Prime Minister Theresa May faces a major test of whether she can muster enough lawmakers to rule on Thursday when her legislative plan goes to a vote in parliament amid bids by opponents to peel off her supporters with an array of amendments.
May’s botched gamble on a June 8 snap election lost her Conservative Party its majority in parliament, leading her to strike a deal on Monday with a small Northern Irish party to ensure she has enough votes to pass legislation in parliament.
May has a working majority of 13 in the 650-seat parliament with the support of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), and won a vote on Wednesday by 323 votes to 309.
But the opposition Labour Party led by Jeremy Corbyn has proposed amendments which could test the discipline of May’s supporters.
The debate on May’s legislative agenda, known as the Queen’s Speech, begins around 1000 GMT and will go on for the rest of the day. The focus of the debate is the economy and jobs.
Opponents have put forward amendments calling for environmental protection measures ahead of Britain’s exit from the European union and the abandonment of a so-called ‘hard Brexit’ to ensure continued membership of the single market.
Other demands include ending public spending cuts and the provision of free abortions in the national health service for Northern Irish women travelling to England.