The first proper government ambush of this Parliament is upon us. The Speaker has announced which amendments to the Queen’s Speech will be put to a vote this evening. Along with the official Labour Brexit amendment calling on the government to negotiate an outcome that prioritises jobs and the economy, there are two amendments from Labour MPs that will ruffle feathers on both sides of the House.
Chuka Umunna’s amendment criticising the Queen’s speech for not keeping the option of single market membership on the table could see many Labour MPs rebel from their party’s ‘official position’. Meanwhile, Stella Creasy’s amendment on the abortion rights of Northern Ireland women looks set to cause the Conservatives some bother.
The Creasy amendment says the government should allow women from Northern Ireland to get an abortion in England on the NHS. The DUP are against this and so it is a particularly thorny issue for the Conservatives – putting pressure on the two parties’ confidence and supply agreement.
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