Debate on the Address: movers and seconders since 1900

The Debate on the Address (or Loyal Address) is the formal name for the King’s Speech debate that is held over several days in both Houses at the start of a new session of Parliament.

The King’s Speech marks the formal start of a new parliamentary session.  The speech itself is written by the Government and is delivered by the King in the Chamber of the House of Lords. Its main function is to announce the Government’s priorities and to list the bills that they plan to introduce in the coming session.

The speech is delivered by the King from the Throne in the House of Lords in the presence of members of both Houses. MPs are summoned to hear the speech by Black Rod, an official in the House of Lords. By tradition, when Black Rod attends the Commons, the door is shut in their face, and opened only after knocking three times.

When the ceremony is complete, MPs return to the Commons Chamber and begin debating the contents of the speech. The debates take place on the motion: ‘That an humble Address be presented to His Majesty’ thanking him for the speech, but they are also an opportunity to discuss what the Speech contained: the Government’s programme for the year ahead. Two Members are selected by the Government for moving and seconding the Address, usually one long-serving Member and one relative newcomer. The Members are chosen from the Government backbenches. During the coalition government of 2010-15, the motion was moved by a Conservative backbencher and seconded by a Liberal Democrat backbencher. By convention the speeches made by the mover and seconder are not contentious and may be humorous and include personal reminisces and flattering references to their constituencies. These speeches are followed, in order, by those of the Leader of the Opposition, the Prime Minister, the leader of the second-largest opposition party, and then other Members.

House of Lords

The debate on the Address in the House of Lords also starts with the motion to make a humble Address to the King being moved and seconded. Movers and seconders of the motion since 1979 are listed in the Lords Library briefing: Sovereign’s Speech: Lords movers and seconders, 1979-2024.

The House of Lords Library produced a series of briefings, setting out the Government’s commitments in various policy areas, in advance of the King’s Speech on 17 July 2024.

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