The Commons backs the Government

Commons Backs Queen's Speech

To cheers in a crowded Chamber at the close of the five-day debate on the Queen's Speech, a Tory amendment urging ministers not to sign the European Social Chapter or introduce a minimum wage was defeated by 446 votes to 156.

Conservative MPs, one of whom donned the top hat required by Commons rules to make a point of order during the division, protested that the vote should not take place and the key motion of thanks to the Queen for the Speech should fall.

They said Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, winding up the debate for the Government, was still speaking at 10pm when the motion was due to be put to the House. But Speaker Betty Boothroyd rejected their complaints and ordered the vote to proceed.

Opening the debate, Tory leadership challenger and former Chancellor Kenneth Clarke accused Tony Blair's new administration of rushing into decisions and making "big mistakes" after Labour's landslide election victory on May 1.

Mr Clarke criticised ministers for the speed with which they had begun the process of giving the Bank of England independent control over interest rates and for planning an "emergency" tax-raising Budget next month.

In rushing into these things, this Government is showing all the signs of inexperienced men and women being intoxicated with their new power," he insisted. "They are 18-year-olds in the saloon bar trying out every bottle on the shelf."

"They are charging into mistakes. The whole thing is bathed in the theatrical glow of a synthetic Camelot. We will see how sinister that light becomes," said Mr Clarke.

"Some people said that this new Government would make no difference," he declared. But he said the new Labour Government had done more in 18 short days to restore faith in government advancing opportunity for all, than the Tories had achieved in "18 long years of Government".

Mr Brown said Labour's plans amounted to "a comprehensive strategy for our country with one aim: to equip men and women to meet the challenges of the future".

"We must solve the problem of unemployment in a wholly new labour market. The days when there were jobs for life, when most workers were men, when manual jobs were the norm, when good wages came without qualifications or skills or experience are gone," he said.

"We will be the first British Government to recognise and act upon these new realities in a new employment policy for the country. We believe that these goals, which are central to our programme, can be achieved only by a fundamental reform of our approach to welfare, employment and education," Mr Brown told the House.

For the Liberal Democrats, Malcolm Bruce said: "The reality is that this Government has arrived here with the biggest majority and the smallest collection of policy commitments that any Government has arrived with."

He welcomed the decision to give independence to the Bank of England but pointed out that it had not been in Labour's manifesto.

"It does slightly belie your claims that this is going to be a Government of openness and transparency and honesty when such a major switch of policy is announced with complete and total surprise," said Mr Bruce.