The Debate on the Address is the traditional Parliamentary opportunity for reviewing the whole political situation, and it is the one great opportunity of the year upon which grievances can be discussed.
1929, 3 July.
The Sovereign’s Address, also called the "Gracious Speech ” or "Speech from the Throne”, is given by the monarch. It sets out the programme of the government, but does not necessarily endorse it, and a "Debate on the Address” duly follows.
I am very glad that the closing session of this long ten years’ Parliament should show all due respect for the traditional and ceremonial occasions which ignorant, unthinking people, who have not meditated upon these matters or studied the true movement of events and of forces in the human breast might easily regard as meaningless punctilio. Here in the Speech from the Throne and in the Debate on the Address may be seen all the workings of the British Constitution, or all the principal workings. The Sovereign, advised by his Ministers, delivers the Gracious Speech. The House then proceeds to express their thanks, but have a perfect right to move Amendments saying that they regret that this or that has been put into or left out of the Gracious Speech, and if they carry such an Amendment, the Government of the day is defeated on a major point of confidence, and it is not easy to conceive a situation in which they could continue to retain their office.
1944, 29 November.
World History
