What is the King’s Speech?

Publications / Guides

What is the King’s Speech?

©UK House of Lords (CC BY 2.0)

The King’s Speech is the vehicle through which the Government sets out its legislative programme for a new Session of Parliament. The Speech is the central element of the State Opening of Parliament. The King’s Speech may also be referred to as the 'Gracious Speech'. It is written by the Government; the Monarch simply reads it out. However, the references which the Monarch makes in the Speech to 'my Government' reaffirm the constitutional fact that, formally, the Government is the King's Government and is appointed by him.

This guide is part of the collection: The King’s Speech and State Opening of Parliament: A procedural and constitutional guide

The King's Speech details the major Bills that the Government plans to introduce to Parliament or publish in draft during the new Session. The Speech also sets out a general presentation of the Government's main policy objectives and priorities, in foreign as well as domestic affairs. It usually includes an announcement of any forthcoming State Visits.

The Bills listed in the King's Speech are often the most high-profile and long-planned ones. However, at any time during the Session the Government may introduce Bills that were not listed in the King's Speech. There is no difference between the parliamentary procedure that applies to Government Bills that were included in the Gracious Speech and those that were not.

After the King's Speech, the Leader of the House of Commons normally makes a Written Statement to Parliament confirming the list of Bills announced in the Speech.

What business happens after the King’s Speech?

After the King's Speech, the main business in both Houses is the start of the debate on the Speech. In both Houses, the debate on the Speech normally starts on same day as the Speech takes place.

However, before the House of Commons gets down to any business, the Speaker first makes a statement about the "duties and responsibilities of honourable Members" of the House and usually refers to the Code of Conduct for MPs.

What are the Outlawries and the Select Vestries Bills?

In both Houses, before the start of the debate on the King's Speech, the House gives a symbolic First Reading to a Bill that was not included in the Gracious Speech. This is a formality: the Bill is not published or debated; and although it is ordered to be read a second time, no date is appointed for Second Reading. The process is typically over in a second or two.

However, this symbolic First Reading is undertaken to make the constitutional point that the House is able to consider business of its own choice, not just business that was outlined in the King’s Speech.

In each House, the Bill which is given a symbolic First Reading is always the same.

In the House of Commons, the Bill given a symbolic First Reading is the Outlawries Bill. A Bill with this title was first presented in 1727. Since then, it has been generally accepted that it should not progress as a normal Bill. The Outlawries Bill historically provided for the more ‘effectual preventing’ of ‘clandestine outlawries’ – that is, the declaration of someone as an outlaw without due process.

In the House of Lords, the Bill given a symbolic First Reading is the Select Vestries Bill. This is a remnant of the regular debates that took place in the 18th and 19th centuries on the reform of select vestries. Vestries were a form of local government based on church parish boundaries which had the church vestry as their meeting place. The ‘select’ element refers to the fact that property restrictions limited those entitled to vote in these vestries to only a few ‘select’ people. Reform of select vestries was thus an important aspect of the debate about extending the franchise and reducing the power of the Crown and executive. As the House of Lords historically comprised powerful landowners and Bishops, the Select Vestries Bill came to symbolise the need for Members to act in the national interest rather than self-interest.

In this collection

State Opening of Parliament. ©UK Parliament

What is the State Opening of Parliament?

What is the King’s Speech?

King's Speech debate on 'Address'. ©UK Parliament

The debate on the ‘Address’

← Back to the collection homepage

Last updated and citation

Last updated

6:00pm, 6 November 2023

Cite this page

Hansard Society (2023), What is the King’s Speech?, (Hansard Society: London)

Latest / Highlights

News / Post Office Horizon scandal: What is Parliament doing about it? - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 33

Should Parliament simply overturn the convictions of postmasters caught up in the Post Office Horizon scandal? That’s what the Government proposes to do through the Post Office (Horizon system) Offences Bill. But quashing of convictions is normally a matter for the courts. Some MPs have misgivings about setting a constitutional precedent as well as practical concerns about how the Bill will be implemented. We talk to the Chair of the Justice Select Committee, Sir Bob Neill MP.

Events / The inaugural Churchill-Attlee Democracy Lecture, to be given by the Rt Hon Theresa May MP

To mark the Hansard Society’s 80th anniversary we are launching the Churchill-Attlee Democracy Lecture in honour of our first members, Winston Churchill and Clement Attlee. The inaugural lecture will be given by former Prime Minister the Rt Hon Theresa May MP. All profit from ticket sales goes to our 80th Anniversary Appeal. Date & location: Tuesday 14 May 2024, 7:00-8:15pm, Westminster (venue to be announced) Tickets: £25

News / Is AI set to destroy trust in elections? Tackling misinformation in politics & Parliament, with top fact checker Full Fact's Chris Morris - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 32

The emerging role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in shaping political discourse is a potential game changer. It has the capacity to fabricate fake interviews and manipulate images, all of which could mislead voters and disrupt the democratic process. But could it affect the results of our elections? We talk to Chris Morris, the head of factchecking organisation, Full Fact, about the threats posed by these technologies, the potential scale of misinformation in politics, and the measures politicians and political parties need to take to counteract them.

Briefings / General election rules and regulations: what has changed?

With a general election on the horizon there has been a spate of new legislation and regulations to implement changes to the way the election will be run, with consequences for voters and electoral administrators. Parliament has not always had a role in approving these changes. This briefing sets out the core changes to the electoral process that have been implemented since the last general election in 2019, the role that Parliament has played in scrutinising and approving them, and the risks arising from these changes.

News / Rwanda Bill becomes law: but what was really going on behind the scenes in Parliament? - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 31

The Rwanda Bill has made it over the parliamentary finishing line but not without some last-minute drama. We talk to the SNP’s Alison Thewliss MP about what went on in a small room, behind the Speaker’s Chair, away from the cameras!