Portrait Expected to Be Issued Next Year
Australia Orders X to Block Murder Videos, Citing Online Safety and Public Exposure
Three Scientists Awarded Nobel Prize in Medicine for Discovery of Immune Self-Tolerance Mechanism
OpenAI and AMD Forge Landmark AI-Chip Alliance with Equity Option
Munich Airport Reopens After Second Drone Shutdown
France Names New Government Amid Political Crisis
Trump Stands Firm in Shutdown Showdown and Declares War on Drug Cartels — Turning Crisis into Opportunity
Surge of U.S. Billionaires Transforms London’s Peninsula Apartments into Ultra-Luxury Stronghold
Pro Europe and Anti-War Babiš Poised to Return to Power After Czech Parliamentary Vote
Jeff Bezos Calls AI Surge a ‘Good’ Bubble, Urges Focus on Lasting Innovation
Japan’s Ruling Party Chooses Sanae Takaichi, Clearing Path to First Female Prime Minister
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Sentenced to Fifty Months in Prison Following Prostitution Conviction
Taylor Swift’s ‘Showgirl’ Launch Extends Billion-Dollar Empire
Trump Administration Launches “TrumpRx” Plan to Enable Direct Drug Sales at Deep Discounts
Trump Announces Intention to Impose 100 Percent Tariff on Foreign-Made Films
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Singapore and Hong Kong Vie to Dominate Asia’s Rising Gold Trade
Trump Organization Teams with Saudi Developer on $1 Billion Trump Plaza in Jeddah
Manhattan Sees Surge in Office-to-Housing Conversions, Highest Since 2008
Switzerland and U.S. Issue Joint Assurance Against Currency Manipulation
Electronic Arts to Be Taken Private in Historic $55 Billion Buyout
Thomas Jacob Sanford Named as Suspect in Deadly Michigan Church Shooting and Arson
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
New York Man Arrested After On-Air Confession to 2017 Parents’ Murders
U.S. Defense Chief Orders Sudden Summit of Hundreds of Generals and Admirals
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
Trump Claims FBI Planted 274 Agents at Capitol Riot, Citing Unverified Reports
India: Internet Suspended in Bareilly Amid Communal Clashes Between Muslims and Hindus
Supreme Court Extends Freeze on Nearly $5 Billion in U.S. Foreign Aid at Trump’s Request
Archaeologists Recover Statues and Temples from 2,000-Year-Old Sunken City off Alexandria
China Deploys 2,000 Workers to Spain to Build Major EV Battery Factory, Raising European Dependence
Speed Takes Over: How Drive-Through Coffee Chains Are Rewriting U.S. Coffee Culture
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Ringo Starr Champions Enduring Beatles Legacy While Debuting Las Vegas Art Show
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Colombian President Petro Vows to Mobilize Volunteers for Gaza and Joins List of Fighters
×